Admission and Application

Step 1 - Check the minimum program admission requirements (these are the applicant's responsibility):

• Provide proof for fulfillment of the legal requirements to practice professional nursing (Registered Nurse) in Iowa or another state. International applicants must obtain an Iowa Registered Nurse license prior to program enrollment .
• Possess a Bachelor's degree with a major in nursing from a program accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or possess a non-nursing Bachelor’s degree.
• Attain an undergraduate grade-point average of at least 3.00 on a 4.0 scale which demonstrates ability to do graduate work.
• The GRE is not required for application.

Step 2 - Prerequisite Courses

• Demonstrate ability in all anesthesia nursing science and mathematics courses completed at the junior college or university level indicating: any repeated courses,calculation of science/math grade-point average.
• Satisfactorily complete all College of Nursing course prerequisites at the junior college or university level indicating: any repeated courses, calculation of nursing grade-point average, semester credits.
• Download the Prerequisite Course Criteria.

Step 3 - Nursing Experience

• At least one year of recent full-time critical care nursing experience (post-ADN or post-BSN) as an RN prior to the October 1 deadline.
• Acceptable critical care nursing experience as a RN post-degree includes:
  1. Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
  2. Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU)
  3. Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
  4. Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
  5. Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU)
  6. Cardiac Care Unit (CCU)
• Post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), OR nursing, or emergency room (ER) nursing are NOT considered acceptable critical care nursing.

Step 4 - Review the Letter from the Director and the Application Checklist.

Step 5 - Complete an admission application to The University of Iowa Graduate College

Step 6 - Send official academic transcripts from all formal institutions attended to the UI Graduate College admissions

Step 7 - Recommendations

• You must provide three professional recommendations attesting to applicant's capacity and potential for graduate study, using the College of Nursing DNP Recommendation form.
• Recommendations are required from a Physician, Employer/Supervisor, and Academic Advisor/Educational Instructor or Professor.

Step 8 - A typed Statement of Purpose, of no more than 500 words, describing educational and professional objectives and reasons for deciding on a career in nurse anesthesia

Step 9- Submit a current curriculum vitae indicating critical care nursing experience and length, any professional or scholastic honors, listing all colleges attended and degrees obtained Suggested Anesthesia Nursing Resume format

Step 10 - Provide proof of any advanced nursing specialty certifications (i.e. ACLS, PALS, CCRN, TNCC, etc.)

Step 11- Provide official satisfactory scores, minimum of 550, from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) when appropriate for applicants whose native language is not English

Step 12 - Complete and print Anesthesia Nursing Prerequisite Course Form

Step 13- Complete the Anesthesia Nursing Clinical Experience Form

Step 14 - Send the following application materials directly to the UI Anesthesia Nursing Program admissions:

Copy of UI Application for Graduate Admissions, items A-F (if applying online, graduate admissions office will send copy of your application to the Program Office)
Statement of Purpose
Recommendations or letters of reference (please use sealed business-size envelopes for completion of recommendations by your referees to maintain confidentiality)
CV (curriculum vitae) or resume
Prerequisite Course form
Clinical Experience form
Unofficial transcripts from all colleges attended
Copy of RN license (Copies of Web verification of RN licensure are not acceptable)
Copies of nursing certifications
• TOEFL scores, if applicable