Could becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist be the next step in your Wisconsin nursing career? Graduates of CRNA programs in Wisconsin make $230,270 a year on average, and demand for their services is projected to go up by 8 percent in the next 10 years. CRNAs work semi-autonomously as members of the surgical team responsible for ensuring patients stay stable and pain-free during operations. Wisconsin’s CRNA programs have a reputation for being tough, but you’ll graduate with skills that will place you among the most well-respected nursing professionals in the Badger State. More information can be found in this list of the 3 best CRNA schools in Wisconsin for 2025.
Programs Offered: DNP
Program Overview: Franciscan Healthcare School of Anesthesia’s CRNA program comprises 81 credits. This CRNA program in Wisconsin is a collaborative effort of the Franciscan Healthcare School of Anesthesia, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (UWL) Biology Department, and the Viterbo University School of Nursing. Upon completion of the program, you’ll earn a Master of Science in Biology from UWL, a certificate in nursing anesthesia from the School of Anesthesia, and a DNP from Viterbo University.
The certificate of anesthesia curriculum, comprising 29 credits and 2,528 clinical hours, teaches you concepts in physical assessment, anesthesia basic & advanced concepts, pharmacology, and pathophysiology. The 30-credit master’s coursework includes courses in anatomy, chemistry, electrocardiography, endocrinology, physiology, and pathophysiology. In addition, the 74-credit DNP curriculum entails taking classes in ethics, epidemiology, organizational leadership, and management & quality improvement. The DNP curriculum also requires you to complete a DNP seminar, clinical practicum, and DNP practice project.
Admission Requirements: To qualify for Franciscan Healthcare School of Anesthesia’s DNP-CRNA program, you must be a registered nurse with an accredited BSN. The school also requires you to have nursing experience in critical care. In addition, you’ll require submitting your official transcripts, a resume, a personal goal statement, and letters of recommendation.
Must-Know Highlights For Potential Franciscan Healthcare School of Anesthesia CRNA Students
• Because the Franciscan Healthcare School of Anesthesia is housed within the Mayo Clinic, CRNA students benefit from plenty of interprofessional learning experiences with the students and faculty of other health disciplines.Programs Offered: Post BSN-to-DNP
Program Overview: Marquette University’s DNP-CRNA program confers upon you a doctoral degree and makes you eligible to take the CRNA certification exam. The program requires the completion of 91 credits over three years. The cohort model of the program admits 14 students each year. In addition to didactic courses, the program includes clinical rotations at sites within Wisconsin.
In the first year, you’ll complete courses that teach you pharmacology, advanced health assessment, healthcare informatics, nurse anesthesia physiology, and research & evidence. The program also includes courses in nurse anesthesia neurobiology and basic anesthesia principles. Further, you’ll also learn about ethics, and policy & healthcare advocacy.
During the second year, the program includes courses in quality & patient safety, epidemiology, and applied statistics. The second year also entails completing a course in systems leadership.
The third year of this certified registered nurse anesthetist program in Wisconsin mainly consists of a nursing anesthesia residency and nurse anesthesia immersion.
This program provides simulation training starting from the first year itself. Simulation training allows for the simultaneous application of theoretical concepts to practice.
Admission Requirements: As a potential applicant for Marquette University’s CRNA program, you must have a BSN with a GPA of at least 3.0. Further, the program requires you to possess an active and unencumbered RN license in WI. You must also be prepared to submit your official transcripts, three recommendation letters, and a personal goal statement.
Must-Know Highlights For Potential Marquette University CRNA Students
• Marquette University’s DNP-CRNA program is ranked among the best in the nation as per the U.S. News & World Report.Programs Offered: BSN-to-DNP
Program Overview: UW Oshkosh’s DNP-CRNA program is a 90-credit curriculum that spans 36 months of full-time study. The program equips you with the highest level of clinical skills. You’ll learn about evidence-based courses, informatics, leadership, and health policy.
The first two semesters of this CRNA program in Wisconsin consist of didactic courses that form a foundation for advanced topics. Initially, you’ll learn about anatomy, advanced human physiology, advanced health assessment, pharmacotherapeutics, and advanced pathophysiology. From the third semester onwards, you’ll also engage in clinical practice.
In the second year, the clinical courses are integrated with didactic courses. The didactic courses mainly include the basic & advanced principles of nursing anesthesia.
The third year comprises didactic courses in healthcare systems, policy & advocacy, healthcare informatics, and organizational leadership & health policy. The third and final year also requires you to complete your clinical practicum, DNP scholarly project, and final oral & written comprehensive exams.
Admission Requirements: If you are planning to apply for UW Oshkosh’s DNP-CRNA program, then you must foremost have a BSN with a GPA of at least 3.0. Further, your RN license must be current and unencumbered in WI. The school also requires you to possess active certifications in BLS and ACLS. To complete your application, you must submit three professional references, your official transcripts, a resume, and a personal goal statement.
Must-Know Highlights For Potential University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh CRNA Students
• The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh CRNA students practice clinical skills in its state-of-art simulation lab. The close-to real patient care environment safely provides ample hands-on training.Program Type | # |
MSNA | 0 |
DNAP | 3 |
Post-Master's Certificate | 0 |
DNAP Completion | 0 |
Total | 3 |