USM Nurse Anesthesia Program Earns Prestigious Accreditation

Tue, 12/12/2023 - 10:30am | By: Van Arnold

For more than a decade, The University of Southern Mississippi’s (USM) Nurse Anesthesia Program has established a reputation for excellence in training and leadership. And now the esteemed program has reached a coveted milestone with a maximum 10-year accreditation by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthetists (COA).

What does it mean to achieve this impressive status? Dr. Nina McLain, Nurse Anesthesia Program Administrator, points out that the maximum accreditation signifies the stamp of a high-quality program. USM’s program is the only one offered in Mississippi.

Many may be familiar with the slogan: “It Just Means More.” McLain says that sentiment succinctly sums up the new accreditation, while adding, “In short, it means a LOT.”

“To receive the longest accreditation period possible is a feat and not taken lightly by COA,” said McLain. “They are nationally recognized as one of the best accreditors in the country and the gold standard for others. It is a testament to the faculty’s dedication and the support of the college and University administration for our program. It is a testament to the students who accept the offer to come to USM and be a part of the vision we have for educating the strongest and best anesthetists in the country.”

Since its inception in January 2013, the doctoral program has graduated approximately 153 students. Many graduates have become Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) with the University’s clinical partners throughout the state and beyond. Currently, 67 students are enrolled, with 19 set to graduate this month. Graduation is held only once per year. A new class of 25 students is scheduled to begin coursework in January.

USM Provost Lance Nail stresses that the maximum accreditation further enhances the reputation of USM’s program.

“The accreditation process is quite rigorous to ensure that only those programs that deliver on the exacting standards for accreditation earn it,” he said. “Programs such as ours that have demonstrated excellence and continuous improvement in pursuit of this accreditation are held in high regard because of it.”

Added Dr. Lachel Story, Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Professions at USM, “A 10-year accreditation symbolizes the highest achievement and recognition of the superior education our nurse anesthesia students receive. This achievement means that our students are meeting outcome expectations and are prepared to provide the highest quality anesthesia care to patients across the state and region.”

The School of Leadership and Advanced Nursing Practice offers the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Nurse Anesthesia program which is 36 months of full-time study to prepare advanced practice nurses in leadership positions in health-related organizations. The purpose of the Nurse Anesthesia Program is to prepare future advanced practice nurses at the highest professional level of nursing practice in the role of nurse anesthesia.

The program of study includes 114 hours of required coursework, including 12 doctoral project hours. A comprehensive exam, a doctoral project, and a 3.0 GPA are required to graduate. McLain notes that the program is easily equated to medical school.

“The students cannot work while in the three-year-long program as it requires about 60 hours a week dedication between classes and providing clinical anesthesia,” said McLain.

Significant highlights of the program include:

• Small student to faculty ratio (1:13)
• More than 21 clinical sites in the state where students train. Students will train at 9-15 of them during the program
• Clinical sites include large and mid-size private hospitals, level I and level II trauma centers, outpatient surgery centers, Veterans Administration hospital, county owned facilities, and smaller hospitals
• Students train in all types of practice environments – anesthesia team (CRNA/Anesthesiologist), CRNA only, medically directed, medically supervised, and other variations
• Superior high-fidelity human patient simulation lab used for training, which includes anesthesia machines, supplies, and a highly qualified number of static skilled trainers

McLain notes that the NAP faculty is quite diverse in practice areas and interests, which provides stability and depth to the program. With more than 125 years of anesthesia clinical experience between the six faculty, students have access to a wealth of knowledge.

“Many of us have completed a year-and-a-half long active learning educational course (ACUE) to ‘teach us how to teach’ – something that most professional and health programs faculty are not offered in the country,” said McLain. “That is a testament to the commitment of the University administration, and it is not cheap. We have faculty engaged in educational research surrounding the best and most current methods in teaching adults, international support for anesthesia education in underserved countries, self-efficacy and well-being of students, bench science and medical device development, and more.”

According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there are presently approximately 45,000 CRNAs nationwide — a number projected to grow to 52,700 by 2028. In recent years, the national unemployment rate for CRNAs has consistently been lower than one percent, indicating incredibly strong demand for these highly skilled medical specialists, particularly in underserved areas of the U.S.

“Along with the longstanding nursing shortage, Mississippi has been experiencing an anesthesia provider shortage, especially in our rural communities,” said Story. “As Mississippi’s only nurse anesthesia program, we are committed to provide clinical experiences in these rural areas and prepare providers who are trained for a variety of settings.”

Learn more about the Nurse Anesthesia Program at USM by calling 601.266.5445.