Nurse Anesthesia

All Master's & Doctoral Programs

DNP

Nurse Anesthesia

Format & Location

On-žž�� (Fairfield, CT), On-žž�� (Austin, TX)

School/College

Egan School of Nursing & Health Studies

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A student performs a medical exam on the nose of a manikin.

Start Dates

Summer 2026 (May)

Application Deadline

July 15, 2025

Completion

3 years

Schedule

Full-Time

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A full-time, 36-month doctoral program that prepares students as expert clinicians for every stage and setting in which anesthesia is delivered to patients.

By the Numbers

#29

Best Nursing-Anesthesia Schools

U.S. News & World Report

Top 5%

Best Nursing Schools in the Nation

College Factual

#1

Best Nursing Practice Doctor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region

College Factual

Be prepared to take on anything

From routine surgical cases to trauma and major burn situations, you'll work on a variety of scenarios that will expertly prepare you for the challenges that lie ahead.

Two locations, one nationally-ranked program

The nationally ranked program has locations in Austin, Texas and Fairfield, Connecticut. The program is fully accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA).

Use intersectionality to your advantage

Graduates will leverage an intersectional approach in nurse anesthesia, applying their knowledge of healthcare organizations, business management, information technology, and policy-making to enhance anesthesia care delivery and address diverse patient needs. This preparation enables them to assume various leadership roles within healthcare organizations and academia.

Let your education lead you

In addition to becoming skilled nurse anesthetists, graduates are prepared to be leaders in healthcare, capable of providing anesthesia care to a wide variety of patients across the lifespan. With a cross-population perspective, they are equipped to assess, manage, and evaluate common and complex problems in anesthesia, contributing to high-quality, patient-centered care within their specialty.

Find Out More

Course Requirements

100 credits

Contact Us

Graduate Admission
gradadmis@fairfield.edu
(203) 254-4184

See what your future has in store.

Fairfield University's Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies programs use the latest in medical equipment and small classroom settings to provide a practical and engaging education for its nurse anesthesia residents.

Steven Belmont

Director, Nurse Anesthesia Program, Associate Professor of the Practice, Nursing

Leigh Taylor

Assistant Director of Nurse Anesthesia Program, Nursing

Sabrina Novak smiles in front of a gray background.

Accreditation

Fairfield University is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (formerly the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education in the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc.) The Egan School of Nursing & Health Studies is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education through 2027. These accreditations include both the North Benson Fairfield, CT and Austin, TX campuses.

Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs

The Fairfield University Nurse Anesthesia Program on both the Fairfield, CT and Austin, TX campuses is fully accredited through May 2031 by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA), 10275 W Higgins Rd, Suite 906, Rosemont, IL 60018-5603, 224-275-9130.

NLN Center of Excellence in Nursing Education

The Egan School is accredited by The National League for Nursing.

Nurse anesthesia residents spend more than 24 months in clinical learning alongside CRNAs and anesthesiologists. Clinical requirements average 32–40 hours of operating room time per week. The COA requires a minimum of 2,000 clinical hours and 650 cases for graduation, which graduates of the program will exceed. Nurse anesthesia residents move throughout their clinical experiences utilizing graduated clinical privilege levels, allowing for more autonomy and independence as they progress.

Nurse anesthesia residents gain hands-on experience in a variety of anesthetic techniques, including regional (neuraxial and peripheral nerve blocks), general, and monitored anesthesia care under the close supervision of a supportive team of CRNA and MD clinical faculty. From scheduled to all specialty cases, they will experience a variety of situations to expertly prepare them to graduate as full-scope practice CRNAs. Nurse anesthesia residents obtain their clinical experience at the following approved sites.

(Danbury, CT)

(Lebanon, NH)

(Manchester, NH)

(Springfield, MA)

(Waterbury, CT)

(Milford, CT)

(Flushing, NY)

(New York, NY)

(Norwalk, CT)

(Hartford, CT)

(Waterbury, CT)

(Stamford, CT)

(Stony Brook, NY)

(Bridgeport, CT)

(Trumbull, CT)

(New Haven, CT)

(Austin, TX)

(Round Rock, TX)

(Austin, TX)

(Round Rock, TX)

(Austin, TX)

(Temple, TX)

Career Outlook

The nationally-ranked programs offered by the Egan School allow graduates to pursue jobs in a range of locations with various employers.

Employers

Recent Placements

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
U.S. Navy
Yale New Haven Hospital
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital

Beyond the classroom, my time at Fairfield has allowed me to forge lasting connections with peers, mentors, and alumni, creating a supportive network that continues to enrich my personal and professional life. These relationships have opened doors to new opportunities, collaborations, and friendships that I cherish deeply.

Alexis Marsico ‘24 - Yale New Haven Health

Feature

Navy veteran Chris Mangram ’25 prepares for an exam in Fundamentals of Nursing.

Austin Programs Approved by Texas Veterans Commission

With the approval of its undergraduate and graduate nursing programs, Fairfield Austin can better serve military veterans and dependents who are eligible for educational benefits.

DNP-Nurse Anesthesia Program Accredited in Austin, Texas

View More News

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Frequently Asked Questions

30/year for the Fairfield, CT North Benson Road campus
15/year for the Austin, TX campus

The nurse anesthesia program’s NCE Board pass rates meet the current Council on Accreditation's benchmark.

2021: 100% first-time pass rate.
2022: 92% first-time pass rate, 100% second time.
2023: 100% first-time pass rate.
2024: 100% first-time pass rate.

The attrition rate for the 2022 cohort was 4%.
The attrition rate for the 2023 cohort was 6%.
The attrition rate for the 2024 cohort was 6%.

100% of the Class of 2024 graduates were employed as CRNAs within 6 months of graduation.

The nurse anesthesia program is a Full-Time program requiring an extensive time commitment to complete the rigorous clinical and academic requirements. It requires personal and social sacrifices for both the student and his/her support systems.
Students should expect to spend approximately 60 hours/week engaging in program related activities once nurse anesthesia residency begins. This does not include study time or class preparation.
Decisions to continue working must be made by the individual student but the program administration highly discourages full-time employment.

Students can transfer a maximum of three courses (9 credits total). These courses must be approved by the Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies after careful review. The fixed tuition cost will not change if you transfer credits into the program.

A critical care area is defined as one where the registered professional nurse manages one or more of the following in an intensive care setting:

Invasive hemodynamic monitors
Cardiac assist devices
Mechanical ventilation
Vasoactive infusions

The employment verification form helps confirm that applicants meet the required clinical experience standards for admission to the nurse anesthesia program. Specifically, it provides a means for verifying that applicants have one year of full-time ICU experience.

The nurse anesthesia program tuition is set prior to each cohort starting and divided evenly by nine semesters.

All students enrolled in the nurse anesthesia program carry a full-time credit load and are therefore eligible for financial aid throughout the program.
There is limited federal grant money in the form of HRSA-Nurse Anesthesia Traineeship Grants, depending upon the fiscal year and award received by the university.

$3,000 nonrefundable tuition desposit which is credited toward your Bursar account for the first semester tuition.
Anesthesia texts
Core & APRN course text books
Lap top computer
SEE exam registration if unable to meet program benchmark.
Nurse licensure fees
BCLS, ACLS, PALS certification & recertification
NCE
Living/travel expenses for distant clinical sites
Academic and professional conferences

For more information, call the Office of Graduate Admission at (203) 254-4184 or email gradadmis@fairfield.edu.

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