Newman University Nurse Anesthetist Program

In the state of Kansas, there are only two universities which offer CRNA programs and Newman University is one of them. 

Address: 3100 W. McCormick, Wichita, Kansas 67213

Phone: 316-942-4291

Contact: Dr. Kimyatta Brent – brentk@newmanu.edu

About The Program

This is a 36 month long program and at the end of successful completion, you will receive a Doctorate of Nurse Anesthesia (DNAP). The didactic part of the program is done on the campus and the clinical part will be done at various hospitals in the region. In the first year, you can expect to learn how to administer anesthesia, in the second year, you will continue with the didactic portion as well as start the clinical part where you’ll be under the guidance of qualified anesthesiologists and CRNAs. In the third year, you will focus mainly on clinical practicums and do specialty rotations. You will also prepare for the SEE (Self Evaluation Exam) and NCE (National Certifying Exam).

This program offers an impressive 1:1 student to lecturer ratio with a lot of hands-on experience. You can expect a very strong theoretical base to build from as well as leadership training. When you complete this program, you can expect to have undergone 2054 hours of anesthesia care and provide about 1006 anesthetics. 

You will need to complete 106 credit hours. If you’re interested in starting this school in May, 2025 then applications will be open from June 1st, 2024 and will close on October 1st, 2024. The class size is usually between 20 to 25 students. That said, this school gets, on average, 80 to 130 applicants every year. Approximately 50 are chosen from interviews. In person interviews are typically done in early November.

The attrition rate of this program for 2021, 2022 and 2023 is an impressive 0%.The employment rate within 6 months of graduating was 100% in 2023 and 95% in 2021 and 2022. The first time pass rate was 90% in 2023, 80% in 2022 and 75% in 2021. 

Ranking

The Newman University nurse anesthesia program is currently ranked #101 in the US News & World Report (2024). It was ranked #72 in the 2011 U.S. News & World Report and #43 in the 2016 report.

Tuition

This 36 month program will cost approximately $111,667 which is inclusive of your tuition, books and fees.

Accreditation

This program was granted 4 years accreditation by the COA on the 25th May,2022. It will be re-evaluated in spring 2026. 

What Makes The Newman University CRNA Program Special?

  1. In the last 5 years, an impressive 85% of CRNAs that were employed in Kansas were graduates of Newman University. 
  2. Overall, 60% of local CRNAs are also graduates of Newman University.
  3. This university not only places a huge emphasis on academics but also personal development. This is done via numerous student support services, strong sense of community and support to help you achieve your personal and academic goals. 
  4. They blend traditional with modern approaches. The teaching style is very interactive with small class sizes. 

Program Requirements

In order to qualify for the NU CRNA program, you will need to have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. However, if you don’t have this, then you’ll still be assessed by the board. Next, you’ll need to have an unencumbered Kansas RN license before the start of the program (which is in August). 

You’ll need to have a minimum of 1 year critical care experience while being a full time RN. 

Types of critical care experience that are acceptable:

  • SICU 
  • NICU
  • Neuro-ICU
  • CCU 
  • Transplant ICU
  • CVICU
  • Burn/Trauma ICU
  • MICU 
  • PICU 

Unacceptable critical care experience:

  • PACU 
  • ER 
  • OR 

Certifications that are required when you submit your application

  • PALS 
  • BLS 
  • ACLS

Course Prerequisites

Statistics (must include descriptive and inferential statistics)

Nursing research (or evidence of another equivalent research course)

GRE

GRE is not required to apply for this school’s CRNA program.

Clinical Sites

There are 4 primary clinical sites and they are as follows:

  1. McBride Orthopedic Hospital 
  2. Christi-St. Francis Campus 
  3. Oklahoma City VA
  4. Wesley Medical Center

Non Primary clinical sites:

  • Cypress Surgery Center
  • University of Kansas Medical Systems
  • Founder’s Circle Via Christi Clinic
  • Hutchinson Regional Medical Center
  • Salina Surgical Center
  • Duncan Regional Hospital
  • KS Spine & Specialty Hospital
  • Lawrence Memorial Hospital
  • Jack C. Montgomery VA Medical Center
  • Center for Orthopedic and Reconstructive Excellence
  • Surgery Center of Kansas
  • Salina Regional Medical Center
  • Norman Regional Health System
  • Pratt Regional Medical Center
  • Integris Baptist Medical Center Portland Avenue
  • Newman Regional Medical Center
  • Southwestern Medical Center
  • Newton Medical Center

Interview Information & Typical Questions

Interviews are usually done in the beginning of November (in-person). Typically, you can expect the interview to last about 30 minutes and it will include a mix of clinical and personal questions. That said, this university is known for its challenging interviews – so it’s best to be well prepared!

Some specific tips and questions as indicated by past interviewees of this program:

  1. Interviewers may ask clinical questions that are extremely difficult to answer and lead you to a point where you likely won’t know the answer. They do this to figure out if you will let them know that you don’t know what to do especially when a patient’s life depends on it or if you’ll try to make stuff up (not the way to go!).
  2. Topics you should definitely review before the interview: autonomic nervous system, receptors, different pathologies and treatments, drips, fight and flight response, rest and digest response, gtts etc.
  3. You can also expect to be asked why you want to become a nurse anesthetist. It should be about more than job security, money etc. 
  4. Patient safety is another common interview question where you may be given a scenario or asked about safety practices. 
  5. Why are you interested in studying to become a CRNA at Newman University in particular?
  6. How are you, your family and significant others prepared for CRNA school? (The stressors, lifestyle changes, unavailability etc)
  7. Familiarity with ICU monitoring equipment. You may be asked how specific equipment work such as the EKG, pulse-ox etc.
  8. What’s your favorite patient population to work with and why?
  9. Also expect a couple of behavioral based questions. 

Kansas CRNA Salary & Job Outlook

CRNA salaries in Kansas exhibit notable variation across different salary sources:

Salary.com reports a range of $190,812 to $221,527, with a mean of $205,205.

Ziprecruiter indicates a higher average annual income of $231,355.

Glassdoor presents a broader range, from $150,000 to $229,000, with an average of $185,000 annually.

Other Schools

Unsure if Newman University is the right nurse anesthetist school? Check out the other schools here.