Nurse Anesthesia (DNP-NA)

Admission Requirements

Application Materials

• Application
• Official transcripts from every college/university attended
• RN or APRN license (see requirements below)
• Personal statement, answering two questions provided in the application
• Resume
• Three professional letters of recommendation, one from a current direct supervisor
• Job shadowing form

Selected candidates will be invited to an in-person interview. Interviews will be held in person at the Omaha campus only in January 2027.

Program Requirements and Prerequisites

• Minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale
• Undergraduate Physical Assessment Course (Grade of C or Higher)
• Grade of B- or above in each of the following courses
  • Anatomy
  • Physiology
  • Microbiology
  • Chemistry or Biochemistry
  • Pharmacology
• A bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) and/or a master’s degree in nursing from a CCNE ACEN, or NLN-CNEA accredited college or university.
• An unencumbered license as a registered professional nurse and/or APRN in the United States or its territories or protectorates. 
• Current eligibility for unencumbered licensure to practice professional nursing in Nebraska is required.
• One year of full-time, direct patient care experience in Critical Care. Experience must be obtained in a critical care area within the United States, its territories or a US military hospital outside of the United States. During this experience, the registered professional nurse has developed critical decision making and psychomotor skills, competency in patient assessment, and the ability to use and interpret advanced monitoring techniques. A critical care area is defined as one where, on a routine basis, the registered professional nurse manages one or more of the following: invasive hemodynamic monitors (e.g., pulmonary artery, central venous pressure, and arterial catheters), cardiac assist devices, mechanical ventilation, and the vasoactive infusions. Examples of critical care units may include but are not limited to: surgical intensive care, cardiothoracic intensive care, medical intensive care, pediatric intensive care, and neonatal intensive care. 
• Job shadowing of a clinical CRNA required
  • Submit job shadowing form
• Certifications required
  • Completion of certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) for the "Healthcare Professional" from the American Heart Association (AHA). This course includes instruction of the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and content for care of adults, children and infants. 
  • Completion of certification in Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) from the American Heart Association (AHA).
• Required prior to starting the program but not for admission:
  • 3 credit hours of Graduate Statistics (grade B or higher) 
  • Active, unencumbered RN or APRN license with ability to practice in Nebraska and Iowa
  • Completion of certification in Pediatric Advanced Cardiac Life Support (PALS) from the American Heart Association (AHA).
  • Creighton DNP-Nurse Anesthesia program is a fully on-campus, face-to-face program. All admitted students are required to reside within commuting distance of the Omaha campus by the start of the program.  

Transfer Credit Policy 

No more than nine (9) graduate-level credit hours may be considered for transfer in accordance with Creighton University and College of Nursing policies. Transfer credit is subject to review and approval and must be determined to be applicable to the student’s approved plan of study. Transfer credits may not be applied toward coursework designated as part of the DNP-Nurse Anesthesia specialty curriculum. Approval of transfer credit is not guaranteed and is determined on an individual basis.

International Applicants

Due to the specific features and requirements of this program, international students cannot be admitted. Unique situations may be discussed with your admissions advisor.

International Transcripts

Any course work taken at an accredited institution outside of the United States must be evaluated course-by-course by a NACES approved credentialing agency. A list of approved agencies can be found here. Official evaluations must be sent directly from the agency to Creighton University.

English Language Proficiency Requirement

English Language Proficiency is an important part of the application process for those whose first language is not English. The College of Nursing has the discretion to determine individual standards for how this requirement will be met using one or more of the following:

• English Language exam scores. All applicants who have obtained a degree outside of the United States must present a TOEFL score of at least 100 an IELTS score of at least 7, or a DuoLingo score of at least 120. Scores over 2 years old will not be accepted. Students must ask the testing agency to send original scores to Creighton University (Institutional Code 6121).
• Completion of an undergraduate degree from one of the following countries: Australia, Canada, Barbados, Bahamas, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guam, Ireland, Jamaica, Marshall Islands, New Zealand, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Scotland, Singapore, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, United States, and Virgin Islands.

The College of Nursing reserves the right to require students to re-take the exam. It is also at the discretion of the College of Nursing as to whether an English Language Proficiency exam is required of applicants who have earned a college degree from a university in the United States or another approved country.

Dates and Deadlines

Applications for the August 2028 cohort will open June 1, 2027 and close November 1, 2027.

Selected candidates who demonstrate exceptional promise will be invited to interview in mid-December.

Interviews will be held in person at the Omaha campus only in January 2028.