RIC adds anesthesia program

The Rhode Island College School of Nursing, in partnership with St. Joseph Hospital School of Nurse Anesthesia, recently announced a new degree program: Master of Science in Nursing, nurse anesthesia option.

The program prepares students to take the National Certification Examination required for licensure as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist.

“This program is the first of its kind in Rhode Island and is part of RIC’s ongoing efforts to support the needs of Rhode Island’s economy,” said RIC President Nancy Carriuolo.

CRNAs are registered nurses with at least two years of extensive training in anesthesia. In Rhode Island, they are able to provide anesthesia in collaboration with medical doctors in any medical setting in which anesthesia is required.

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“This specialized program is an important achievement,” said Jane Williams, dean of the RIC School of Nursing. “The program will meet a critical need for nurse anesthetists.”

According to the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, 58 percent of nurse anesthetists nationwide are between the ages of 55 and 64. Thirty-eight percent of nurse anesthetists, the association reports, plan to retire within five to 10 years.

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