CRNA Schools in Texas [2023 Guide]
CRNA Schools in Texas – A career as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) is the most lucrative option in the nursing field. If you’re here, you’re either considering or already in the process of making that decision. Congratulations on taking the initiative.
CRNAs in Texas have a lot of professional freedom, and their expertise is highly valued by the rest of the medical staff and their patients.
Demand for CRNAs is also expected to grow by 25% in Texas over the next decade, making now a great time to graduate from a CRNA program there.
Additionally, in Texas, CRNAs earn an average of $198,000 a year, making them the highest-paid nurses in the state.
Therefore, if you’re looking for CRNA schools in Texas, this post can help you get started. It also explains the steps you’ll need to take to get your CRNA certification in the Lone Star State and provides a directory of CRNA programs in the state.
CRNA Certification in Texas: Requirements
Certification as a Registered Nurse Anesthetist in Texas requires the following:
- A Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in nursing.
- Possession of a valid Registered Nurse (RN) license.
- A minimum of one year’s experience as an RN, preferably in an acute care environment.
- Successful completion of a nurse anesthesia educational program.
- Successfully passing the National Certification Examination for CRNA.
All of the above should put you in good standing to apply for CRNA positions after graduating from one of Texas’s CRNA schools.
Keeping your CRNA certification active requires you to renew your state license, acquire at least 40 hours of CEUs (continuing education credits) every two years, and attest that you have not developed any conditions that might prevent you from practicing.
Also, CRNAs are experts in their field of nursing. They may be trusted to give their patients a safe and effective anesthetic since they have met the stringent educational and certification requirements.
CRNA Schools in Texas
Below is the comprehensive and detailed list of CRNA schools in Texas.
Important: Please click on each school website link to view their updated information about the program cost, admission requirements, and other vital information.
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
School Type: Private, Programs Offered: BSN to DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice) and MS to DNP.
At Baylor College of Medicine, you can get the exceptional inter-professional learning experiences you need to explore a wide range of opportunities in anesthesia, whether you’re an experienced CRNA interested in pursuing a doctorate or a new RN just starting in the field of advanced practice nursing.
Baylor’s CRNA program is well regarded within Texas and ranked second in the United States, according to US News & World Report.
Also, based on your prior nursing degree, you can enroll in either the BSN to DNP or the MS to DNP CRNA programs.
The graduates of either of these CRNA programs in this school are well-equipped to assume leadership roles in clinical practice, policy, education, and research.
The college is on a campus of the US’s top health sciences universities. It is known for its innovative, technological, and evidence-based approach to education, which allows for a rich interdisciplinary learning environment in which students and faculty from various programs can interact and learn from one another.
Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas
School Type: Private, Programs Offered: BSN to DNP-A (DNP-Anesthesia level).
Texas Christian University should be on your list of potential schools if you want to go from a BSN to a DNP-Anesthesia level quickly and easily.
Your groundwork for success will be laid here with intensive didactic sessions and comprehensive simulation learning in its state-of-the-art simulation lab that mimics a hospital situation.
In addition to classroom instruction, students receive hands-on experience in various clinical settings ranging from pediatrics to cardiovascular, neurological to obstetrical, and other specialized fields of anesthesia.
With an average of 900 hours of clinical practice, you will have a broad understanding of all specializations by the time you graduate.
Also, since the program’s establishment in 2003, 100% of Texas Christian University’s CRNA graduates have passed the national certification exam on their first try, making it one of the few CRNA schools in Texas that can make such a claim.
Texas Wesleyan University, Fort Worth, Texas
School Type: Private, Programs Offered: MSNA, DNAP (Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice) (Completion), and DNAP (Entry-Level).
The CRNA Program at Texas Wesleyan University is the largest in the state. With three paths to choose from, you can begin your education anytime and graduate with marketable skills that align with your professional goals.
Consequently, you can join either the MSNA program, DNAP (completion), or DNAP (entry-level), depending on your prior academic experience.
Also, due to the close-knit environment and supportive atmosphere fostered by the dedicated instructors and staff, each student receives extensive one-on-one attention and the resources necessary to excel.
This CRNA school in Texas collaborates with a wide range of medical centers throughout the United States to give you a well-rounded clinical education.
In each location, a coordinator leads the students through the lessons. Training in various disciplines and local, regional, and general anesthesia is available at its affiliated sites.
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas
School Type: Public, Programs Offered: BSN to DNP.
If you have a BSN and are interested in enrolling in nurse anesthesia doctoral education in Texas, the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston is the only public institution in the state that provides such a direct route.
Additionally, its graduates have a 100% success rate on the national certification exam, making it one of the best CRNA schools in Texas.
Suppose you are a registered nurse in Texas, ready to take the next step in your profession. In that case, you may consider enrolling in this BSN to DNP program to acquire the up-to-date knowledge and training necessary to administer general, regional, and local anesthesia and sedation techniques.
Further, as a nurse anesthetist with a doctorate, you will be placed on a leadership track to improve the quality and safety of anesthesia practice and offer cost-effective ways to care for all demographics of patients.
US Army Graduate Program in Anesthesia Nursing, San Antonio, Texas
School Type: Public – Military, Programs Offered: DNP.
Are you looking for US Army-affiliated CRNA school in Texas? Then the US Army Graduate Program in Anesthesia Nursing is just what you’re looking for.
For several years, this school has been known for producing exceptional nurse anesthetists who have devoted their lives to serving the US Army through thick and thin, through war and peace, or during civil disturbances and natural disasters.
This school’s CRNA program distinguishes itself from the rest because it allows students to work for the military and receive a paycheck and other advantages while studying.
A full scholarship is also available if you’re willing to serve in the military for at least five years after you graduate.
In addition, if you complete this program, not only will you be guaranteed a position in the US Army, but you will also continue to advance in rank and get pay increases if you remain in the service for more than the five years mark.
Lastly, a graduate of this Army-affiliated DNP-CRNA program will be in high demand as an anesthesia nurse at various Army & Veterans Administration Hospital locations across the United States (including Hawaii, Europe, and Korea) and abroad (if necessary).
Final Thoughts
The comprehensive and detailed list of CRNA schools in Texas above is also a guide to determine which CRNA school in Texas is best for you.
Again, Texas is home to five schools offering CRNA programs; all have been accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA).
Related: Best Medical Schools in the US (Comprehensive Report – 2023)
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