Program Philosophy
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| Dr's. Biddle and Fallacaro participate in a research discussion |
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is an urban, public research institution enrolling
more than 25,000 undergraduate, graduate, and health professional students on its two Richmond campuses. The University is
chartered by the Commonwealth of Virginia to serve the people of the Commonwealth and the nation.
The University provides a fertile and stimulating environment for learning, teaching,
research, creative expression, and public service. Essential to the life of the University is a faculty actively engaged in
scholarship and creative exploration. The University is dedicated to educating full-time and part-time students of all ages
and diverse backgrounds in an atmosphere of free inquiry and scholarship so they may realize their full potential as informed
productive citizens with a lifelong commitment to learning and service. In addition to the VCU Health Systems (Medical
College of Virginia Hospital(s) and Physicians), VCU is composed of the College of Humanities and Sciences (which includes
the School of Mass Communications) and the Schools of Allied Health Professions (SAHP), the Arts, Business, Dentistry,
Education, Engineering, Graduate Studies, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy and Social Work. The academic units offer the following
degree programs: 53 baccalaureate, 60 masters, 21 doctoral, and first professional degrees in dentistry, pharmacy and
medicine.
The philosophy of the Department reflects the beliefs of the faculty and provides the
foundation for the curriculum in the Program. The Department's philosophy is synergistic with the mission and goals of the
VCU and SAHP.
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The Department is a social agency dedicated to the education and development
of health care professionals in the field of Nurse Anesthesia. Consequently, the faculty recognizes and accepts the
responsibility entrusted to them for the learning experiences of its students. |
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The philosophical orientation of the faculty subscribes to the belief that learning is
a developmental process through which cognitive, affective, and psychomotor behaviors are developed and/or modified. This
process includes the acquisition of information, the transferal of knowledge, the evaluation of new skills, and the
development of a professional attitude and bearing. |
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The faculty subscribes to the belief that the learning experience is both positive and
rewarding for the student and that it is a transactional experience between the student and teacher through formal and
informal processes, the objective being to produce a knowledgeable and skillful entry-level CRNA. Hence, learning is a
lifelong process that results in change in thinking, valuing, and behaving. The teaching-learning process includes
teacher-learner interaction in setting goals, assessing and selecting learning experiences, and determining instructional
methods and evaluating the learner's progress. |
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Learning experiences are planned in manageable segments and provide for integration and
continuity in the attainment of knowledge, skills, and attitudes consistent with the educational objectives and the
individual needs of students. Each student is a unique human being possessing dignity, worth, and the right to equal
educational opportunities. Faculty and students share the responsibility for creating an educational climate which
reflects democratic values, fosters intellectual inquiry and creativity, and encourages the maximum development of each
individual's potential. |
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The American health care system is becoming progressively complex. Technological
advances and changing economic patterns have fostered competition for scarce resources while the patient population is
becoming quite diverse. As a result, the role of the CRNA is becoming increasingly collaborative and complementary with
other health professionals. In this environment, CRNAs will have more responsibility and authority for coordination,
decision making, and leadership of the multi-disciplinary team as well as for research, planning, and development of
health resources. |
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Graduate education in Nurse Anesthesia at the Master's level builds upon the education
of the professional Registered Nurse with an appropriate baccalaureate degree. It is designed to allow graduates the
opportunity to become leaders and make significant contributions with the intended outcome of improvement of health care
and the advancement of Nurse Anesthesia theory and practice through research. |
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