If you are in a program to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), you have already proven you have what it takes to complete rigorous academic requirements and work successfully in the medical field. Before you can even apply to a CRNA program, requirements usually include having earned a baccalaureate degree in nursing from an accredited program, holding a variety of licensures and certifications, and having a minimum of one year of full-time employment in an intensive care unit (ICU). Some participants in CRNA programs have even earned a master's degree in nursing. But while these accomplishments may predict success, they do not guarantee it. You may find yourself in the unfortunate position of facing the possibility of dismissal for failure to make academic progress.
It may be tempting to jump right in and navigate the process of challenging academic dismissal on your own. However, given the complexity of academic disciplinary systems and what is at risk, your best course of action is to seek counsel from a law firm with an experienced, knowledgeable Education Law Team. The Lento Law Firm can provide the advice you need to successfully navigate this challenge.
Why the Effort to Become a CRNA is Worth It
There are many reasons to be drawn to work as a CRNA. In this nursing specialty, the practitioner prepares and administers anesthesia to patients during surgical procedures and monitors patients before, during, and after surgery. The nursing field, in general, draws individuals who are compassionate and like to help others and who want a career in the medical field. Working as a CRNA has additional attractions, among them greater independence. According to the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology, “As advanced practice registered nurses, CRNAs practice with a high degree of autonomy and professional respect. CRNAs are qualified to make independent judgments regarding all aspects of anesthesia care based on their education, licensure, and certification.” CRNAs work in any setting where anesthesia is administered, including small private practices, large hospitals, and on the front line in military conflicts.
In addition to having greater autonomy than a registered nurse (RN), CRNAs typically earn more. In 2023, the mean annual wage for an RN is $89,010, while for a CRNA, it is $205,770. And the job outlook is very promising, with employment for CRNAs projected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations. The CRNA field also has high job satisfaction rates. That said, only about 1.4% of registered nurses in the U.S. go on to become CRNAs.
CRNA Programs in the United States
Rigorous Requirements for Admittance to CRNA Programs
The requirements to gain entry to one of the more than 120 CRNA programs in the U.S. are rigorous, as are the requirements to complete any of the programs. Wayne State University in Detroit, for example, has a thirty-six-month Doctor of Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) program that prepares students to become CRNAs. The lengthy list of requirements applicants must fulfill in addition to having a baccalaureate nursing degree includes the following
- specific coursework with final grades of “B” or higher
- minimum GPA requirements in several categories, including nursing classes and science classes
- licensure and certification requirements
- full-time employment for at least a year in an intensive care unit
- professional references
And the cost to complete a CRNA program is significant: For example, Wayne State University is a public school, and the cost of its DNAP program for becoming a CRNA is about $79,000 for in-state students and more than $145,000 for out-of-state students.
Requirements for Completing a CRNA Program Are Tough
After passing the hurdle of many requirements to gain admittance to a CRNA program, the student has another lengthy list of requirements for completing the program. Students must complete approximately ninety credits of coursework and accrue a minimum number of clinical practice hours—usually about 9,000—all within a specified timeframe. CRNA program students must comply with all policies and procedures of their program and the school where the program is housed, as well as the policies and procedures of the site where they work their clinical hours, which includes the use of a tool called the Clinical Evaluation Instrument to assess student progress. As is typical for any academic program, CRNA programs have minimum grade point average and attendance requirements. In addition, these programs typically require students to complete progress reports.
Juggling so many substantive requirements can be very stressful for the CRNA student. Combining program requirements with personal responsibilities, including parents, a spouse or significant other, children, and care of a home, car, and more, the load can become overwhelming. Academic struggles can become an unpleasant reality, and the threat of sanctions for failure to progress can loom.
Successfully completing a CRNA program is not the end of the road when it comes to meeting the qualifications to become a CRNA. The program graduate must go on to take and pass the National Certification Exam (NCE) administered by the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA).
Making Academic Progress in a CRNA Program
Regardless of which of the more than 120 CRNA programs you attend in the U.S., “academic progress” will be defined in detail. Generally, the program will list meeting milestones in the timeframe they have provided, maintaining a grade point average above a stated minimum—usually 3.0—and completing the courses listed in the CRNA program curriculum.
The program will probably also list additional student responsibilities such as attending class regularly and on time, maintaining a scholarly demeanor in class, and adhering to university policies. In addition, program materials will probably also provide a list of responsibilities the faculty must live up to. These may include contributing to and staying current with developments in their field, providing a syllabus that accurately reflects the material they will cover and the class schedule, prompt grading and return of student assignments, maintaining an atmosphere conducive to learning in their classroom and establishing and maintaining regular office hours.
It is very important to be familiar not only with your responsibilities as a student but also the responsibilities of faculty because you may be held responsible for failure to make academic progress, but it turns out the failure of faculty to fulfill their responsibilities affected your academic progress.
Reasons for Sanctions in CRNA Programs
Despite the best of intentions and belief, they are doing everything necessary to comply with the many requirements of their program, some CRNA students find themselves facing sanctions. Reasons for facing sanctions regarding their academic work may include the following:
- Sustainable charges of cheating or plagiarism, or otherwise violating the academic honesty standards of the program or the academic institution it is housed in.
- Failure to complete coursework in the allotted time frame, usually about thirty-six months.
- Failure to meet minimum grade point average requirements or comply with attendance requirements.
- Failure to complete coursework in the allotted time frame, usually about thirty-six months.
- Failure to meet minimum grade point average requirements or comply with attendance requirements.
CRNA students may also face sanctions regarding their clinical practice, including the following:
- Failure to meet clinical course objectives.
- Failure to comply with requirements for entering and recording clinical experiences on the relevant tracking system.
- Failure to meet additional requirements, including following the policies and procedures of the clinical site.
Falling behind on tuition payments or other financial obligations to the program or school can also result in sanctions.
Reasons for Failure to Make Academic Progress
Guidelines for CRNA programs usually include a strong suggestion like this for students struggling in any way with academic progress: Confer you're your instructors and relevant administrators before the problem grows to the point that it imperils your academic progress. That said, some students will find themselves failing to make academic progress as defined by their CRNA program.
Failure to maintain or exceed the required minimum grade point average is often the main reason for a student to fail to make academic progress.
In some cases, reasons for the failure to make academic progress include personal issues. A student may be overwhelmed by the course load or the combination of completing coursework and their clinical practice at the same time. A student may also struggle with academic progress because they have increasing responsibilities to care for aging parents, or their children have unexpected time-consuming issues such as an illness or injury. Problems with a significant other, such as separation or divorce, can also hinder a student's ability to make academic progress.
Sanctions for Failing to Make Academic Progress
In the worst case, if the CRNA program you are in finds that you are failing to make academic progress, you may be dismissed from the program. The incredibly hard work you have already done, the time you have dedicated to completing the program, and the money you have spent will amount to nothing. Attrition rates in CRNA programs in the U.S. are over 5%, and many who fall into that unfortunate category do so because of dismissal for failure to make academic progress. Other sanctions may include being placed on academic probation.
Responding to Sanctions for Failure to Make Academic Progress
It is very important to maintain your composure if you are facing sanctions for failure to make academic progress. For example, do not fire off an accusatory email to any of your professors, castigating them for failing in their responsibilities. While you may well have significant grounds for challenging sanctions for failure to make academic progress, obtain sound legal advice before you make a move. The Education Law Team at the Lento Law Firm can provide the guidance you need for the best outcome.
Grounds for appeal vary from one CRNA program to another, but most include issues regarding how a student is graded. For example, instructors must evaluate and grade students solely on criteria relative to course assignments; they cannot consider other criteria, such as family connections or their perceptions about a student's economic status. In addition, they cannot discriminate against students by applying other non-academic criteria such as race, color, sex, religion, national origin, physical appearance, marital status, disability, or history of military service. And instructors may not sexually harass students and require sexual contact to ensure a good grade.
Each CRNA program will have its own defined procedures for responding to sanctions for failure to make academic progress. These usually include a formal appeals process; the program may provide forms or a website for initiating the appeal. It is very important to comply exactly with the appeals process requirements for the best possible outcome. Whatever the appeals process is at your CRNA program, the Education Law Team at the Lento Law Firm can help you navigate it with ease.
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Student Defense: Helping Clients Nationwide
If you are a student in a CRNA program and you are facing dismissal related to your academic progress, do not give up. You deserve to complete your program and pursue your career as a certified registered nurse anesthetist. In many cases, the requirements to complete a CRNA program and the reasons a student may face dismissal for failure to make academic progress are not as clear as they should be—there is too much room for interpretation. If you are facing the possibility of dismissal because of failure to make academic progress in your CRNA program, you need an attorney-advisor who can decipher the complex, often nebulous language used by your school and program and provide your best legal options. The Lento Law Firm's Education Law Team has helped CRNA students with many issues, and they can help you. Call today at 888.535.3686 or contact the Lento Law Firm online to discuss your case and learn how Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team can help you.
