Admissions

Admission Requirements

To be eligible for admission to the program of anesthesia, an applicant must:

  1. Have graduated from an accredited baccalaureate or higher degree generic program in nursing or from an accredited degree/diploma program in nursing with an additional Bachelor of Science degree.
  2. Have proof of current licensure as a registered nurse. To comply with state laws, all students are required to be licensed in the State of Rhode Island. Reciprocity forms may be obtained from the Rhode Island State Board of Nursing, 3 Capitol Hill, Room 104, Providence, Rhode Island 02908. Due to rotations at Backus Hospital (Norwich, CT), ST. Vincent's Hospital (Worcester, MA) and West Roxbury VA (West Roxbury, MA), a license is required at the beginning of the program for these two states as well.
  3. Have a minimum of one year of experience in an acute care setting with the opportunity to develop independent decision-making skills and acquire the psychomotor skills and ability to use and interpret advanced monitoring techniques.
  4. Have completed the official application material and submitted all supporting documentation.
  5. Have a personal interview with the members of the Admissions Committee.
  6. Have GRE (taken within the last 5 years) results submitted to the University of New England Graduate Admissions Office. A copy of your scores should also be sent to the St. Joseph School of Anesthesia for Nurses.
  7. Have completed an Organic Chemistry/Biochemistry course (1 semester, taken within the last 5 years).
  8. Have ACLS and PALS certifications.
  9. A preferred undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or evidence of outstanding postgraduate academic achievement.
  10. Have the following skills the and abilities:
    • Observation: candidates must have sufficient sensory capacity to observe in lecture hall, laboratory, outpatient setting and patient's bedside. Hearing and tactile sensation must be adequate to observe a patient's condition and elicit information from computerized monitors and accomplish a physical examination.
    • Communication: candidates must be able to communicate effectively in both academic and heath care settings. Candidates must show evidence of effective written and verbal communication skills and the ability to work in teams.
    • Motor: the ability to participate in basic, diagnostic and therapeutic maneuvers and procedures. Candidates must have sufficient motor skills to execute movements reasonably required of them.
    • Physical Stamina: sufficient to complete the rigorous course of didactic and clinical study.
    • Intellectual: Candidates must be able to measure, calculate, reason, analyze and synthesize. Problem solving is a critical skill demanded of CRNAs.
    • Behavioral and social attributes: candidates must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of their abilities, the exercise of good judgment and the prompt completing of all academic and patient care responsibilities.

Requirements are subject to change in accordance with the criteria set forth by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational programs.
 

Admission Policy

Applications are accepted as early as September. The application deadline each year is February 1st. Applications received after this date will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, pending availability of "seats: in the upcoming academic year. The earlier completed application files are available for review, the earlier one is able to be considered for an interview. This may also result in early admission to the program Why? the school has rolling admissions, which means several interview sessions are conducted by the Admission Committee. Interviews begin in November and usually end in mid-February. During this process, several candidates are selected at each interview session and offered a seat in the upcoming class. Specific interview dates will be posted on the website. Final selection does not occur until late February.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTIONS

A student is selected for the School of Anesthesia on the basis of the following:

    1. Personal interview
    2. References
    3. Previous experience in nursing and/or medically related field
    4. Achievement in nursing school and/or college
      • A baccalaureate degree in nursing, or an appropriate baccalaureate degree (considered by the program), is required
      • Preference will be given to those applicants possessing a cumulative index of 3.0 and above in the sciences and professional courses

The admissions committee reviews all applications for admission to the program. Appointments to the program are recommended by the admissions committee and approved by the Director of the School of Nurse Anesthesia.
Student transfer is not encouraged except in extenuating circumstances deemed appropriate by the program director.
All applicants to the School are treated without regard to race, marital status, religion, age, national origin, color, handicap or veteran status.