AUSTIN (KXAN) — As the demand for anesthesia services grows across Texas, there’s a new program in Central Texas aiming to get more nurses specialized in that area.
Fairfield University expanded its nurse anesthesia program to Austin.
The university is based in Fairfield, Connecticut. However, it expanded to Austin to address the growing need for more certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) within the state.
“We really chose the right place in moving to Austin because we feel that there’s a need that we can fulfill there.”
Meredith Kazer, Dean of Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing & Health Studies Nursing
A group of 15 new graduate students in Austin recently started their three-year journey in this program.
“First year they are mostly in the classroom, and they have skills and simulation labs. They will rotate to the community hospitals and get their real in the hospital, hands on training with real patients,” said Dr. Carrie Cromwell, the Austin campus’ assistant program director.
Cromwell said students will train in both the city and rural communities. She said a majority of people in the medical field end up staying where they train.
“They get to know the area, the providers,” Cromwell said. “If they really connect with the community, then they definitely tend to stick around.”
Upon completion, graduates are eligible to sit for the national certification exam to become CRNAs.
University officials said it received more than 120 applications for only 15 available spots in the program at the Austin campus.
‘Growing exponentially’
According to the Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies, demand for CRNAs is projected to grow by 30.9% by 2032.
“In the Central Texas area, we are growing exponentially,” Dr. Cromwell said. “There’s a big population boom in our area, and so the need for procedures and services is growing, and so is the need for anesthesia providers.”
A shortage in these positions can lead to delays for patients.
“Surgeries might have to be placed on hold, which can obviously become problematic,” said Nurse Anesthesia Program Director Steven Belmont.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Texas currently has the highest nurse anesthetist employment level at 5,390.