Skip to main content

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Nurse Anesthesiology

Request Information

Learn from the BEST, Become your BEST

Image
Large group of nurse anesthesia students

Advance from critical care nurse to nurse anesthesiologist (NA) through our rigorous DNP program, designed to prepare you for one of nursing’s most advanced and rewarding practice roles. With a 100% first-time pass rate on the National Certification Examination, a 100% employment rate for recent graduates, and small cohorts that foster individualized faculty mentorship, our program has a proven record of producing successful nurse anesthesiologists.

Building on your critical care experience, the curriculum integrates advanced didactic coursework, simulation-based learning, clinical residencies, and scholarly work. You’ll develop expertise in conducting comprehensive preanesthetic assessments, formulating individualized anesthesia care plans, and applying evidence and clinical judgment to complex decision-making. Our expert faculty provide personalized support, fostering a challenging, collaborative learning environment that prepares you to excel. 

Patient safety is central to every learning experience. You’ll learn to deliver vigilant, patient-centered care; prevent iatrogenic complications; perform comprehensive equipment checks; implement infection-control measures; and safely administer a range of anesthesia techniques, agents, and technologies. Our graduates are prepared to provide anesthesia care to patients across the lifespan, including in trauma and emergency settings, and to administer and manage general and regional anesthesia with confidence. 

Our three-year, full-time hybrid program combines online coursework, on-campus intensives in Tucson, AZ, and clinical residencies at health care facilities nationwide. We offer diverse clinical experiences across rural, urban, and specialty practice settings, preparing you to care for a broad range of patients and clinical conditions. Since its inception, our program has graduated 144 nurse anesthesiologists who are making an impact in health care settings nationwide. Join a program with a proven record of success, and you’ll graduate ready to lead, innovate, and transform patient care!

Program Outcomes

  • Graduates will have acquired knowledge, skills, and competencies in patient safety, perianesthetic management, critical thinking, and communication, as well as the competencies needed to fulfill their professional responsibilities.
  • Improve health outcomes through science-based advanced practice.
  • Engage in and lead collaborative practice teams.
  • Generate and disseminate nursing practice knowledge to stimulate research and improve clinical outcomes.
  • Influence clinical practice transformation and policy initiatives.
Image
CCNE and COA accreditation logos

The U of A DNP program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The Nurse Anesthesiology Specialty is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs.

Application Deadline: AUGUST

Program Facts

3
Years

Full-time Program Length
(Approx. 3-4 courses per semester)

Hybrid

Program Delivery
Online didactic coursework with on-campus requirements for Gross Anatomy, simulation labs, and clinical residency.

86
Credit
Hours

2,250
Clinical
Hours

June
1

Applications Open

144
 Total Number of Nurse Anesthesiology Graduates 
(since start of program)

83
Nurse Anesthesiology Grads Employed in AZ 
(6/2/2026)

2026 Cohort
71%

Signed with Clinical Partners

0% 
Attrition Rate in 2026

Since program inception: 6% 
(8 out of 144 withdrew)  

 2023 Class2024 Class2025 Class2026 Class
Number of NA
Graduates
18161924
Employed100%100%100%100%
National certification exam first-time pass rate88%88%100%TBA

Curriculum & Admissions

Admission Requirements

NA CURRICULUM GUIDE     NA PROGRAM HANDBOOK

Residents admitted to the NA program must complete a rigorous curriculum comprising 86 credit hours, 2,250 clinical hours, and 650 anesthetics hours; attend RISE twice and CPI once; and follow the academic program guide for their cohort year.

Image
Erin Leigh Galligan


Erin Leigh Galligan, DNP-NA Candidate

"I appreciate that this degree is terminal, which will allow me to one day teach future CRNAs at the collegiate level. Also, the CRNA program starts with a cadaver lab, which is a feature not many CRNA programs offer. We also get to rotate through different clinical sites, affording us the opportunity to experience rural medicine, academic medicine, private practice, and independent CRNAs."

➤ NA STUDENTS IN THE NEWS: NA Students in the Dominican Republic | Reducing Fear Before Surgery

Additional Program Options

DNP/PhD Dual Degree

If you are interested in attaining broader advanced clinical practice skills with strong research competencies, consider taking advantage of our dual Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degrees. You will be prepared at the highest level of nursing science and professional nursing practice, and with advanced skills for engaging in research to create, apply and translate new knowledge to improve health care – in practice domains and/or academia.

Rural Health Professions Program

The Rural Health Professions Program (RHPP) is an innovative program to create a community of doctorally-prepared advanced practice registered nurses who have didactic and clinical expertise in providing care to rural and medically underserved patients and will serve as leaders in improving the quality and access to care for these patients. RHPP scholars complete additional coursework that focuses on the care of rural and medically underserved populations.

Request Information


Loading...

Frequently Asked Questions


For more information about the Nurse Anesthesiology specialty or applying to the DNP program, please contact:

Layla Salazar
Enrollment Coordinator, Doctoral Programs
Email: CON-OSAA@arizona.edu
Phone: 520-621-1860

Students are assigned clinical sites in coordination with clinical coordinators and the program administrator. Students may be required to travel to a different geographic area if a suitable preceptor cannot be found.

No elective courses are required for the Nurse Anesthesiology specialty. Students may elect to take additional courses to meet their needs and interests, but should first consult their faculty advisor.

Consider attending a virtual information session hosted by the College of Nursing for all specialties EXCEPT Nurse Anesthesia. You will have the opportunity to meet the program team and select members of the faculty as well as ask questions about the program and admissions process. Registration is required and the session is conducted via Zoom.

The DNP program holds multiple information sessions throughout the year. If you are unable to attend a currently scheduled session, check back soon for the next available session or fill out the Request Information form on this page to have program details delivered to your inbox.

Register

Up-to-date information on tuition and fees for the U of A DNP-NA program is available here

Ready to take the next step?

See the full admissions requirements and application process on the DNP Admissions page.

DNP Admissions

Accreditation

The Doctor of Nursing Practice program at The University of Arizona College of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

The University of Arizona Nurse Anesthesiology program is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs. 10275 W Higgins Rd, Suite 906, Rosemont, IL 60018-5603; 224-275-9130. The program's next review by the COA is scheduled for May 2031.

Nurse Anesthesiology Program Administration

Kristie Hoch
Program Administrator
Associate Clinical Professor

Christopher Herring
Assistant Administrator
Assistant Clinical Professor

DNP Program Director

Lindsay Ann Bouchard
Interim Chair
Assistant Clinical Professor

The University of Arizona College of Nursing is not regulated in Texas under Chapter 132 of the Texas Education Code. To contact the agencies that regulate the University of Arizona College of Nursing or file a complaint, please find: