FSU Panama City Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia approval complete

FSU Panama City will hold a press conference at 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 15, in the Bayside Auditorium to announce the Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia has received the go ahead to proceed by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

The Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia program received approval by the FSU Graduate Policy Committee in April 2014 and the FSU Board of Trustees in June 2014. In October 2014, the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) conducted an onsite capability review of the program and the clinical sites and awarded accreditation in January. In February, FSU submitted a substantive change prospectus to SACSCOC and received approval to offer the program effective fall 2015.

“It is difficult to exaggerate the significance of receiving SACSCOC approval for our MS program in Nurse Anesthesia,” Interim Dean Steve Leach said. “I see this having an immediate impact on our campus, the University and our community. We look forward to having the nurse anesthesia students join our ‘Campus on the Coast’ on Aug. 24.”

The highly competitive, limited-access program is offered through Florida State’s College of Applied Studies and will admit 24 students each year.

The program focuses on patient care before, during and after surgical procedures, and it highlights critical thinking, communication and professionalism. Courses will cover various anesthesia techniques and emphasize analysis, evaluation and decision‐making rather than memorization. Each student will begin a one-on-one clinical practicum within the first week for immediate application of skills.

“Bay County has a long and distinguished history of providing nurse anesthetists to the local community and communities nationwide,” said program administrator Scarlett Hinson. “With the approval of the new master’s program, FSU will continue this tradition and partnership with the local health care industry, in the provision of highly skilled practitioners for years to come.”

After completing the rigorous 28-month program, graduates must pass the national certification exam to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). CRNAs provide anesthesia in collaboration with surgeons, anesthesiologists, dentists, podiatrists and other qualified healthcare professionals. They practice in settings such as hospital surgical suites, obstetric rooms, emergency rooms, dentist offices, medical specialist offices, pain management clinics and more. Positions also are available at healthcare facilities within non-profits, the U.S. military, Public Health Services and Department of Veterans Affairs.

For more information on the nurse anesthesia program, contact Scarlett Hinson at (850) 770-2100; shinson@pc.fsu.edu or Russell Gentry at rgentry@pc.fsu.edu