DNP, Nurse Anesthesia

Application Process

Applications are open each year from August 15 through October 15. All applications submitted by the October 15 deadline must be verified in Nursing CAS by November 1 to be considered. Applicants will be notified via email if selected for an interview with the Nurse Anesthesia Admission Committee in mid-November. Interviews will be held in early December.

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Program Outcomes

Upon completion of the DNP-NA program, graduates will demonstrate the ability to:

Patient Safety

• Be vigilant in the delivery of patient care.
• Refrain from engaging in extraneous activities that abandon or minimize vigilance while providing direct patient care (e.g., texting, reading, e-mailing, etc.).
• Conduct a comprehensive equipment check.
• Protect patients from iatrogenic complications.

Perianesthesia

• Provide individualized care throughout the perianesthesia continuum.
• Deliver culturally competent perianesthesia care.
• Provide anesthesia services to all patients across the lifespan.
• Perform a comprehensive history and physical assessment.
• Administer general anesthesia to patients with a variety of physical conditions.
• Administer general anesthesia for a variety of surgical and medically related procedures.
• Administer and manage a variety of regional anesthetics.
• Maintain current certification in ACLS and PALS.

Critical Thinking

• Apply knowledge to practice in decision-making and problem solving.
• Provide nurse anesthesia services based on evidence-based principles.
• Perform a preanesthetic assessment prior to providing anesthesia services.
• Assume responsibility and accountability for diagnosis.
• Formulate an anesthesia plan of care prior to providing anesthesia services.
• Identify and take appropriate action when confronted with anesthetic equipment-related malfunctions.
• Interpret and utilize data obtained from noninvasive and invasive monitoring modalities.
• Calculate, initiate, and manage fluid and blood component therapy.
• Recognize, evaluate, and manage the physiological responses coincident to the provision of anesthesia services.
• Recognize and appropriately manage complications that occur during the provision of anesthesia services.
• Use science-based theories and concepts to analyze new practice approaches.
• Pass the national certification examination (NCE) administered by NBCRNA.

Communication

• Utilize interpersonal and communication skills that result in the effective exchange of information and collaboration with patients and their families.
• Utilize interpersonal and communication skills that result in the effective interprofessional exchange of information and collaboration with other healthcare professionals.
• Respect the dignity and privacy of patients while maintaining confidentiality in the delivery of interprofessional care.
• Maintain comprehensive, timely, accurate, and legible healthcare records.
• Transfer the responsibility for care of the patient to other qualified providers in a manner that assures continuity of care and patient safety.
• Teach others.

Leadership

• Integrate critical and reflective thinking in his or her leadership approach.
• Provide leadership that facilitates intraprofessional and interprofessional collaboration.

Professional Role

• Adhere to the Code of Ethics for the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist.
• Interact on a professional level with integrity.
• Apply ethically sound decision-making processes.
• Function within legal and regulatory requirements.
• Accept responsibility and accountability for his or her practice.
• Provide anesthesia services to patients in a cost-effective manner.
• Demonstrate knowledge of wellness and chemical dependency in the anesthesia profession through completion of content in wellness and chemical dependency.
• Inform the public of the role and practice of the CRNA.
• Evaluate how public policy making strategies impact the financing and delivery of health care.
• Advocate for health policy change to improve patient care.
• Advocate for health policy change to advance the specialty of nurse anesthesia.
• Analyze strategies to improve patient outcomes and quality of care.
• Analyze health outcomes in a variety of populations.
• Analyze health outcomes in a variety of clinical settings.
• Analyze health outcomes in a variety of systems.
• Disseminate research evidence.
• Use information systems/technology to support and improve patient care.
• Use information systems/technology to support and improve healthcare systems.
• Analyze business practices encountered in nurse anesthesia delivery settings.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the BSN-DNP track requires approval by the Graduate Nursing Admission, Progression, and Graduation Committee. Admission of applicants is based upon the following criteria:

• Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing degree or higher from a CCNE or ACEN-accredited nursing program.
• Official transcripts of all previous undergraduate and graduate coursework. (Transcripts must be mailed directly from the previous institution(s) to Nursing CAS or CAS will not process and verify your application.)
• Minimum required GPA of 3.0 for undergraduate work and 3.5 for any graduate work.
• Unencumbered Registered Nursing License (Proof of license in Kentucky and/or compact states required prior to matriculation.)
• A minimum of one year of recent (within 2 years) full-time employment, or its part-time equivalent, as a registered nurse in a critical care setting. Employment Verification Form. Preference is given to applicants who are employed in a high acuity critical care setting at the time of application AND interview.
• Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) certification REQUIRED. (Applicants must upload the official score report from AACN.)
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification required for application.
• Three professional letters of reference (at least one must be from current employer/direct supervisor).
• Personal statement describing career goals and interests in graduate study. Goals Statement
• Proof of shadowing experience (on form provided) with either a CRNA or an anesthesiologist. Anesthesia Shadow Verification Form
• Successful interview with members of the Nurse Anesthesia Admission Committee for selected applicants.
• Non-refundable matriculation fee of $1,500 if accepted into the program. If the applicant chooses not to enroll in the program, the matriculation fee will be forfeited.
• After acceptance, documentation of clinical requirements including immunizations, background check, drug test, and other documentation as needed.
• All candidates who are accepted to the BSN-DNP Nurse Anesthesia track will be expected to sign the Technical Standards Acknowledgement prior to beginning course work and to reaffirm upon reentry after any leave of absence from Bellarmine University. Technical Standards Policy
• Additional information is required from international applicants; see the DNP admission application form for more information.
  • Language Proficiency:
    • Language proficiency is required to ensure that students within the department of nursing are able to communicate with a diverse population. The department of nursing accepts one of the following as evidence of required language proficiency:
      • TOEFL-iBT (internet-based test) and receive a total score of 83 or higher AND a score of 26 or higher on the speaking test OR
      • IELTS (International English Language Testing System) and receive a total band score of 7 or higher AND a speaking band score of 8 or higher OR
    • Language training at an approved center. Bellarmine University recognized the following standards and centers: English Language Services level 112 (ELS); Interlink Level 5 (Interlink); Intensive Language Program at Indiana University Level 6 (Indiana University Intensive Language Program); and other centers may be approved at the discretion of the Admission, Progression and Graduation committee of the Department of Nursing.
  • International students who are exempt from language proficiency requirements are the following:
    • Students who are citizens of or have completed a degree from a TOEFL exempt country.
    • Students who have a secondary or high school diploma earned in TOEFL exempt countries.
    • International students who have completed at least one year of full-time university study or its equivalent (i.e., a minimum of 24 earned credit hours or its equivalent and earned a 2.0 GPA) in a TOEFL exempt country.
    • Only official score reports will be accepted.

Curriculum and Course Schedule

View Curriculum

Clinical Experience

The clinical practicum component begins in semester four, and continues throughout the remainder of the program, focusing on the practical application of didactic material from the nurse anesthesia curriculum. Nurse Anesthesia Residents (NARs) will be assigned to various anesthetizing locations within some of the region’s leading hospitals, affording NARs the opportunity to engage in supervised administration of anesthesia care to individuals across the lifespan.

Primary and Specialty Sites Clinical Affiliations

• Norton Hospital
• Norton Women’s and Children’s Hospital
• Norton Audubon Hospital
• Norton Brownsboro Hospital
• Norton Children’s Hospital

Optional Enrichment Site Clinical Affiliations

• Baptist Health Louisville, KY
• Baptist Health Hardin, Elizabethtown, KY
• Owensboro Health Regional Hospital, KY
• Norton West Louisville Hospital
• Jackson Purchase Medical Center, Mayfield, KY

Tuition and Fees

The DNP-NA Program is not eligible for tuition discounts.

View Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

The DNP-NA Program is not eligible for tuition discounts.

View Financial Aid

Accreditation

The Bellarmine University Nurse Anesthesia Program is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA), 10275 W. Higgins Rd. Suite 906, Rosemont, IL 60018-5603; Phone: 224-275-9130. The program’s next review by the COA is scheduled for Fall, 2028. www.coacrna.org

The Baccalaureate degree program in nursing, Master’s degree program in nursing, and Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Bellarmine University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (www.ccneaccreditation.org).

Faculty & Staff

Name	Title	Email	Phone
Dr. Carly Mitchell, DNP, APRN, CRNA	DNP-NA Program Administrator	cmitchell6@bellarmine.edu	502-272-8265
Dr. Boone Simmons, DNP, APRN, CRNA	DNP-NA Assistant Program Administrator, Co-Clinical Education Coordinator	jsimmons3@bellarmine.edu	502-272-7408
Dr. Emily Federle, DNP, APRN, CRNA	Assistant Professor of Nurse Anesthesia	efederle@bellarmine.edu	502-272-8419
Chris Youssi, MSN, APRN, CRNA	Instructor of Nurse Anesthesia, Co-Clinical Education Coordinator	cyoussi@bellarmine.edu	502-272-7606
Leslie Pike, MSN, APRN, CRNA	Instructor of Nursing and Nurse Anesthesia	lpike01@bellarmine.edu	502-272-7973
Dr. Ted Carter, PhD, MFA, CHSE, CHSOS	Director of Simulation, Nurse Anesthesia	rcarter@bellarmine.edu	502-272-8103
Julie Anderson	DNP-NA Enrollment and Compliance Specialist	janderson@bellarmine.edu	502-272-8995
Amy Harrison	Graduate Nursing Recruitment & Enrollment Coordinator	aharrison5@bellarmine.edu	502-272-7212

Frequently Asked Questions

Is part-time study available?

No, the program is designed for full-time study only.

Will I Be Required To Travel Outside The Louisville Area For My Clinical Education Experiences?

All primary and specialty clinical rotations will take place at Norton Hospital; Norton Women’s and Children’s Hospital; Norton Audubon Hospital; Norton Brownsboro Hospital; and Norton Children’s Hospital located in Louisville, Kentucky.

However, students may elect to complete an enrichment rotation at one or two of our optional clinical sites during the third year of the program.

How much time should I expect to commit to the program each week?

Students can expect to spend on average 64 hours each week in classes and/or at clinical sites.

Will I be able to work during the program?

The Program recognizes that refraining from employment may not be feasible in every situation; therefore, the Program does not deny the student nurse anesthetist the right to work and earn a wage outside the Program. However, student employment is strongly discouraged due to the academic rigors of the Program. Students will gain more from their academic and clinical experiences without the additional burdens of work commitments.

What is considered critical care experience?

Critical care is defined by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) as: “Critical care experience must be obtained in a critical care area within the United States, its territories or a US military hospital outside of the United States. During this experience, the registered professional nurse has developed critical decision making and psychomotor skills, competency in patient assessment, and the ability to use and interpret advanced monitoring techniques. A critical care area is defined as one where, on a routine basis, the registered professional nurse manages one or more of the following: invasive hemodynamic monitors (e.g., pulmonary artery, central venous pressure, and arterial catheters), cardiac assist devices, mechanical ventilation, and vasoactive infusions. Examples of critical care units may include but are not limited to surgical intensive care, cardiothoracic intensive care, coronary intensive care, medical intensive care, pediatric intensive care….” (Standards for Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Programs – Practice Doctorate, revised January 2023).

Areas not typically considered as critical care include, but not limited to PACU; Emergency Department; Cardiac Cath Lab; Operating Room.

Does your program accept transfer credits from other nurse anesthesia programs?

Requests to transfer from other anesthesia programs will be considered by the Program Administrator on a case-by-case basis. To be considered for transfer, applicants must meet all admission criteria AND submit a letter of support from the previous Program Administrator.

Due to the nature of the curriculum, anesthesia-focused courses outside of Bellarmine University are not transferrable nor to be used “in lieu of” courses in the DNP-NA Program of Study. In terms of non-anesthesia related courses, the transfer of credit will follow the “Transfer of Credit” policy as outlined in the Bellarmine University Course Catalog.

Information Sessions

To register for a session, select your preferred date and complete the registration.

• July 22, 2026, 4:00pm
• August 26, 2026, 4:00pm
• September 23, 2026, 4:00pm

All Information Sessions are either in-person at the Bellarmine Juneja Nurse Anesthesia Flynn Building, or via a Teams Meeting Link.

Connect

For more information, call 502.272.7100 or email your questions to admissions@bellarmine.edu.

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