PDF version of this chapterDepartment of Anesthesiology
Nurse Anesthesia Program
1540 Alcazar Street Suite 223
Los Angeles 90089-9012
(323) 442-2037
FAX: (323) 442-1701
Email: uscnap@usc.edu
www.usc.edu/medicine/anesthesia
Program Director: Michele E. Gold
Assistant Program Director: Teresa Norris
Faculty
Chair and Professor: Philip LumbProfessor of Pediatrics and Anesthesiology: Randall Wetzel
Professors of Clinical Anesthesiology: Mary Joseph; Ronald Katz; Vladmir Zelman
Associate Professor: Wynne Waugaman
Associate Professors of Clinical Anesthesiology: Jeffrey Lee; Rajesh Patel; David Raphael; Earl Strum
Assistant Professors of Clinical Anesthesiology: Rudolfo Amaya; Dimiter Arnaudov; Armin Azad; Jack Berger; Maxim Benbassat; Kari Cole; James Daniel; Gligor Gucev; Ralph Harding; William Loskota; Jana Planner
Instructors of Clinical Anesthesiology: Gabriel Aron; Roberta Ashley; James Carey; Jennilyn Casalme; Nancy Christiano; Charlotte Garcia; Monique Jabbour; Chris Winckler
The nurse anesthesia program prepares qualified nurses in the specialty of nurse anesthesia and qualifies the graduate to sit for the certification examination given by the Council on Certification of Nurse Anesthetists.The graduate attains a high level of clinical competence with an extensive body of didactic knowledge relevant to the specialty and advanced practice nursing.
Students enrolling in the M.S., Nurse Anesthesia course of study must complete the nurse anesthesia core curriculum and specialty practicum. The program consists of 44-49 units and is completed in 24 months of continuous enrollment (six semesters). There is an optional one-semester clinical fellowship offered in the seventh semester of enrollment to provide specialty training in a clinical area of choice: critical care, cardiovascular, neuro, ambulatory anesthesia or pain management. Students may sit for the certification examination during this semester.
The program is based in the Department of Anesthesiology, and classroom instruction is provided by nurse anesthesia program faculty and faculty from the Department of Anesthesiology and the Department of Physiology and Biophysics within the Keck School of Medicine, as well as clinical faculty from the program clinical sites. Clinical training occurs at Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Long Beach Veterans' Administration Medical Center and West Los Angeles Veterans' Administration Medical Center for the primary rotations. Advanced rotations occur at those sites, as well as Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles, Hudson Comprehensive Care Center and Northridge Pain Management and Surgery Center.
Master of Science (in Nurse Anesthesia)
General requirements for admission include a minimum 3.0 undergraduate grade point average, a minimum score on the verbal and quantitative sections of the Graduate Record Examinations of 1000, current licensure as a Registered Nurse, a bachelor's degree in nursing or a related field from an accredited university or college, submission of an essay describing the applicant's career goals, professional resume and three letters of reference. Competitive applicants will be interviewed and must demonstrate an acceptable understanding of the roles and responsibilities of certified registered nurse anesthetists. Selections are made on the basis of the formal interview and consideration of a variety of factors that include academic record, type and amount of clinical experience and professionalism.Academic and Scientific Prerequisites
The admission requirements also include appropriate undergraduate course work in biology, anatomy, physiology, chemistry, biochemistry, physics and statistics (or nursing research). A minimum of one year of experience in critical care nursing as a registered nurse is required. Licensure as an RN in California and current BCLS, ACLS and PALS certifications are required prior to enrollment. Conversational Spanish is strongly recommended.Computer Skill Requirements
During the program, students must have a personal computer or notebook with Internet access. The primary mode of program communication is email. Computer accounts are provided by the university to all students and can be activated online.Advisement
Prospective students should contact the program's admission office, (323) 442-2037 or uscnap@usc.edu for evaluation of previous course work and clinical background.Admission
Admission procedures follow the information in the Admission section of this catalogue. The applicant can obtain the USC application online at www.usc.edu/admission or from the Office of Admission at (213) 740-1111. A supplemental nurse anesthesia program application must be completed and can be obtained from the program office at (323) 442-2037.| Degree Requirements | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| Academic Courses | ||
| ANST 500 | Human Anatomy | 3 |
| ANST 501 | Pharmacology of Anesthesia Practice | 4 |
| ANST 502 | Principles of Nurse Anesthesia Practice | 4 |
| ANST 503 | Advanced Pharmacology of Anesthesia Practice | 3 |
| ANST 504 | Pathophysiology Related to Anesthesia Practice | 4 |
| ANST 506 | Advanced Principles of Nurse Anesthesia Practice | 4 |
| ANST 508 | Research: Investigative Inquiry | 2 |
| ANST 510 | Professional Aspects of Nurse Anesthesia | 3 |
| ANST 512 | Research Integration: Capstone Experience | 1 |
| PHBI 562 | Systems and Integrative Physiology | 4 |
Residency Courses | ||
| ANST 505 | Clinical Residency in Nurse Anesthesia I | 3 |
| ANST 507 | Clinical Residency in Nurse Anesthesia II | 2 |
| ANST 509 | Advanced Clinical Residency in Nurse Anesthesia I | 3 |
| ANST 511 | Advanced Clinical Residency in Nurse Anesthesia II | 3-8 |
| ANST 513 | Advanced Clinical Residency in Nurse Anesthesia III | 1 |
| Total Units | 44-49 | |
Optional Course | ||
| ANST 514 | Specialty Fellowship | 2 |
All students will take the Self-Evaluation Examination (SEE) administered by the Council on Certification of Nurse Anesthetists at the end of the first clinical year. Student scores must be above the national mean for advancement into the research capstone experience.