Our curriculum is designed to provide a rigorous and complete doctoral nursing education. First and second-semester Year 1 instruction is centered around the core DNP coursework and foundational advanced practice nursing content, preparing matriculated students for the intensive nurse anesthesia specialty courses in Year 2. Year 3 is comprised of the clinical residency and scholarly project implementation.
You’ll complete clinical training that includes approximately 800 cases with over 2,500 hours of clinical practicum experience. These anesthesia cases include pediatrics, obstetrics, geriatrics, open heart, neurological, plastic, otolaryngology, ophthalmology, urology, orthopedics, radiological and transplant procedures. Both elective and emergency anesthetics are given.
Residents obtain clinical experience at a variety of affiliated sites that provide broad exposure to anesthetic practice.
The curriculum includes simulation activities to enhance preparation for clinical education. The Wake Forest University Nurse Anesthesia Program is proud to be one of the only nurse anesthesia programs in the country with a Society for Simulation in Healthcare accredited sim center dedicated to nurse anesthesia education. We are also fortunate to have resources provided by the Center for Experiential and Applied Learning, which includes an anesthesia skills lab, fresh cadaver lab, two human patient simulation labs, a standard patient assessment lab and the opportunity to participate in state-of-the-art multi-disciplinary anesthesia crisis resource management training.
Program Goals and Objectives
Our program maintains a top-ranked position by providing rigorous education and by evolving to capitalize on emerging trends in health care and education. Our guiding vision is "Creating Excellence in Nurse Anesthesia."
We do this by:
- Implementing cutting-edge learning opportunities, such as problem-based learning (PBL) and simulation
- Providing our residents with multiple avenues for professional development including global health missions, service learning projects and political mentorship
- Incorporating interprofessional education collaboration with the school of medicine and physician assistant studies
Download the Curriculum Plan (pdf)
One particular strength of our clinical program is the diversity of practice models in which residents train. We use an array of clinical sites throughout our region of North Carolina and beyond to afford residents experience with a wide variety of surgical specialties and anesthesia care delivery models.
Our primary clinical affiliate is Atrium Wake Forest Baptist Health which is comprised of a major academic medical center and several outline regional and community hospitals. Approximately 50% of our clinical education is completed at these sites.
We are proud to have numerous clinical affiliations locally and nationally to allow our nurse anesthesia residents the opportunity to be exposed to all types of anesthesia practice models and experiences. Some examples include Massachusetts General Hospital, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Lovelace Health System in New Mexico, Novant Health, Moses Cone, and many others.
Local Clinical Affiliates
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Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
Atrium Health Cabarrus Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center Catawba Valley Medical Center |
Cone Health
Frye Regional Medical Center Novant Health
UNC Health Appalachian- Watauga/Cannon W.G. (Bill) Hefner Salisbury Department of Veteran Affairs |
Distant Clinical Affiliates
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Banner Surgery Center, Phoenix AZ Boston Medical Center, Boston MA Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA Salem Hospital- Mass General Brigham, Salem MA Eastern New Mexico Medical Center Lovelace Health System
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Nationwide Children's Hospital Quincy Medical Group Surgery Center, Quincy III Salem VA Medical Center, Columbus OH San Luis Valley Health Regional Medical Center, Alamosa Co Santiam Hospital, Stayton OR |