HISTORY
Education in anesthesia for nurses entered a new era in Michigan in
September 1963. Nine registered nurses entered the program in anesthesia
offered by Detroit Receiving Hospital in collaboration with the Wayne
State University College of Medicine, Division of Allied Health. By
1971, 45 registered nurses had completed the certificate program for
entry into practice and the National Certification Examination for
initial certification as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists
(CRNAs). To date there are over 400 alumni.
In 1972, under the leadership of John Garde, CRNA and Celestine
Harrigan, CRNA, Ph.D., the Wayne State University Nurse Anesthesia
Program (WSUNAP), became the first in the country to offer a Baccalaureate
Degree in Anesthesia for entry into practice. In 1974, the Division
of Allied Health from the School of Medicine affiliated with the
College of Pharmacy to form the College of Pharmacy and Allied Health
Professions and was responsible for the academic component of the
program. Detroit Receiving Hospital & University Health Center
(DRHUHC) served as the primary clinical site for the program. In
1980, DRHUHC moved to the Detroit Medical Center complex (DMC).
In 1981, the Harper-Grace Hospital Nurse Anesthesia Program merged
with the Wayne State University Nurse Anesthesia Program to form
one program on campus.
In January 1984, the Graduate Council and Provost of Wayne State
University granted the program its request to expand the current
baccalaureate program to a masters degree and became the second
program in the country to offer a Master of Science Degree in Anesthesia
for entry into practice. In 2000, in collaboration with Children’s
Hospital of Michigan, a Post-Graduate Certificate in Pediatric Anesthesia
was developed. In 2001 the Graduate Council approved the first pediatric
certificate program in the country. March 6, 2004, Wayne State University
celebrated 40 years of professional excellence in the Nurse Anesthesia
Program.
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PHILOSOPHY
The nurse anesthesia program is dedicated to achieving full professional
competence in its graduates. The program believes that professional
competence is based upon self awareness, an appropriate system of
values and beliefs which positively affect relationships with patients
and other members of the health care team, the possession of cognitive
process capabilities, and proficient implementation of technical skills.
This is best achieved by individualized concern for each student through
continuing formal and informal guidance - didactic and clinical. Offering
the program within a graduate framework most effectively incorporates
learning activities within the cognitive, affective and psychomotor
domains while achieving professional competence as an anesthesia care
provider. The curriculum design and multiple clinical affiliation
sites effectively facilitate achievement of these goals by supporting
the team concept philosophy of practice and offering reinforcement
from a variety of directions. The
practice of anesthesia by a nurse anesthetist is an expanded role,
which implements both nursing and medical functions. The registered
nurse anesthesia student builds upon an established nursing base
with a sound, rigorous, anesthesia education, to provide high quality
anesthesia care.
In addition
to their preparation as anesthesia care providers, graduates of
this program are prepared to assume roles in the management of an
anesthesia department and research.
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