August 17, 2018

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Marquette is the first academic institution in southeastern Wisconsin to offer the degree

MILWAUKEE — The Marquette University College of Nursing this month will become the first academic institution in southeastern Wisconsin to provide a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree with a specialization in nurse anesthesia.

Graduates of the program can take the national certification examination to obtain the certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) credential.

The first 10-student cohort begins studies this month and the three-year program will admit a new cohort annually every fall semester.

"This program addresses a critical need in the healthcare industry for nurse anesthetists," said Dr. Janet Wessel Krejci, dean of Marquette's College of Nursing. "Marquette's students will be prepared through rigorous curriculum and clinical experiences as expert clinicians for every setting in which anesthesia is delivered to patients."

The program is designed to bring together the nursing education and research expertise of Marquette with the clinical expertise of the surrounding Milwaukee community. Students will participate in clinical rotations at multiple sites, including the Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin, Ascension, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin and the Clement J. Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Additional clinical rotation sites currently are under development.

Lisa Thiemann, Ph.D., CRNA, APNP, FNAP, leads the program. She has held multiple positions within the nurse anesthesia community and most recently worked with the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists and the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists.

CRNAs administer 43 million anesthetics to patients in the United States each year and are the primary providers of anesthesia care in rural America, according to the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists. In some states, CRNAs are the sole anesthesia professionals in nearly all rural hospitals.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics says nurse anesthesia employment options will increase 16 percent between 2016 and 2026, a rate much faster than average.

"Marquette graduates will be well-poised to enhance patient access to anesthesia services and add practitioner value for healthcare facilities in southeastern Wisconsin and across all points in the state," Thiemann said.

About Marquette University College of Nursing
Through a transformational Catholic, Jesuit education, Marquette University College of Nursing prepares nursing leaders to promote health, healing and social justice for all people through clinical practice and development of nursing knowledge. The College of Nursing has become the most competitive undergraduate college for admission on Marquette's campus. For more information, visit marquette.edu/nursing