Criminal background checks and drug screening are becoming mandatory at medical institutions as a requirement of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). Individuals working in health care facilities often must consent to and be cleared to work through criminal background investigations and/or drug screenings.

To ensure patient safety and security, South College requires a criminal background check and drug screening prior to any applicant being admitted. Additionally, background checks and drug testing will be conducted annually, and drug screening will be conducted as needed per the discretion of the program and our clinical affiliates. Applicants should be aware that a prior criminal background MUST be disclosed upon application to the program. A conviction of a felony or misdemeanor may prevent a nurse anesthesia resident from successfully completing the clinical practicum requirements and, therefore, the program. In addition, a conviction of either a felony or misdemeanor is considered part of the eligibility for the National Certification Examination (“Ethical Concerns”) by the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists and could restrict the ability to obtain required professional licensure. Acceptance into a South College program does not imply or guarantee that a resident will be able to obtain such licensure, nor become certified.

All DNP Nurse Anesthesia Program residents are required to carry health insurance (including hospitalization coverage) throughout the entire program. It is the responsibility of the resident to purchase health insurance and provide proof of insurance. Health concerns should be addressed with your primary care provider.

In addition to the above-mentioned items, completion of a standard health screening is required prior to matriculation, inclusive of a current physical assessment and complete immunization records, as well as submission of all required licensure and certifications. Clinical affiliate facilities may have unique requirements for residents, including vaccinations. All residents must meet the current requirements set forth by the totality of program clinical affiliates to be eligible for initial matriculation and eventual clinical progression. These requirements are subject to change at any time and are outside of the control of the program. Residents unable to obtain or complete required clinical training due to their elected compliance with current requirements may delay or prevent program completion.

Residents are required to have a laptop computer and tablet device that meet the following specifications.

Laptop computer, with Windows or Apple/Macintosh operating systems are acceptable. Chromebooks or similar devices using the Chrome operating system do NOT work with our examination software; Therefore, they are not recommended nor acceptable for use while in the DNP NAP.

The following is a list of minimum requirements:

Android and Apple products are acceptable. Please see below for example products:

Notes:

The practice of anesthesia is mentally, physically, and psychologically demanding. Throughout the DNP NAP curriculum, residents acquire the foundation of knowledge, attitudes, skills, and behaviors that are necessary for a successful career as a CRNA. Technical standards reflect those abilities that a CRNA must possess for safe and effective clinical practice.

A candidate for the DNP Nurse Anesthesia Program must possess abilities and skills in five areas: I) observation; II) communication; III) motor; IV) intellectual, conceptual, integrative, and quantitative; and V) behavioral and social. Prospective and current residents must meet the following technical requirements with or without reasonable accommodation for admission, progression, and graduation in the DNP Nurse Anesthesia Program. The DNP Nurse Anesthesia Program operates in compliance with the nondiscrimination policies established by South College.

The candidate must be able to accurately make observations at a distance and close at hand. Observation necessitates the functional use of the sense of vision and somatic sensation and is enhanced by the functional use of all the other senses.

The candidate must be able to communicate effectively, efficiently, respectfully, and sensitively in English in both oral and written form and be able to perceive nonverbal communication with other healthcare providers and patients of all ages.

Candidates must be able to coordinate both gross and fine muscular movements, maintain equilibrium and have functional use of the senses of touch and vision. The candidate must possess sufficient postural control, neuromuscular control, and eye-to-hand coordination to perform anesthesia specific skills and tasks, including airway instrumentation and management, administration of regional anesthesia, and establishment of vascular access.

The candidate must be able to problem solve, measure, calculate, reason, analyze, record, and synthesize large amounts of information in a timely manner. The candidate must be able to comprehend three-dimensional relationships and understand spatial relationships.

The candidate must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of their intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, and the consistent, prompt completion of all responsibilities and the development of mature, sensitive, and effective relationships. Candidates must be able to tolerate physically, mentally, and emotionally taxing workloads and to function effectively under stress. The candidate must be able to adapt to changing environments, to display flexibility, and to learn to function in the face of uncertainties. Compassion, integrity, concern for others, effective interpersonal skills, willingness and ability to function as an effective team player, and the interest and motivation to learn are all personal qualities required during the educational process.

Reasonable accommodation will be considered and may be made to qualified residents who disclose a disability, so long as such accommodation does not significantly alter the essential requirements of the curriculum and the training program, or significantly affect the safety of patient care. Residents who disclose a disability are considered for the program if they are otherwise qualified. Qualified residents with a disability who wish to request accommodation should provide appropriate documentation of disability and submit a request for accommodation to the Director of Student Affairs. Residents will review these technical standards during the final stage of admission to the program and attest to their ability to function within these outlined parameters.

Residents who indicate verbally and in writing (with medical documentation) that they cannot meet one or more of these requirements will be reviewed by South College to determine what, if any reasonable accommodations might be possible to facilitate successful completion of the degree requirements if admitted to the program. Applicants who cannot meet the program technical standards, even with reasonable accommodation, are not eligible for admission. Any previously made offer of admission may be withdrawn if it becomes apparent that the resident cannot complete essential tasks even with accommodation, or that the accommodations needed are not reasonable and would cause undue hardship to the institution, or that fulfilling the functions would create a significant risk of harm to the health or safety of others. If you have any further questions or concerns regarding these technical standards, please contact the DNP Nurse Anesthesia Program.