Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice - Completion Practice

This course affords students the opportunity to evaluate and analyze their clinical or educational nurse anesthesia practice and determine strategies for improvement. Evidence derived from a substantive literature review forms the underpinnings for the improvement process for patients, populations, clinical or educational settings.

This course examines organizational management of local and national healthcare delivery systems. Examination of systems analysis frames leadership influence in the modern, diverse healthcare environment. The course also explores health and illness, anesthesia providers and other members of the healthcare team with emphasis on interdisciplinary approaches.

Scholarly Project I is the first of a 4-course sequence that introduces the student to the D.N.A.P. scholarly project. Students identify a clinical or educational problem that requires systematic inquiry to build a research utilization project or research study proposal. The problem and significance as well as the conceptual or theoretical framework and initial literature search are included. Quantitative and qualitative research methodologies as well as the research utilization process are examined.

Political advocacy is highly valued in the nurse anesthesia profession. This course analyzes issues and policies that affect nurse anesthesia practice and healthcare at local, state and national levels. Change theory and leadership models are examined in the context of how nurse anesthetists influence healthcare policy. The course includes interdisciplinary, intraprofessional and interprofessional models for examining healthcare policy. Leadership development to address and influence health policy development for patients and the profession is included.

This course explores informatics and the use of technology including data identification, data collection, processing data management of data that supports nurse anesthesia practice and nurse anesthesia education. Ethical and legal issues surrounding patient information in the digital world are explored.

This scholarly project course focuses on completion of a substantive literature review. The literature is organized, analyzed, integrated and synthesized.

Statistical analysis of qualitative and quantitative research designs is explored.

Analyzes human error, patient safety and quality assurance using a collaborative model. The course also examines crisis resource management, simulation, and other aspects of anesthesia practice as related to risk management.

The course includes research study methodology consistent with the research question and/or aim of the scholarly project. Methodology addresses the specific type of study, measurement tools, data collection, data management and data analysis. For research utilization projects, a plan for evaluation of outcomes is included. Data analysis explores proposed methods for analyzing the study or project findings. Preparation of an IRB application is included.

This course focuses on Anesthesia as it pertains to the family units, the aging population and anesthesia as a contributor to the larger health system.

This is the final capstone course. A professional poster is completed based on the key elements of the study proposal or research utilization project. Students will submit the final product as a manuscript for publication, a poster at a local or national meeting, or as a platform presentation.

This course provides a framework for starting and managing a business in the healthcare environment. It incorporates the preparation of a business plan including contract negotiation, legal considerations, financial planning and corporate structure, enabling the Nurse Anesthetist to successfully navigate the anesthesia marketplace.