Nurse Anesthesia Program
Developing the Skills Needed for a Range of Healthcare Settings
Nurse anesthetists have been providing anesthesia care in the United States for more than 100 years. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are anesthesia specialists.CRNAs are anesthesia professionals who safely administer approximately 43 million anesthetics to patients each year in the United States, according to the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) 2016 Practice Profile Survey.
CRNAs practice in every setting in which anesthesia is delivered to patients, including:
- Traditional hospital surgical suites
- Obstetrical delivery rooms
- Critical access hospitals
- Ambulatory surgical centers
- Dental offices
- Podiatry offices
- Ophthalmologists
- Plastic surgeons
- Pain management specialists
In addition, nurse anesthetists work in the U.S. military, public health services, and the Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare facilities
Becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
To become a CRNA, you must graduate from a nurse anesthesia educational program accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA), and pass the national certification examination administered by the Council on Certification of Nurse Anesthetists. As of August 2021, there were 128 accredited nurse anesthesia programs in the United States and Puerto Rico.
The Crozer-Chester Medical Center/Villanova University Nurse Anesthesia program is a 36-month, 73-credit full-time Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, and is approved by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs.
The CCMC/VU Nurse Anesthesia Program boasts an 87 percent Board pass rate over 5 years and a 2 percent attrition rate over 5 years. The program prepares seasoned critical care nurses with a sound base of theoretical knowledge and clinical experience in the practice of nurse anesthesia. The program graduates are highly regarded and actively recruited by local and national anesthesia departments.
Nurse Anesthesia Program Statistics
Crozer Chester Medical Center/Villanova University Program Statistics
- Crozer-Chester Medical Center/Villanova University Nurse Anesthesia Program is fully accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) until the next 10-year review cycle in 2031.
- Number of students per class: 24-30
- Attrition - Cohort 2019-2021 cohort: 4.5 percent
- Attrition - past 5 years: 2 percent
Year |
CCMC/VU NCE Pass Rate |
CCMC/VU First-Time-Taker Pass Rate |
National Average Pass Rate |
Employment of Graduates as CRNAs within 6 Months of Graduation |
| 2021 | TBD | 87% | TBD | TBD |
| 2020 | 100% | 92% | 85% | 96% |
| 2019 | 100% | 79% | 83% | 96% |
| 2018 | 100% | 83% | 84% | 100% |
| 2017 | 100% | 95% | 82.6% | 100% |
| 2016 | 95% | 86% | 85% | 95% |
| 2015 | 100% | 100% | 85% | 100% |
| 2014 | 100% | 86% | 86% | 100% |
| 2013 | 100% | 91% | 88% | 100% |
| 2012 | 100% | 75% | 88% | 100% |
| 2011 | 100% | 92% | 89% | 100% |
Get additional information about the Crozer-Chester Medical Center/Villanova University Nurse Anesthesia Doctor of Nursing Practice degree here.
Contact Information
Crozer-Chester Medical Center / Villanova University Nurse Anesthesia Program
100 West Sproul Road, Suite 222
Springfield, PA 19064
Fax: 610-938-6767
Jodie Szlachta Ph.D., CRNA, Program Director
Phone: 610-938-6764
Matt McCoy DNP, CRNA, Associate Program Director
Phone: 610-938-6763
Carlene McLaughlin, PhD, CRNA, CHSE, Director of DNP Projects & Simulation
Phone: 610-938-6761
Alice Jurski, EdD, APN-A, CRNA, Faculty
Phone: 610-938-6766
Denise Lamb, Program Manager
Phone: 610-938-6765
Villanova University Nurse Anesthesia Doctor of Nursing Practice
Get additional information on the Crozer-Chester Medical Center / Villanova University Nurse Anesthesia Doctor of Nursing Practice Program.