Advance Your Nursing Career
Join Our Doctorate in Nursing Practice program with a focus in Nurse Anesthesia
About Our Program
St. Joseph Hospital School of Nurse Anesthesia (SJHSNA) is a privately run program, located in southern New England, under the auspices of Narragansett Bay Anesthesia. The school was founded and initially accredited in 1962. To date, we have graduated over 400 students. SJHSNA remains a small program focusing on the individual's progress and success. Through a partnership with Rhode Island College (RIC) Zvart Onanian School of Nursing located in Providence, RI, we offer a primarily front-loaded academic curriculum where students focus on their DNP requirements for the first year followed by clinical rotations and advanced anesthesia courses.
SJHSNA focuses on enhancing and expanding the knowledge and skills of the professional registered nurse in a doctoral framework so that they, as a nurse anesthetist, can function safely and effectively in numerous settings with patients across the lifespan. This is accomplished through application of educational principles, methodology, theory, research, and practice in a range of activities related to anesthesia through optimum utilization of clinical, simulation lab and didactic learning resources. The missions of SJHSNA and RIC Zvart Onanian School of Nursing synergize to promote accessible higher education including professional majors while respecting diversity and valuing academic excellence. SJHSNA is guided by the values of respect, compassion, responsibility, and teamwork.
Mission & Philosophy
Program Information
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36 Months, Full-Time, 91 Credit Hours
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Degree Awarded: Doctorate in Nursing Practice
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Location: Providence, RI
Facilities and Clinical Sites
Our students complete their didactic education at the Rhode Island Nursing Education Center (RINEC), located in downtown Providence, RI. This facility includes the use of smart classrooms and a state-of-the-art simulation center which includes a dedicated anesthesia suite. Additionally, students may use the facilities on the main campus of Rhode Island College, including the library, academic counseling, and other student services.
Our students start their clinical experience at Our Lady of Fatima Hospital in North Providence, RI. This facility administers anesthesia across the lifespan for various surgical specialties including general surgery, orthopedics, vascular, urology and ENT. Students work one-on-one with certified registered nurse anesthetists while they build their confidence in the operating room. As they advance in their clinical skills, students rotate to a number of specialty sites, all within reasonable driving distance. Our clinical partnerships are continuously growing and current affiliates include:
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Rhode Island Hospital (Providence, RI) for experiences in neurosurgical, vascular and thoracic anesthesia.
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Hasbro Children's Hospital (Providence, RI) for experience in pediatric anesthesia.
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St. Vincent Hospital (Worcester, MA) for experience in obstetrical anesthesia.
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Kent County Hospital (Warwick, RI) for general surgeries, gynecologic surgeries, robotics, peripheral blocks & thoracic anesthesia.
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Boston Veterans Administration Medical Center (West Roxbury, MA) for experience in general and cardiac anesthesia.
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Roger Williams Medical Center (Providence, RI) for experience in major general, neurosurgical and bariatric anesthesia.
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U-Mass Memorial and University Hospital (Worcester, MA) for experience in cardiac, neuro, pediatric, and obstetric anesthesia.
Courses
The 36-month curriculum is designed so that students are primarily on campus for the first year of didactic courses followed by a combination of didactic and clinical education, with an emphasis on advanced anesthesia education, clinical training, and research.
Admissions
This program represents a collaboration between the Rhode Island College Zvart Onanian School of Nursing and the St. Joseph Hospital School of Nurse Anesthesia (SJHSNA).
The Doctor of Nursing practice provides doctoral-level education and training for nurses pursuing a career in nurse anesthesia. The program is designed to meet all the accreditation standards of the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA).
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Applications must be submitted electronically to RIC Zvart Onanian School of Nursing. Please refer to the Rhode Island College application site for most current information.
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Please note, the RIC Zvart Onanian School of Nursing/SJHSNA application requirements for the BSN to DNP program with a specialty in Nurse Anesthesia may be subject to change without prior notice.
Click here for a list of application requirements
Frequently Asked Questions
Performance Data
Accreditation
RIC Zvart Onanian SON/SJHSNA is fully accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA) of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs, a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and the US Department of Education. The program maintains full accreditation thru May 2026. The COA may be contacted at:
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Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA)
10275 W. Higgins Rd., Suite 906
Rosemont, IL. 600618-5603
Main Number: 224-275-9126
Fax Number: 847-728-8128
E-mail: accreditation@coacrna.org