The Future: You Must have a Masters to Apply to a Nurse Anesthesia Program??!!

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I searched CRNA on Wikipedia, and found this quote:

"Currently, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) has endorsed a position statement that will move the current entry level of training for nurse anesthetists in the United States to the Doctor in Nursing Practice (DNP). This move will affect all advance practice nurses, with the proposed implementation by the year 2015. The AANA announced in August 2007 support of this advanced clinical degree as an entry level for all nurse anesthetists, but with a target date of 2025. This will increase the time in training, but refine clinical decision-making through research utilization and science-based practice. In accordance with traditional grandfathering rules, all those in current practice will not be affected."

So, if I'm interpreting this correctly, you can apply for Nurse anesthesia school only after you have your masters, and you'll graduate with a Doctor in Nursing practice when you're done.

I know anybody can post anything on Wikipedia, so I was wondering if anyone else heard anything like this. I searched the AANA website a little, and couldn't find anything to this effect.

What do you think?

lord i pray i get into a program before all this stuff is impletmented..the last thing i want to do is to waste time and money to get a masters instead of concentrating on the original goal of becoming a crna.

I can't believe the CRNA's on this website can't answer questions about their own profession.

There are still thousands of CRNA's in practice with NO DEGREE!!!!! They get grandfathered in as standards and laws change. There are plenty of them out there with just a BSN and a CRNA certificate. Get a master's now and you will be able to practice until you retire. It doesn't all turn to doodoo in 2015 or 2025 just because the stupid DNP comes along. And remember - NO STATE REQUIRES A DOCTORATE IN NURSING FOR ANYTHING, nor are they likely to do so for decades if ever. Almost 40 years ago, people were just sure that a BSN would be the entry level for nursing. IT'S NEVER HAPPENED! RN's with associate degrees or hospital diplomas are still - say it with me - RN's.

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lord i pray i get into a program before all this stuff is impletmented..the last thing i want to do is to waste time and money to get a masters instead of concentrating on the original goal of becoming a crna.

I'm not following you -- you have to get a master's now to become a CRNA ... ??

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Specializes in LTC, HomeCare.

ok, I am totally confused! what exactly are they saying? will it be implemented by 2015 or 2025? I did read on the website, saying that AANA Supports Doctorate for APN's by year 2025. If this is the case, then why is everyone mentioning 2015? ANYONE PLEASE CLEAR THIS MISUNDERSTANDING FROM MY SIDE!

-THANKS

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Specializes in icu/er.

i'm relating to the fact that i hope that can get into a program before any new bylaws that are passed that require a crna applicant to already have a msn behind their name.. and obviously i also pray that i'm able to get into a program in my area that is'nt doing this doctrate thing aswell.

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

clarification:

crna programs grant a masters degree at graduation---type varies by facility. plan is instead of granting a masters degree, program will change to grant a doctor of nursing practice degree(dnp) in anesthesia. one would enter these programs after bs degree obtained and minimum of 1 yr critical care experience (may change to 2 hrs).

graduates of physician education programs receive doctor of medicine (md) or doctor of osteopathy (do)

graduates of law programs receive juris doctorate( jd)

pharmacy graduates receive (pharmd).

these programs grant a professional practice doctorate in area of concentration, instead of granting an ms degree in medicine, law, pharmacy etc

due to the in depth knowledge now expected to be learned by advanced health care clinicians, nursing in proposing to move to same level field.

www.aacn.nche.edu for aacn’s essentials of doctoral education for advanced nursing practice and the aacn position statement on the practice doctorate in nursing. ---they propose all advanced practice by 2015

aana is looking for transition by 2025.

check out the online journal of issues in nursing with articles for and against the dnp for advanced practice nursing.

the doctor of nursing practice (dnp): need for more dialogue

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clarification:

most crna programs grant a masters degree at graduation---type varies by facility. plan is instead of granting a masters degree, program will change to grant a doctor of nursing practice degree(dnp) in anesthesia. one would enter these programs after bs degree obtained and minimum of 1 yr critical care experience (may change to 2 hrs).

graduates of physician education programs receive doctor of medicine (md) or doctor of osteopathy (do)

graduates of law programs receive juris doctorate( jd)

pharmacy graduates receive (pharmd).

these programs grant a professional practice doctorate in area of concentration, instead of granting an ms degree in medicine, law, pharmacy etc

due to the in depth knowledge now expected to be learned by advanced health care clinicians, nursing in proposing to move to same level field.

www.aacn.nche.edu for aacn's essentials of doctoral education for advanced nursing practice and the aacn position statement on the practice doctorate in nursing. ---they propose all advanced practice by 2015

aana is looking for transition by 2025.

check out the online journal of issues in nursing with articles for and against the dnp for advanced practice nursing.

the doctor of nursing practice (dnp): need for more dialogue

do you guys even have a crna moderator?

all crna programs are now master's degree programs, it has been that way for many years now.

one of the reasons this forum is terrible is that non-crnas are moderating and censoring this forum and putting out incorrect information.

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.
:eek: That what happens when posting late after 13hrs at work... Removed " most" as CRNA education at masters level for several years.
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Specializes in Anesthesia.
ok, I am totally confused! what exactly are they saying? will it be implemented by 2015 or 2025? I did read on the website, saying that AANA Supports Doctorate for APN's by year 2025. If this is the case, then why is everyone mentioning 2015? ANYONE PLEASE CLEAR THIS MISUNDERSTANDING FROM MY SIDE!

-THANKS

The AANA sets the standard for when nurse anesthesia schools will be implementing the DNP/DNAP. All other APN schools will be requiring DNP by 2015, but nurse anesthesia schools will not be requiring the DNP until 2025.

The main reason for this is that the AANA felt nurse anesthesia needed the extra time, because not all nurse anesthesia grant an MSN and many NA schools aren't even taught in conjuction with nursing schools. There are quite a few NA schools that grant MS in anethesia or just an MS degree instead of an MSN.

It is little confusing, but the idea remains the same. NA schools won't be required to implement the DNP/DNAP until 2025, although some of them (2 or 3) already have a DNP program and several more are in the planning stages for adding the DNP.

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Specializes in LTC, HomeCare.
The AACN sets the standard for when nurse anesthesia schools will be implementing the DNP/DNAP. All other APN schools will be requiring DNP by 2015, but nurse anesthesia schools will not be requiring the DNP until 2025.

The main reason for this is that the AANA felt nurse anesthesia needed the extra time, because not all nurse anesthesia grant an MSN and many NA schools aren't even taught in conjuction with nursing schools. There are quite a few NA schools that grant MS in anethesia or just an MS degree instead of an MSN.

It is little confusing, but the idea remains the same. NA schools won't be required to implement the DNP/DNAP until 2025, although some of them (2 or 3) already have a DNP program and several more are in the planning stages for adding the DNP.

Thank you very much for clarifying! I had also emailed AACN regarding this, and this is what they replied me with, I hope this will make it clear for everyone!

Thanks for the email. The two dates for the transition to the DNP

are not true mandates, but target dates. We realize that schools,

regulatory bodies and practice settings will have to make big changes

before this important transition can occur, so a milestone was set for

stakeholders to strive toward achieving. Nurses prepared at the master's

level will be allowed to practice after 2015 with no limits to their scope

of practice. When educational requirements changes, practicing

professionals a typically grand-fathered in and that is what we expect to

happen with the DNP. I am not too familiar with the AANA's decisions

regarding the 2025 date, but you may want to check to see if that is tied

to their certification process. If they will not certified master's

prepared CRNAs after 2025, then that target date has more teeth. I hope this helps.

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You know this question is coming.

Why would I bother with 4 years of extra nursing school when in that same amount of time I can get a medical degree that has unlimited diversity potential?

You already need to take chem and org chem to be considered for admissions into CRNA schools. Some medical schools allow our A and P as substitutes for Biology, so that just leaves Physics as the differing pre req.

With the current and NON abating nursing shortages we face, I am puzzled as to why you damn yanks keep making it more difficult for nurses to want to get into the profession. Seriously, 8-9 years to become a neutered prescriber?

There are only 2 winners with this DNP nonsense: PA and medical schools. This "keeping up with the jones" inferiority complex driven mentality just erodes my want to stay long term in the nursing profession. The whole "look at me, I'm special too!" attitude is borderline juvenile and makes non ivory tower nurses shake our heads in shame.

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Why would I bother with 4 years of extra nursing school when in that same amount of time I can get a medical degree that has unlimited diversity potential?

You already need to take chem and org chem to be considered for admissions into CRNA schools. Some medical schools allow our A and P as substitutes for Biology, so that just leaves Physics as the differing pre req.

.

Some BSN programs require physics, anyway.

When I met with a local anesthesia program's director to discuss a future application, I asked about the segue to a doctorate, and was told that when they make that change (they are a department of a medical college, not a nursing school), they will add to the 28 month program they have now, and it will probably still be under 36 months. Not only is that not four years, it is not followed by the nightmare of low-paid residency - seven or so years for anesthesiologists!- that my MD friends had to live through.

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You know this question is coming.

Why would I bother with 4 years of extra nursing school when in that same amount of time I can get a medical degree that has unlimited diversity potential?

You already need to take chem and org chem to be considered for admissions into CRNA schools. Some medical schools allow our A and P as substitutes for Biology, so that just leaves Physics as the differing pre req.

With the current and NON abating nursing shortages we face, I am puzzled as to why you damn yanks keep making it more difficult for nurses to want to get into the profession. Seriously, 8-9 years to become a neutered prescriber?

There are only 2 winners with this DNP nonsense: PA and medical schools. This "keeping up with the jones" inferiority complex driven mentality just erodes my want to stay long term in the nursing profession. The whole "look at me, I'm special too!" attitude is borderline juvenile and makes non ivory tower nurses shake our heads in shame.

Well put Canuckistanian. ;)

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