MORGANTOWN, W. Va. — The WVU School of Nursing’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Nurse Anesthetist program recently received approval to increase its class size by five students, increasing the capacity of each cohort from 15 to 20.
“The expanded class size will allow the School of Nursing to prepare the highly skilled nurse anesthetists who are needed across a variety of healthcare settings throughout West Virginia and beyond,” said Dr. Tara Hulsey, Dean and E. Jane Martin Endowed Professor.
The Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs reviewed the WVU application during its June meeting and granted approval of the expanded capacity. In its approval, the COA said, “[T]he program possesses adequate resources to support the increase in its class size, and that the increase should not have any effect on the ability of the program to continue to meet accreditation requirements.”
“Our resources have grown to accommodate the increased class size, thanks to the generous support of Dean Hulsey and WVU Health System and the tireless efforts of School of Nursing graduate and nurse anesthesia program faculty,” said Dr. Aaron Ostrowski, DNP Nurse Anesthetist Program Director.
In 2025, the COA granted the DNP Nurse Anesthetist program at WVU the highest accreditation status available, a 10-year accreditation. In 2026, the WVU program ranked No. 60 for Best Nurse Anesthesia Programs by U.S. News & World Report.
DNP Nurse Anesthetist students can expect a rigorous curriculum based in sciences including anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, chemistry and physics. Applicants must have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from a nationally accredited nursing program, among other GPA and certification requirements. The full-time program requires 88 credits over three years or nine continuous semesters.
Upon completion of the program, graduates earn a DNP degree and are eligible to sit for the National Certification Exam (NCE). Those who pass the NCE will become Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists or CRNAs.
For more information about nursing programs at WVU, visit nursing.wvu.edu.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Wendy Holdren
Director of Communications and Marketing
WVU School of Nursing
304-581-1772; wendy.holdren@hsc.wvu.edu