ANESTHESIA : BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES: MASTER OF SCIENCE

31–33 credits  Coordinator: Ruth Rollin

Program Rationale:
The MS Biological Sciences: Anesthesia Program is designed for registered nurses who wish to become nurse anesthetists and to expand their background in the areas of biology specific to their discipline.

Program Learning Outcomes:
Graduate students will:
• demonstrate a thorough understanding of physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, immunology, and the anesthesia-specific areas of patient safety, anesthetic management, and professional role;
• describe scientific methodology and conduct experiments;
• be able to read and comprehend primary literature;
• deliver effective oral presentations (poster or PowerPoint); and
• effectively communicate on research in written format.

Admission Requirements:
Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education.  Applicants must also have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.70 on a 4.0 point scale (where A is 4.00), or its equivalent, and good standing (3.00 GPA) in all post-baccalaureate course work.  Additional admission requirements are as follows:

• must have completed a BSN or other appropriate Bachelor’s degree
• must be a licensed registered nurse with a minimum of 1 year of critical care nursing experience
• must have completed one year of anatomy and physiology, one year of chemistry, and one course in microbiology (anatomy and physiology and chemistry must be less than 10 years old; organic or biochemistry is required by two of our affiliates)
• must have satisfied both the University’s and the affiliated school’s admission criteria

The following items are required:

• official transcripts from all institutions in which undergraduate and graduate work has been taken
• Graduate Record Examination scores for the aptitude test may be required by one of our affiliates

Admission to this program is contingent upon admission to one of the affiliated schools of nurse anesthesia.  Prospective students apply first to an affiliated hospital school of anesthesia. The hospital school will then provide the necessary information regarding University and Hospital School application and acceptance procedures.

Contact: Dr. Ruth Rollin 860-832-2659                                                                 www.ccsu.edu/grad
www.biology.ccsu.edu/Programs/Grad/

Course & Capstone Requirements:
31-33 credits
Professional Education (3 credits):
ED 511 Principles of Curriculum Dev.
Major Field Requirements (21 credits):
BIO 500 Seminar in Biology
BIO 517 Human Anatomy, Physiology and
   Pathophysiology
BIO 518 Applied Physiology
BIO 519 Advanced Neuroscience
BIO 525 Advanced Physical Health Assessment for Nurse Anesthetists
BIO 528 Pharmacology
BIO 530 Immunology
CHEM 550 Basic Organic and Biological Chemistry
Clinical Practicum (1000 hours of clinical practicum and is 17 months in length):
ACP 500 Basic Principles of Nurse Anesthesia Practice
ACP 501 Anesthesia Clinical Practicum
ACP 502 Anesthesia Clinical Practicum
ACP 503 Anesthesia Clinical Practicum
ACP 504 Anesthesia Clinical Practicum
ACP 505 Anesthesia Clinical Practicum

Research (4-6 credits):
(Plan A: Capstone)
BIO 598 Research in Biology
BIO 599 Thesis (3 credits) and thesis defense

or
(Plan B: Capstone)
BIO 590 Focused Study in Advanced Biology
BIO 598 Research in Biology Comprehensive exam

Note to prospective anesthesia students: The student must be a licensed registered nurse and satisfactorily complete the program of study in anesthesia at an affiliated hospital-based school of nurse anesthesia which includes 1000 hours of clinical practicum and is 17 months in length. The practicum starts the second summer in the program. A cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher and grades of C or better are required to start the clinical practicum. Admission to this program is contingent upon admission to one of the following affiliated hospital schools of anesthesia:

New Britain School of Nurse Anesthesia, New Britain, CT: John Satterfield, M.D., medical director, and Joan Dobbins, M.S., CRNA, program director.

Hospital of St. Raphael, New Haven, CT: Philip J. Noto, M.D., medical director, School of Anesthesia; and Judy Thompson, M.S., CRNA, DNAP, program director.

Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, Pawtucket, R.I.: Peter Baziotis, M.D., medical director, School of Anesthesia; and Mark Foster, M.A., CRNA, program director.

Note: Additional work, as described in the course syllabi, will be required for graduate credit in 400-level courses. Students may take no more than nine credits of 400-level courses.