Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia
Clinical Studies
The Clinical Practicum comprises a six-semester experiential practical curriculum stressing
the application of science and research applicable to clinical anesthesia practice while engaging in direct patient care.
The curriculum meets or exceeds the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational
Programs "Clinical Practicum-Minimum Experiences."
Throughout the Clinical Practicum, students are afforded the opportunity to plan for and
administer all types of currently accepted general and regional anesthesia techniques to a variety of patients ranging in
medical and surgical acuity. Graduate students are assigned to various anesthetizing locations at the VCU Health System
(VCUHS) or selected affiliate hospitals. At all times while in the clinical environment, students are directly supervised,
instructed, and counseled by CRNA and/or physician anesthesiologist Clinical Instructors.
Students have the opportunity to relate and integrate clinical practice with the scientific
and theoretical principles gained in the Didactic Phase. Sequencing of experiences allows the faculty to emphasize analytical
decision making appropriate to the student's level of experience. Students participate in Clinical Seminars (e.g., Quality
Assurance/Visiting Professor) that are designed to stimulate critical thinking.
Students are encouraged to actively engage in continuous self-evaluation, critical thinking,
and accountability for achieving clinical skills and competencies. As the Practicum progresses, students assume increasing
responsibility for the planning and execution of anesthesia care. This dynamic process is designed to prepare the graduate to
function interdependently in the profession as well as to achieve independence of thought, judgment, and action consistent
with the scope of nurse anesthesia practice.
Clinical Affiliations:
Richmond Hospitals
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| Chippenham Medical Center is
a 470-bed community hospital located in Chesterfield County, approximately 5 miles from the MCV campus. The Anesthesia
Department provides more than 15,000 anesthetic procedures per year in 11 operating rooms in the surgical suite and 4
operating rooms in the Women's Center. |
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| Henrico Doctors
Hospital (Forest): Henrico Doctors Hospital is a 340-bed full service community facility in Henrico County,
approximately 4 miles from the MCV campus. The Anesthesia Department provides more than 12,000 anesthetic procedures per
year in 12 operating rooms in the main surgical suite and six operating rooms in the Ambulatory surgery center |
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| Henrico Doctors
Hospital (Parham) is a 200-bed, full-service community hospital located in suburban Richmond, approximately 4 miles
from the MCV campus. The Anesthesia Department provides more than 5,000 anesthetics per year in 9 operating rooms. |
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| Johnston-Willis Hospital is a 282-bed, acute care hospital located in Chesterfield County, approximately 6 miles from the MCV campus. The Anesthesia Department provides more than 12,000 anesthetics per year in 13 operating and 2 C-section rooms. |
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| VCU Health System/Medical College of
Virginia Hospitals and Physicians is a nationally renowned, urban medical center with a complex mission. It is a
major Level 1 Trauma Center serving a large urban, suburban, and rural area. In addition, it supports major programs in
cardiovascular disease and organ transplantation, and serves as the medical center for the practice of a highly
sophisticated medical faculty dedicated to teaching, research and clinical care. The current complex, located in downtown
Richmond, houses a 700-bed University hospital. The Anesthesia Department provides more than 27,000 anesthetics per year
in 24 operating rooms in the main surgical suite and 6 Ambulatory Surgery rooms. Students attend a full variety of
anesthesia/surgical experiences. |
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| The Anesthesia Service of the Ambulatory Surgery Center This unit provides the student
with a broad experience in ambulatory surgery and serves as a strong background for private practice. Students assigned
to Ambulatory Surgery have been involved in clinical trials of new inhalation and intravenous anesthetic agents. |
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| VCUHS Labor and Delivery Suite consists of 11 labor rooms and 4 delivery rooms. The
Obstetrical Anesthesia service has a full time faculty of four attending anesthesiologists and one specialty-trained CRNA,
who provide in-house 24-hour coverage. Approximately 2,500 procedures are performed annually with nearly two-thirds of
these considered "high risk" pregnancies. Students gain a broad experience in regional anesthesia (epidural and
subarachnoid blocks) for both vaginal and Caesarean deliveries. In addition to deliveries, students may participate in a
variety of non-obstetric surgical procedures for gravid patients. |
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| ST. Mary's Hospital
is a 391-bed, full-service, acute care, not-for-profit hospital located in West Richmond, approximately 5 miles from the
MCV campus. The Anesthesia Department provides more than 17,000 anesthetic procedures per year in 17 surgical suite and
5 ambulatory surgery rooms. |
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| Department of Veteran's Affairs Medical Center
is a 703-bed facility, located in Richmond City, approximately 6 miles from the MCV campus. This facility is one of the VA
hospital system's premier "spinal cord injury" centers. Thus, a significant number of patients are para- or quadriplegic.
Significant research in this field and organ transplant is done at this facility. Many surgical patients are from the
transplant and dialysis center. The Anesthesia Department provides more than 3,000 anesthetics per year in 9 operating
rooms. Specific to the VAMC, students will gain significant experience in the anesthetic care of geriatric patients,
tobacco & alcohol abusers, spinal cord injury and post-transplant patients. Regional anesthesia is emphasized as well as
individual autonomy. |
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| Memorial Regional
Medical Center is a 225 bed facility located in Hanover county just north of Richmond. Nine operating rooms providing
surgical services ranging from general surgery to include vascular, orthopedic, urology, thoracic and ENT procedures. |
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| Mary Washington Hospital is a
318-bed regional acute care facility located on the Mary Washington Hospital Medical Campus in Fredericksburg. The
hospital expanded into its fourth location in September 1993.Mary Washington Hospital proudly offers three centers of
excellence. |
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Southwest Virginia Hospitals
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Carilion New River Valley Medical Center, Christiansburg, VA
Carilion
New River Valley (CNRV) Medical Center is a 97 bed comprehensive healthcare facility, Level III Trauma
Center. Located near Radford, Virginia, CNRV serves a growing region which includes the counties of
Montgomery, Pulaski, Floyd, Giles, Wythe, Bland and Carroll, as well as the city of Radford. Cases include
general/ laparascopic, OB/Gyn, vascular including carotids, some pediatric, orthopedic, urology, endoscopy
(mostly MAC). OB cases done in the OR are almost always C- sections, with a rare cerclage, etc. Bariatric
surgery procedures were started in 2006. |
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| Clinch Valley
Medical Center is a 200 bed facility located in Southwest Virginia. It is the largest acute-care hospital west of
Roanoke. Part of a five-hospital HCA market in Southwest Virginia, together with Lewis-Gale Medical Center, Alleghany
Regional Hospital, Montgomery Regional Hospital and Pulaski Community Hospital. Some of their many services include
cardiac care, emergency services, same day surgery, and inpatient, outpatient and pediatric physical rehabilitation. |
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| Johnson City Medical
Center is a 410-bed not-for-profit, comprehensive, acute-care teaching hospital serving the residents of Northeast
Tennessee, Western North Carolina, Southwest Virginia and Southeast Kentucky. It is a major medical referral center with
Level I Trauma Care and the region's only dedicated emergency medical air transport service. |
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Johnston Memorial Hospital, Abingdon, Virginia
JMH is a not-for-profit,
154 bed primary care provider and referral center serving Washington and surrounding Counties in Southwest
Virginia. Services include OB, ED, cardiology, radiology, endoscopy, and critical care. Also provided are
an MRI and a Level II Neonatal ICU. |
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| Lee Regional Medical Center is an 80-bed facility, located in Pennington Gap, Lee County, in the extreme southwestern portion of Virginia. It is the sole provider of health care services in Lee County, Virginia and serves the healthcare needs of the citizens of the tri-state area which includes Tennessee, Kentucky and of course, Virginia. |
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| Norton Community Hospital is a 129
bed not-for-profit medical facility, dedicated to improving the health and quality of life in the community. Serving
southwest Virginia and southeast Kentucky, Norton Community Hospital is the largest facility in the coalfield region. |
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Pikeville Medical Center, Pikeville, Kentucky
Pikeville Medical
Center (PMC) is a 261 bed hospital that is transitioning into a tertiary care center for the region. It is
designated as a Level II Trauma Center. Although licensed for 261-beds, PMC has the capability to expand
to 500 beds as needs arise. Some of Pikeville services include an open heart program, Medical flight
ambulance, and a cancer center. |
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| Salem VA
Medical Center (VAMC) serves as a tertiary referral center consisting of 180 beds, classified as a Clinical Referral
Level I Facility. It is a teaching hospital, providing a full range of patient care services. In addition in to its
primary care services, Salem VAMC operates specialty clinics and services in women's health, cardiac catheterization,
peripheral angioplasty, cardiac rehabilitation, neurology, spinal cord injuries, Gulf War illnesses,
amputation/prosthetics, substance abuse residential rehabilitation, and more. |
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| Smyth County Community Hospital is
a 170 bed, not for profit community based hospital located in Marion, Virginia. Some of the many services provided
include, full body spiral CT Scanning, outpatient and inpatient surgery units, acute and emergency care, mobile MRI and
Lithotripsy. They have recently added 3 new state-of-art replacement operating rooms to their existing ORs. |
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