Post-BSN to DNP Pathway for Nurse Anesthesia

The Post-BSN to DNP Pathway for Nurse Anesthesia is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) with full continued accreditation through May 2031.

Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA)
10275 W. Higgins Rd., Suite 906
Rosemont, IL 60018-5603
Phone: 224-275-9130

The Post-BSN to DNP Pathway for Nurse Anesthesia also received IFNA Accreditation in August 2021 having completed all requirements of the Anesthesia Program Approval Process established by the International Federation of Nurse Anesthetists (Date of next review: July 2026).

We are dedicated to advancing and diversifying the nursing workforce, and as part of this mission, the UAB School of Nursing has partnered with five other leading colleges and universities in the Leadership Excel and Achievement Program (LEAP) -a pilot program designed to optimize the diversity of the nurse anesthesia workforce.

Prospective students must meet the following requirements for admission:

• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) from a regionally accredited institution or the equivalent (e.g., entry level masters in nursing degree such as the UABSON Accelerated Master's in Nursing Pathway for individuals with a minimum of a bachelor's degree in a non-nursing field) must be completed by the application deadline.
• Active, unencumbered/unrestricted registered nurse license in the state where you will be completing your coursework (didactic and clinical) is required to apply. If admitted, a multi-state compact license will be required before matriculation into the Post-BSN to DNP Pathway for Nurse Anesthesia.
• Both UAB and the School of Nursing must have current authorization to operate in the state.
• An undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
• Post-BSN to DNP Pathway for Nurse Anesthesia applicants must have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on their science prerequisite courses and a grade of ‘C’ or higher in all other pre-requisite courses.

• At least 11 months experience as an RN in a critical care setting by the July application interview, and continued employment in the critical care setting until pathway matriculation the following May. It is recommended that critical care experience fall within the past 4 years.
• Critical care experience - Critical care experience must be obtained in a critical care area within the United States, its territories or a US military hospital outside of the United States. During this experience, the registered professional nurse has developed critical decision making and psychomotor skills, competency in patient assessment, and the ability to use and interpret advanced monitoring techniques.
• 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. Examples of critical care units may include but are not limited to: surgical intensive care, cardiothoracic intensive care, coronary intensive care, medical intensive care, pediatric intensive care, and neonatal intensive care. 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. (COA Standards for Accreditation 2020)
• Three (3) letters of professional reference attesting to the applicant’s potential for graduate study.
• Standardized test score on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)*.
  • There is no minimum score, however all sections of the GRE must be completed prior to application (verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing).
  • Scores completed within the previous 5 years will be accepted and must be submitted to UAB (code 1856).
  • There is no Waiver Process for the Nurse Anesthesia DNP pathway, a GRE exam is required.
• A personal interview with the selection committee.
• If admitted, a non-refundable $2000 deposit will be required to reserve a seat in the pathway.

CORE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

Out-of-state applicants to any of our distance-accessible programs should become familiar with their state’s regulations governing distance accessible programs. Prospective students residing in states other than Alabama should contact their state’s Board of Nursing and Department of Education for specific rules and regulations pertaining to students enrolled in out-of-state programs and are planning to conduct UABSON distance education in their home state. Only those students who reside in Alabama or those states where the UAB School of Nursing programs are available will be eligible to receive an offer of admission.

More information is available at the State Approval Website for Online Degree Programs at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Upon completion of the Post-BSN to DNP Pathway for Nurse Anesthesia, students will be able to:

• Synthesize scientific evidence for the development of clinical interventions for practice.
• Evaluate policy, healthcare delivery, and organizational systems for current and future health care needs.
• Translate scientific, theoretical, and ethical principles into healthcare for individuals, families, and populations.
• Incorporate knowledge of current and emerging health technologies to improve healthcare delivery and organizational systems.
• Advocate for social justice, equity, and ethical policies in healthcare.
• Demonstrate intra- and inter-professional collaboration to address health disparities and to improve the quality of healthcare across diverse populations and cultures.
• Assume complex leadership roles to advance clinical practice and healthcare delivery at the organizational and systems level and to improve health outcomes of individuals and populations.

Students are expected to follow the program of study.^1,2,3

¹Students will be expected to come on-campus for monthly program assessments, advisement, high fidelity simulation, and team meetings during semesters 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9.
²All students are required to attend an annual On-Campus Intensive.
³Program of Study is subject to change.

The following tuition and fees are valid for the 2023-2024 academic year. Tuition and fees and are SUBJECT TO CHANGE annually based on approval from the University of Alabama Board of Trustees and/or university.

The estimates below are based on the costs listed at the UAB Office of Planning and Analysis website.

Each student’s costs will vary depending upon a number of factors including state of residence, the number of credits taken in a semester, or whether the student attends class live or through a distance-accessible format. Fees vary by program and course.

UAB Financial Aid and Scholarships

Information on Financial Aid, University Scholarships and other funding opportunities is available at:

UAB School of Nursing Scholarships

• The School of Nursing at UAB has an excellent scholarship program that provides financial support to Alabama’s best and brightest nursing students.
• Currently, the School’s scholarship portfolio consists of 76 endowed scholarships and 3 active sponsored scholarships.
• The school currently has an $10.1 million endowed fund that supports nursing scholarships annually.
• Scholarships are awarded twice a year – spring and fall semesters. The scholarship application process is simple. One application is needed to be considered for all undergraduate or graduate scholarships.
• Application and additional information can be found at https://www.uab.edu/nursing/home/scholarships-financial-aid

For Information about School of Nursing Scholarships, Contact:

Stephanie Hamberger, MPA

Director of Student Engagement, Recruitment and Scholarships

ssallen@uab.edu 205.934.5483

Fellowship, Traineeship, and Other Funding for Graduate Programs

There are a limited number of Graduate Fellowships and Traineeships that are awarded through the UAB School of Nursing that require students to meet specific requirements, and are only awarded when funds are available. When such funds are available in a particular program, students enrolled in the program will be notified and provided information on how to apply. Contact Katrina Staffney (email: KatrinaStaffney@uab.edu), for more information.

• Information Sheet

Nurse Faculty Loan

Federal Nurse Faculty Loan Funds are available to all DNP students who intend to assume a faculty position in a school of nursing upon completion of the degree. These funds are limited to payment of tuition and fees and other reasonable educational expenses. Contact JoeAnn Kennedy (email: joeann@uab.edu), for more information.

• Information Sheet
• Application Form

NOTE: Prospective International students must first contact UAB International Admissions to determine eligibility to study in the U.S. and/or submit an application for admission to UAB.

The table below provides information on eligibility requirements for the DNP Program.

Application Requirements

• Prospective students must have a master’s degree in nursing equivalent to that offered by a U.S. regionally accredited educational institution.
• For Graduate Clinical Programs such as the Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN) Program, prospective students must also be licensed as a registered nurse in the U.S., in the state in which they will reside while completing the program.
• International applicants must, as part of their application, provide a detailed course by course evaluation of their academic transcripts and verification of their academic credentials. Students may use one of the following firms for transcript evaluation; a report of the evaluation must be submitted directly to the UAB School of Nursing prior to admission decisions.
• Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.
  P.O. Box 514070
  Milwaukee, WI 53203-3470 USA
  Website: www.ece.org
• World Education Services
  Bowling Green Station
  P.O. Box 5087
  New York, NY 10274-5087 USA
  Website: www.wes.org
• Applicants must have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale on prior college/university course work.
• Applicants must complete and submit their scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) as part of the application process. If the GRE was completed prior to application, only scores completed within the previous 5 years are accepted.
• Completion of a formal admission interview.
• Meet English language requirements. Students must submit scores on Tests of English Language (TOEFL or IELTS) and achieve the following minimum scores:
• TOEFL iBT 80 and minimum of 18 in each of the 4 test sections, or
• IELTS 6.5 and minimum of 6.0 in at least 2 of the 4 test sections.