Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice with an Emphasis in Health Administration (Entry Program) — In Person
Grad school just got more affordable. For a limited time, Webster is waiving the $50
app fee and offering a $500 scholarship to all May applicants.
Exclusions Include: Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP)
Webster’s DNAP with a Health Administration emphasis focuses on equipping nurse anesthetists with knowledge and skills in topics such as clinical practice-oriented leadership through evidence-based research, quality improvement, intradepartmental collaboration, financial management and systems leadership.
Webster University’s Nurse Anesthesia Program offers students high-quality, hands-on training through clinical partnerships with more than 30 sites, including private-practice and university-based facilities. By the time you graduate, you’ll have obtained real-world experience from a variety of these institutions with a broad range of experience in all anesthetic techniques caring for adults and children. Explore below to learn more about our curriculum, which encourages professional development in and out of our classrooms and labs.
When you earn your DNAP degree at Webster, you’ll take highly engaging classes taught by leading faculty with years of professional, research and academic experience.
Meet our Nurse Anesthesia Faculty and Staff
We’re fortunate to have access to more than 30 clinical sites and a state-of-the-art simulation center. These facilities afford us the opportunity to offer our students comprehensive exposure to a variety of specialist settings, which include cardiothoracic, pediatrics and obstetrics, as well as opportunities in rural settings. Our partner clinical sites are overseen by highly qualified CRNAs and physician anesthesiologists. Clinical rotations begin in the fifth term of the first year.
We have clinical sites across the state of Missouri, and in Illinois and Kentucky. Our SSM Health sites include St. Louis University Hospital, Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital, DePaul Hospital, St. Clare Hospital, St. Mary’s Hospital, St. Joseph Hospital, Good Samaritan Hospital, and the St. Louis University-Anheuser Busch Institute. Mercy-affiliated sites include Mercy St. Louis, Jefferson, Perryville, South, Southeast, and Lourdes (Kentucky) Hospitals. BJC-affiliated sites include Missouri Baptist Medical Center, Missouri Baptist Sullivan Hospital, St. Peter’s Hospital, Christian Hospital and Parkland Health Center. St. Luke’s facilities include Des Peres Hospital, St. Luke’s Hospital and Hedrick Medical Center.
Baptist Health Paducah (Kentucky), Blessing Hospital (Illinois), Boone Hospital Center, John J. Cochran Veterans Affairs Hospital, Lake Regional Hospital, Missouri Delta Medical Center, Phelps Health, St. Francis Medical Center and University of Missouri Hospital Center also serve as clinical sites for our program.
See how Webster University's hands-on clinical experience and helpful simulation rooms have aided students in their journeys in the DNAP program.
[Music]
Text on screen: Program Spotlight: Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice
Text on screen: Vicki Callan, PhD, CRNA, CHSE, Director of Clinical Education, Associate Professor, Nurse Anesthesia
Vicki Callan: The Nurse Anesthesia Program at Webster University is a 36-month full time program that involves both didactic and clinical instruction.
[Footage of different classrooms, a lecture with a presentation and various shots of hands-on learning with medical equipment in Webster’s Simulation Labs]
We do have a pretty heavy science focus for the first year of the program, but we also mix that with a strong foundation in simulation and basic anesthesia principles.
Text on screen: Nicholas C. Curdt, DNAP, CRNA, Assistant Professor, Anesthesia
Nicholas Curdt: We try to make sure that we create a curriculum that encompasses all types of learners, everything from auditory to visual.
[Footage of Vicki Callan demonstrating how to administer a spinal epidural on a simulated patient]
Text on screen: Bridget M., Student
Bridget M.: And so all of this knowledge is just building and building and building. And there's no question if we know enough.
[Footage of a professor demonstrating proper sonogram technique, mumbling directions]
We really do start at rock bottom, and we just continue to build and grow and learn.
Text on screen: Cutting-Edge Facilities: Simulation Guided by Highly-Trained Faculty
Curdt: What simulation provides for them is an opportunity to be able to be in an environment that is safe for them and allows them to experience things without having the additional stress of working on a real human being.
[Footage of Nicholas C. Curdt prepping and guiding students in Webster’s simulated operating room. Students are in full scrubs and are operating anesthesia equipment]
Text on screen: Dalton J., Student
Dalton J.: It's a good opportunity because it's right here in the building about ten feet away from our classroom. It's imperative. I just don't see how you can do a successful job without simulation.
[Footage of Dalton using medical equipment in the Simulated Operating Room at Webster University]
Curdt: It provides them the ability to have a better education because it's much more controlled and focused and it's guided by faculty that is here.
[Footage of Nicholas C. Curdt guiding students through a simulated operation, with the sounds of medical equipment]
Text on screen: Scott K., Student
Scott K.: The simulation lab will kind of introduce you slow and easy into what the nurse anesthetist is expected of when we arrive to our first day of clinicals.
[Footage of students in the Simulation Operating Room at Webster University]
Text on screen: Clinical Rotations: Hands-On Experience in a Variety of Practices
Text on screen: Desiree L., Student
Desiree L.: Webster’s set me up for success when I graduate, and I attribute a lot of that to the different clinical sites that they offer.
[Footage of a Webster University Student in a real hospital wearing operation room scrubs and a mask, cut to an epidural being administered and footage of an operating room]
You just see so many different ways that anesthesia is practiced, and I think it's really beneficial. You can take the best of every little part and you build your own practice.
Bridget: We go all over Missouri. We go down south, urban, city, rural areas.
Text on screen: Nearly 30 Clinical Sites
[Graphic of the state of Missouri with dots appearing at various locations, showing several clinical locations that are available for students]
Just the experience here is pretty unmatched.
[Footage of students in various classrooms and simulation rooms]
Callan: By the time our students graduate, they really are prepared to walk into any environment.
[Footage of different groups of students, including discussing with doctors, practicing with a sonogram and preparing an epidural.]
Curdt: We want them to become successful professionals and continue to succeed after they have graduated.
[Cut to footage of teachers guiding students one-on-one, hands-on]
[Webster University logo animates on screen]
Text on screen: webster.edu
[Outro music]
In order to fulfill the graduate research project requirement, students must develop and execute a doctoral scholarly project. Webster University offers a variety of diverse and dynamic opportunities in the areas of research and evidence-based inquiry, including bench, clinical, survey research, policy and protocol analysis, quality improvement, and evidence-based practice analysis. In conjunction with our PhD biological sciences faculty, we are able to offer hands-on laboratory bench research involving anesthetic agents currently in use in the clinical setting. The strong support of our clinical sites allows our students to develop and direct research studies applicable to clinical practice. These types of opportunities are directed by anesthesia faculty at the clinical sites and provide evidence-based results with implications for the delivery of patient care. Survey research offers insight into the academic, psychosocial and environmental impact the specialty of nurse anesthesia has on individual patients, practitioners, etc. Policy and protocol analysis fosters the review and implementation of practices that support best patient outcomes.
The types of outcomes gleaned from this type of research can be utilized to improve our anesthesia programs and our clinical practice. We believe our research opportunities are among the most vibrant offered in any anesthesia program accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthetists, and we are continuously looking for ways to expand research opportunities.
The DNAP Program is committed to providing service to the University, the community, the profession and the nation. Faculty and NA residents become members of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) and the Missouri Association of Nurse Anesthetists (MOANA). The program shows support by attending AANA and MOANA meetings, attending MOANA's Advocacy Day in Jefferson City and participating in an annual University service day. Our students are encouraged to serve in leadership roles within a variety of communities and organizations.
Third-year students and faculty members attend the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) Annual Congress. The four-day conference is a great opportunity to gain insight and knowledge from leaders and innovators in the field of anesthesia. This conference combines clinical educational opportunities with informational sessions regarding patient safety, wellness, legislative issues and the business of the national organization.
As part of the educational experience at Webster, doctoral students also participate in multiple state professional activities through the Missouri Association of Nurse Anesthetists (MoANA). Professional involvement plays a vital role in the development of a well rounded CRNA.
Many CRNAs play an active role in influencing state and federal legislation concerning patient safety, accessibility to anesthesia services, and nurse anesthesia education and reimbursement issues. Every February, MOANA sponsors a day to meet with state legislators at the capitol building in Jefferson City. This function, Advocacy Day, is an opportunity for CRNAs to meet with their legislators and discuss issues vital to the profession of nurse anesthesia in the state of Missouri. Students play a key role in contacting and educating members of the Missouri Congress about CRNAs and proposed legislation affecting the practice of nurse anesthesia. It is a wonderful opportunity to get involved at the grassroots level and make a difference.
In addition to the AANA Annual Congress, there are other opportunities to participate on the national level. There are three other meetings offered by the AANA on a yearly basis. The Assembly of Didactic and Clinical Educators is a meeting held in February of every year that offers informational sessions for nurse anesthesia educators and program administrators. This is an opportunity to meet other educators and share ideas. Students having an interest in pursuing a career as a nurse anesthesia educator are afforded the opportunity to attend this meeting.
Every April, the Mid-Year Assembly is held in Washington, D.C. This meeting is very similar to the advocacy day event held at the state level. CRNAs who attend this meeting are educated on the current or proposed federal legislation that has the potential to affect nurse anesthesia practice. Students with desire to influence policy decisions are encouraged to attend this meeting. The result of attendance at the Mid-Year Assembly is a better understanding of the effects of the decisions made in Washington on CRNA education funding and practice.
The Fall Leadership Academy is held in November. This meeting focuses on developing strong effective leaders for the state organizations. Any student with aspirations of leadership at the state level should consider attending this event.
The National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to promoting patient safety by enhancing provider quality in the field of nurse anesthesia. They accomplish their mission through the development and implementation of credentialing programs that support lifelong learning among nurse anesthetists.
Webster University is accredited by the Council on Accreditation for Nurse Anesthesia
Educational Programs (COA) for the Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice entry level
and completion programs. The program's next review by the COA is scheduled for May
2030.
Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA)
10275 W. Higgins Road, Suite 906
Rosemont, IL 60018-5603
Phone: 224-275-9130
Email: accreditation@coacrna.org
| Attrition Rates | Pass Rates | Employment Rates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Cohort | 4% (23/24) | 92% first-time pass rate 100% overall pass rate |
100% |
| 2022 Cohort | 5% (18/19) | 64% first-time pass rate 100% overall pass rate |
100% |
| 2021 Cohort | 0% (22/22) | 64% first-time pass rate 100% overall pass rate |
100% |
| 2020 Cohort | 5% (18/19) | 83% first-time pass rate 100% overall pass rate |
100% |
| 2019 Cohort | 0% (17/17) | 88% first-time pass rate 100% overall pass rate |
100% |
| 2018 Cohort | 0% (16/16) | 88% first-time pass rate 100% overall pass rate |
100% |
| 2017 Cohort | 6% (16/17) | 94% first-time pass rate 100% overall pass rate |
100% |
| 2016 Cohort | 0% (18/18) | 100% first-time pass rate 100% overall pass rate |
100% |
The Webster University Nurse Anesthesia Program has an ethical responsibility for the safety of the patients with whom students and graduates will come into contact. Although students learn and work under the supervision of the faculty, students interact directly with patients throughout the anesthesia education process. Patient safety and well being are therefore major factors in establishing requirements involving the sensory, motor, cognitive and behavioral abilities and characteristics described herein as “performance standards.” The attributes encompassed in the performance standards are broad categories, and are required in order to function in a competent manner in settings that may involve long work hours, heavy workloads and stressful situations.
The Department of Advanced Clinical Sciences acknowledges the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
Learn more about accomodations at Webster University.
Students need to have the physical and emotional endurance to adapt to a demanding graduate program. Successful progression through the Nurse Anesthesia program requires the following abilities:
Tuition and fees remain stable over the duration of enrollment (assuming continuous full-time enrollment is maintained) and are divided evenly throughout the program.
Tuition and fees listed reflect the class of 2026:
Fees of $13,500 for the entire program include but are not limited to the following items:
Items not included within the tuition and fees structure include but are not limited to:
Items covered or not covered by student fees are subject to change.
Further information about tuition assistance can be obtained from the University's Office of Financial Aid.
This program offers many exciting possibilities for working professionals to earn their degree and make a larger impact on their hospital, organization and community.
As you progress through your DNAP, you will take courses designed to provide you with the expertise and skill sets to stand out on the job market and on the job as a nurse anesthetist and health administrator. Our focus on preparing you to become an advocate for your patients helps set us apart from many other DNAP programs around the nation.
Webster has invested in a state-of-the-art operating room outfitted with a modern anesthesia machine and a high-fidelity human patient simulation mannequin. Our DNAP students experience the challenges and intensity of a real operating room setting, so you’ll know you’re fully prepared for real-world operations.
When you graduate with your Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice from Webster University, you’ll be qualified to work as a clinical practitioner integrated at any level and ready for leadership roles. Here are just a few of the rewarding careers you can explore with a DNAP degree:
Take the next step toward joining our Nurse Anesthesia Practice with an Emphasis in Health Administration entry to practice program and becoming a caring leader in health care. We’re here to help you get started.
Learn more about our academic programs and our main campus and locations.
Connect with our admissions counselors and academic advisors.
Apply to Webster and take the next steps for financial aid and scholarships.
Many students are interested in learning more about our Nurse Anesthesia program and the field in general. To that end, we offer prospective students the opportunity to attend our All-Class Conference (ACC). This conference is held regularly during the spring and fall from 2-4 p.m. on Thursdays in the Browning Hall, Interdisciplinary Science Building auditorium (ISB 160) located on our Webster Groves main campus. A pre-conference session is offered prior to the ACC for potential candidates to meet with program faculty. Please RSVP to your admissions counselor or directly to the Department of Advanced Clinical Sciences at 314-246-5927.
Location: Webster University Main Campus
Browning Hall, ISB 160
(Location may vary)
8274 Big Bend Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63119
Time: 1–2 p.m. Pre All-Class Conference (Q&A session for prospective students)
2–4 p.m. All-Class Conference
Dates: (subject to change)
Oct. 10, 2024
Dec. 12, 2024
For more information about the All-Class Conference, please contact the Department of Advanced Clinical Sciences at 314-246-5927.
Approximately 60-80 applicants complete the admissions process per year. The Admissions
Committee invites 45-50 of the most qualified applicants for an on-campus interview.
We admit up to 24 students each year. A few select applicants are placed on a waitlist
should a candidate have to withdraw prior to the start of the program for any reason.
The most competitive applicants will have a strong and recent (within the last 5-6
years) prerequisite coursework in areas such as physics, biochemistry, and organic
chemistry, with grades of B or better. They also will have a strong professional background
as a registered nurse in an critical care setting, obtained by working in an ICU and
evidenced by their CCRN certification.
Applications must be postmarked by June 1, with interviews to be scheduled in August or September. Interviews take place on the Webster Groves, Missouri campus, and students will be notified within two weeks of interviews regarding their admission status. The admitted cohort will begin the following Summer term.
Re-applicants:
Absolutely. Prospective students and applicants who have questions about the program and the admission process may contact our Nurse Anesthesia admission counselor.
Lionel White
Associate Director of Graduate Admissions
Email lionelwhite@webster.edu
Phone 314-246-7931
The following prerequisite courses are required:
If you have more questions about the program, your application or other enrollment-related inquiries, contact our Admissions Office.
Call 314-246-7800 or 800-753-6765 or send an email to admit@webster.edu.