UAMS recently announced a collaboration with the Alice L. Walton Foundation, Heartland Whole Health Institute, Mercy and Washington Regional Medical Center to expand its existing Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) program to the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus in Fayetteville.
CRNAs provide cost-effective, high-quality anesthesia care, often serving as providers in rural hospitals, critical access facilities and surgical centers. Demand for CRNAs in Northwest Arkansas is projected to grow significantly over the next decade because of population growth, aging demographics and increasing health care needs.
The Nurse Anesthesia Program is a specialty in the UAMS College of Nursing’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program. Since the inception of the Nurse Anesthesia Program in 2020, UAMS has graduated several cohorts of skilled clinicians who have begun serving in rural hospitals and clinics across Arkansas.
The investment in the expansion is composed of $2 million from the Alice L. Walton Foundation and $500,000 each from Mercy and Washington Regional.
The expansion will enable key enhancements, including:
- Targeted recruitment efforts to attract students from Northwest Arkansas.
- Incorporation of digital health and distance-learning technologies to reach students in remote areas.
- Expanded clinical training partnerships with hospitals and surgical centers across Northwest Arkansas, improving hands-on learning opportunities in community- based health care settings.
The College of Nursing previously accepted only 16 students per year for the 36-month, Little Rock-based program despite receiving over 250 qualified applicants per admission cycle — including many from Northwest Arkansas. The program’s expansion will allow it to increase enrollment by 18 students over five years.
The program in November was granted its continued accreditation for a 10-year term through the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs. This distinction recognizes the College of Nursing’s commitment to promoting quality education for aspiring nurse anesthetists.