DNP: Nurse Anesthesia

The three-year program starts in May and ends in May.

Two years of full-time RN experience in an ICU or critical care setting is required at the time of application. Trauma ICU, CVICU and/or surgical ICU experience is preferred. Other intensive care areas that are acceptable include: neuro ICU, burn ICU, PICU, NICU, MICU, and CCU.

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. Those who have experiences in other areas may be considered provided they can demonstrate competence with managing unstable patients, invasive monitoring, ventilators, and critical care pharmacology.

A bachelor’s degree or master’s degree in nursing is required at time of application. The program is designed for BSN or entry-level MSN nurses.

All students are required to be on campus for the three years of the Plan of Study. The program is rigorous and demanding. All in person classes are held at the East Baltimore campus.

Admission to the program requires a current, unencumbered nursing license.  Students will be required to obtain additional unencumbered RN licenses during the program including Maryland, District of Columbia, and Virginia.  Additional RN licenses are likely to include Pennsylvania, Georgia, New Jersey and Florida.  Where applicable, a current unencumbered compact (multistate) license will substitute for a single state license.  Nursing licensure costs are the responsibility of the student.

CCRN certification is required at time of application.

Currently, we have multiple clinical sites to which students will rotate: Johns Hopkins Hospital, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Johns Hopkins Howard County General Hospital, Johns Hopkins Suburban Hospital, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, Tidal Health/Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury Maryland, Northwest Hospital, Sinai Hospital, Medstar Franklin Square Medical Center, Baltimore VA Hospital, Central Virginia VA Health System, Washington DC VA Hospital, UVA Health, INOVA Fairfax Hospital, Meritus Hagerstown Hospital, Hackensack University Medical Center, UPMC Hamot (Erie, PA). (Housing for clinical assignments and travel expenses, on boarding and any site-specific requirement that incur an expense are the responsibility of the student.)

Clinical schedules are fluid and may change throughout the program to enhance clinical learning opportunities.

Due to the intensity, rigor, and demand of the program employment is strongly discouraged. At no time may a student be employed as an anesthesia provider.

The school accepts up to six credits of transfer from outside the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing. Please refer to the Academic Catalogue for the list of transferable courses.

Submission of transfer credit requests will be accepted in February following the admission process.

Graduates of the program will be prepared to the fullest scope of nurse anesthesia practice and to work independently or within an anesthesia team setting.

Up to 25 students will be accepted in each cohort.

It is required that you observe a CRNA prior to applying to the program. If possible, you should spend an entire shift observing the CRNA to get an idea of what a typical day may be like.

• At least one letter should come from a recent or current direct supervisor/manager (the person who is responsible for your performance evaluation)
  
• At least one letter should come from an academic faculty member who can speak to your ability to successfully complete a demanding graduate level academic and clinical program.
  
• It is preferred that the third letter come from an anesthesia provider.
  
• Alternatively, the third letter can come from a second academic faculty member or an individual in a leadership position who can speak to your clinical abilities.
  
• Personal references from colleagues, friends, or family members do not meet the requirement.
  
• If you are unable to provide one of the reference letters above, please upload a statement of explanation to your application.
  

Please include the following information in your resume or CV:

• Work experience (include dates, sites and locations; paid and unpaid; any residency participation)

• Education Background

• Scholarly activities (research, presentations, publications, honors, awards)

• Professional activities (leadership, certifications, professional organization membership, service on committees)

• Community Service/Volunteerism

The DNP is a doctoral degree focused on the clinical practice of nursing. The degree represents the highest academic preparation for nursing practice. The DNP curriculum focuses on the knowledge needed to provide comprehensive direct care across settings. It can be conferred in conjunction with any specialty in advanced practice.

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing requires that all DNP Projects should:

1. Focus on a change that impacts healthcare outcomes either through direct or indirect care.
2. Have a systems (micro-, meso-, or macro- level) or population/aggregate focus.
3. Demonstrate implementation in the appropriate arena or area of practice.
4. Include a plan for sustainability (e.g. financial, systems or political realities, not only theoretical abstractions).
5. Include an evaluation of processes and/or outcomes (formative or summative). DNP Projects should be designed so that processes and/or outcomes will be evaluated to guide practice and policy. Clinical significance is as important in guiding practice as statistical significance is in evaluating research.
6. Provide a foundation for future practice scholarship.