As the nationwide nursing shortage continues to be a chief concern among medical and health centers, Duke's School of Nursing has leaped into action. Its nurse anesthesia program, which is entering its fourth year, is attracting potential nurse anesthetists from all around the country with its unique educational and clinical approach.
Ranked sixth in the nation by U.S. News and World Report, the nurse anesthesia program is designed for those who have a bachelor's degree in nursing and would like to earn a master's degree in anesthesiology.
It was developed three years ago through a partnership between Duke and Durham Regional Hospital as one solution to the critical nurse anesthetist shortage throughout North Carolina and the country. Durham Anesthesia Associates and Ruth Long, chief anesthesiologist, formulated a plan to attack the problem. With the vision and support of Dean of the Nursing School Mary Champagne, the program materialized.
"We really have outstanding and highly recommended professionals who are developing and improving this program. It's took a multi-team approach and it is definitely well-planned," said Long, the organizer of the nurse anesthesia program. "We're going to be ranked number one. We won't stop until we do."
Although 89 other health care institutions and universities throughout the nation have similar programs, Duke remains unique in its Patient Simulation Lab. All students are required to spend one day a week for two years in a mock operating room equipped with an anesthesia machine in order to gain experience. Students can put "Stan," the dummy patient, to sleep and observe reactions to medications they would be administering to patients in real life situations.
Faculty member Frank Titch is most enthusiastic about students' access to the lab. "Few programs in the country offer such an opportunity for students to practice and learn these new skills in a controlled, safe, non-threatening environment. The nursing staff offers tremendous support for the students," he said.
In addition to earning 56 credits in the required courses including advanced pharmacology, chemistry, physics and physiology, clinical work is expected. On average, students spend 32 hours per week in the operating room. They are paired up with a nurse anesthetist and gain hands-on experience. The program incorporates extensive clinical rotations at over 10 sites in North Carolina including Duke, Durham Regional, the University of North Carolina, the Veterans Affairs, the Davis Surgical Center and other various rural and community hospitals. Directors of the program are currently looking to add additional sites to the clinical rotation schedule.
"By the time the students graduate, they will have worked in every type of clinical setting," Long added. "Our standards are high and we know they will be the best when we're done."
Students also experience video-linked lectures from internationally renowned speakers in the nurse anesthesia arena.
Both current and former students concurred that the academic environment is outstanding.
"We received close individual attention and support form our faculty...and consequently, we developed a very close and supportive bond among us," said David Fabrizio, a student from the inaugural class.
This year, the program was extended from 24 to 27 months due to requirement changes by the Nurse Anesthesia Council of Accreditation.
The nurse anesthetist program is quite competitive. Faculty and program administrators attribute this to the rigorous selection process its students undergo. Each year over 100 applications are received, but only 15 students are accepted into the program. A minimum GPA of 3.5 is recommended along with exceptional GRE scores and interviews. Before earning a masters degree, one must be a registered nurse and have one to three years experience in an intensive care unit.
"We look for maturity and a strong background as indicators for success in this program," said Program Director Mary Karlet. "The students are of the highest quality and are getting better every year."
Karlet also attributes the impressive caliber of the applicant pool to Duke's reputation of excellent quality patient care, education and research throughout the country.
Titch has much hope for the future of this program and knows the strong education offered is a reflection of top-down leadership. "If the leadership is strong, committed to the best and closely involved with the students' education, the program will produce quality graduates. Duke is doing just that," he said.
Upon graduation from this program, all students take a certification exam and then gain the ability to begin work in an outpatient clinic or hospital. To date, the Duke program has had a 100 percent passing rate and employment offers.
Funding is provided by a federal Health Resources Services Administration educational grant and student tuition.
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