University of New England

It may come as a surprise that as advanced practice nurses, nurse anesthetists have been providing anesthesia care in this country for over 125 years. In fact, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) currently administer over 65 percent of all anesthetics given to patients in the United States!

Since 1984 the School of Nurse Anesthesia at the University of New England has been an integral force in perpetuating this proud legacy by dedicating itself to nurse anesthesia education.

The mission of the School of Nurse Anesthesia is to provide an academic environment, which allows candidates to master the intellectual and technical skills necessary to become competent in the safe conduct of anesthesia. It does this by providing a select group of experienced, graduate level nurses with the highest level of didactic, simulation lab and clinical site experiences. Our graduates develop life-long scholarship, critical thinking skills and professionalism needed to become compassionate, patient-centered anesthesia providers in solo practice or within anesthesia care teams.

Two-Phase Program
At UNE we offer a 27-month two-phase program. The first phase is conducted on our historic Westbrook College Campus, situated in the picturesque coastal city of Portland.

This didactic portion involves eight months of study and consists primarily of science and anesthesia courses taught by CRNA faculty and faculty who share a joint appointment with the University of New England's College of Osteopathic Medicine.

The second phase is the 19-month hospital-based clinical portion of the curriculum. The primary focus is clinical anesthesia training as well as lectures and seminars taught by CRNA's and anesthesiologists. The School has contractual relationships with 18 hospitals throughout the New England area, which offer varied and diverse experiences.

With successful completion of the program, students are awarded a master of science degree in nurse anesthesia. To date, 100 percent of our students have passed the certifying examination in their first year post-graduation and 100 percent have successfully obtained employment.

State-of-the-Art Resources
Students also have access to state-of-the-art educational resources, including an interactive classroom equipped with the latest media and computer, electronic journals and books, and the Clinical Simulation Program, which features several high-tech patient simulators.

Technological advances, changing economic patterns, political oscillations and a more diverse patient population has made our health care system progressively more complex. As a result, the role of a CRNA is becoming increasingly collaborative with other health professionals. To assist our students with this expanding role, they will learn the principles of Crisis Resource Management as well as apply them in a simulated setting.

I encourage you to peruse our website, visit our campus or call us, as you gather information that will assist you with your selection process.

Thank you,
Nina Turcato, CRNA, DNP
Director, School of Nurse Anesthesia

Virtual Tour
While these pages will provide you with information about the School of Nurse Anesthesia, we invite you to take a virtual tour of the Portland area and the Westbrook College Campus to get a sense of the quality of life our students enjoy.