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HISTORY OF THE KU NURSE ANESTHESIA PROGRAM
The Program of Nurse Anesthesia Education was initiated at the University
of Kansas under the auspices of the Department of Anesthesiology in
1966. The first four students were admitted in June 1967 and full accreditation was granted by the American Association of
Nurse Anesthetists in 1968.
 In response to public and professional demands for quality service
and credible education, a minimal curriculum has grown into a full
complement of course offerings. The Kansas Board of Regents recognized
this educational excellence by granting the program baccalaureate
status in 1978.
In 1982 the program was granted full department status. In 1984 the
program attained graduate status and began to offer a degree of Master
of Science in Nurse Anesthesia.
The program of Nurse Anesthesia Education is under the auspices
of the School of Allied Health at the University of Kansas. Close
cooperation with the Department of Anesthesiology allows the collective
mission of physicians and
CRNAs to be that of producing highly qualified anesthesia practitioners.
It was proposed in 1993 that the program expand to include satellite
locations. Sponsored by a grant provided by the Division of Nursing,
Health and Human Services, the first satellite program was established
at Mount Carmel Medical Center in Pittsburg, Kansas. As of 2006, students are no longer being admitted to the Mount Carmel Medical Center site.
A second satellite
program was initiated at Overland Park Regional Medical Center in
Overland Park Kansas in 2003. While these sites are no longer primary clinical sites, they will continue to be used as affiliation sites.
To date, over 350 graduates representing over half the states in
the nation have entered the professional ranks of nurse anesthesia
as University of Kansas graduates. Twenty-five percent have assumed
positions
of an educational or administrative nature
and statistics reveal more than 50% of the graduates are in practice
in Kansas.
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