Nurse Anesthesia (DNP-NA)

The program offers a blended learning experience, combining both in-person and online coursework. During the first two semesters, many courses are delivered online. However, some courses require on-campus participation, and students are expected to be physically present for the duration of the three-year program. 

This hybrid model provides flexibility through online learning while maintaining the hands-on, collaborative experiences that define a Creighton education.

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are advanced practice nurses who manage every stage of anesthesia care:

• Prepare patients: Review medical histories, develop anesthesia plans and explain options.
• Administer and monitor anesthesia: Deliver medications, track vital signs and adjust care in real time to keep patients safe and comfortable.
• Ensure smooth recovery: Wake patients, manage pain and monitor for complications.

In many hospitals and surgery centers—especially in rural settings—CRNAs serve as the primary anesthesia providers, giving you both independence and leadership opportunities. It’s a critical, hands-on role for nurses ready to advance their skills and make a direct impact on patient outcomes.

The demand for anesthesia providers—especially Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs)—is growing rapidly across the United States. With an aging population, increased surgical needs and many current providers approaching retirement, national projections point to a significant shortfall.

By 2033, the U.S. could face a shortage of about 12,500 anesthesia providers, and the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) estimates a gap of 8,450 anesthesiologists by 2037. CRNAs are uniquely positioned to fill this need, particularly in rural and underserved communities where they already deliver the vast majority of anesthesia care. For students entering the profession, this translates into strong job security, competitive salaries and a wide variety of practice opportunities across the country.

CRNA training combines high-fidelity simulation and hands-on clinical rotations. You’ll practice anesthesia skills, airway management and crisis response in realistic lab scenarios, then provide direct care for patients in hospitals and surgical centers under supervision, gradually taking on more responsibility as you gain experience. This prepares you to provide safe, effective anesthesia across a variety of settings.

CRNAs are advanced practice nurses who provide anesthesia care—often independently in hospitals, surgery centers and rural facilities. They start as RNs, gain critical-care experience and complete a doctoral-level nurse anesthesia program.

Anesthesiologists are physicians who complete medical school and residency in anesthesiology, giving them the broadest medical authority and diagnostic scope. Both deliver safe, high-quality anesthesia, but anesthesiologists have a longer medical training path, while CRNAs often offer a more cost-effective, patient-centered approach.

CRNAs provide anesthesia for surgeries, obstetrics and pain management in hospitals, outpatient centers, rural facilities, the military and clinics—often serving as the primary anesthesia providers in many settings. CRNAs are trusted across nearly every type of anesthesia practice, offering both variety and flexibility in career paths.

The path to becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist takes 7–10 years in total:

1. Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (BSN): 4 years (or an accelerated BSN program).
2. Critical-Care RN Experience: 1–3 years in an ICU or similar high-acuity setting.
3. Nurse Anesthesia Doctoral Program (DNP or DNAP): About 3 years full-time.
4. Certification Exam and Licensure: A few months after graduation.

The timeline can vary depending on your educational path.

CRNAs can tailor their careers to their interest, whether in highly specialized hospitals, surgery centers, private practices or mission-based and rural care.

CRNAs practice across nearly every anesthesia specialty, including:

• General surgery – abdominal, orthopedic and vascular procedures
• Cardiothoracic and vascular anesthesia – open-heart surgery, valve repair and major vascular cases
• Neurosurgical anesthesia – brain and spine surgeries
• Obstetric anesthesia – labor epidurals and cesarean deliveries
• Pediatric anesthesia – surgeries and procedures for infants and children
• Outpatient/ambulatory anesthesia – same-day surgeries and minimally invasive procedures
• Pain management – nerve blocks, epidurals and chronic pain interventions
• Trauma and critical care – emergency and high-acuity cases
• Rural and underserved settings – often serving as the sole anesthesia providers
• Military and federal facilities – field, combat and veterans’ hospitals

This variety allows CRNAs to tailor their careers to their interests, whether in highly specialized hospitals, surgery centers, private practices or mission-based and rural care.