School of Anesthesia

Careers School of Anesthesia School of Anesthesia The Independence Health System School of Anesthesia, in conjunction with Saint Vincent College, Latrobe, now offers a 36-month Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice entry level degree program. Graduates of the school are eligible to sit for the National Certification Examination administered by the National Board on Certification and Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA). Students experience a “family” type environment with individualized support from staff, clinicians and their cohorts. Competition here is driven from within the individual, not among students. Faculty advisors are provided, as well as mentors from the senior class to offer a supportive environment for learning. Independence Health System School of Anesthesia students are well recognized in the field as professionals who are well-prepared and ready to meet the challenges of tomorrow’s health care world. Our Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) entry level program will begin January 2020. Please see the Admissions Criteria tab for more information. We currently have more than 20 clinical affiliation sites in the tri-state area where our students obtain a wide variety of anesthesia experiences. Mission Statement Independence Health System School of Anesthesia is a graduate level institution that provides education in the art and science of nurse anesthesia. Our primary goal is to provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to develop as competent and safe quality anesthesia practitioners. We strive to assimilate new members into our profession through mentoring, serving as role models. We seek to provide quality experiences that enhance the learning experience through clinical hours as well as simulation experiences. We strive to produce the highest quality professionals to serve as future generations of nurse anesthetists. History In November 1954, the Westmoreland Hospital School of Anesthesia for Nurses was founded by Dr. Frank D. Edgar Jr., Chief Anesthesiologist and Medical Director of Westmoreland Hospital. The program affiliated with Latrobe Hospital in 1965 under the direction of Dr. U.W. Sipe, Chief Anesthesiologist, and became known as the Westmoreland-Latrobe Hospitals' School of Anesthesia. By 1991, under the leadership of Director Howard F. Armour, MS, CRNA, the program became a Masters of Health Science in Nurse Anesthesia in association with LaRoche College, Pittsburgh, Pa. The first class of masters-prepared nurse anesthetists graduated in 1993. In 2006, the school's name changed to Excela Health School of Anesthesia and formed a joint graduate level program with Saint Vincent College, Latrobe, Pa. In October 2018, the school received approval to transition to a doctoral entry program and will grant the degree of Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia practice to graduates entering the program beginning January 2020. Philosophy Education is viewed as a continuing process that enables the individual to mature intellectually and culturally. Through motivation and guidance offered by the faculty, students are encouraged to develop qualities which will enhance their contribution to the profession and society. Students will be encouraged to expand their base of knowledge, advance their clinical skills, and establish their commitment to continual learning as they evolve into the next generation of nurse anesthetists. This 36-month educational program is designed to provide students with the necessary skills, knowledge, and expertise to become proficient in the administration and management of anesthesia, in an effort to serve the communities in which they practice. Our primary goals are to: Educate registered nurses in the theory and clinical practice of anesthesia. Educate these anesthetists to administer safe, effective anesthesia. Provide a desire in our graduates to continually improve their skills through utilization of evidence-based practice findings. Clinical Affiliations Independence Health System School of Anesthesia offers student rotations through clinical affiliations with the following hospitals: Allegheny General Hospital Altoona Regional Health Center Altoona Advanced Center for Surgery Conemaugh Medical Center DuBois Regional Medical Center Forbes Regional Hospital Heritage Valley Hospital Highlands Hospital Independence Health System Frick Hospital Independence Health System Latrobe Hospital/Laurel Surgical Center Independence Health System Westmoreland Hospital/The Square at Norwin J.C. Blair Hospital Jefferson Regional Medical Center Monongalia General Hospital Somerset Hospital Southwestern Ambulatory Surgical Center St. Clair Hospital Trinity Hospital in Ohio Uniontown Hospital United Hospital Center UPMC East Hospital UPMC McKeesport Hospital Western Maryland Health System West Penn Hospital WVU - Ruby Memorial Hospital Accreditation Statement Independence Health System School of Anesthesia is accredited by the: Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs 10275 W. Higgins Rd., Suite 906 Rosemont, IL 60018-5603 Phone: 224-275-9130 https://www.coacrna.org/ Current accreditation period is October 25, 2018 to October 31, 2028. Graduating Class of 2024 Pass Rate: 76% pass rate for first-time takers of the National Certification Exam, and a 93% pass rate at 90 days post-graduation. Attrition 3% (one person) for the 2024 graduating class Employment Rate of graduates within six months of graduation 93% for the 2024 graduating class Contacts & Directions Independence Health System School of Anesthesia One Mellon Way Latrobe, PA 15650 Located within Latrobe Hospital, first floor, next to Dialysis. Please check in with the administrative assistant. 724-537-2638 724-539-7608 (FAX) Awards 1 / 4 View All Newsroom Roger Lutz Named to Becker’s 2025 ... BUTLER, Pa., August 5, 2025 — Roger Lutz, chief information officer of Independence Health System, has been named one of Becker’s Hospital Review’s ... Continue Reading Independence Health System ... Butler, PA, July 9, 2025 - Independence Health System has once again been recognized by the National Association for Business Resources (NABR) as a ... Continue Reading Second Annual Community Healthcare ... The Westmoreland/Frick Hospital Foundation was pleased to recognize their second annual Community Healthcare Work Ethic Award recipients at ... Continue Reading Butler Memorial Hospital Celebrates ... Butler, PA, March 31, 2025 – Independence Health System’s Butler Memorial Hospital celebrated its inaugural Match Day for the Butler Family Medicine ... Continue Reading Butler Memorial Hospital’s Butler ... BUTLER, PA – Oct. 29, 2024 – The Butler Family Medicine Residency Program, part of Independence Health System, has earned accreditation from the ... Continue Reading Independence Health System Remains ... GREENSBURG, PA, June 6, 2024 …Independence Health System continues to be recognized as a leader in employee wellness, with the human resources ... Continue Reading Independence Health Looks to Fill ... Trib Live: Independence Health System will hold a job fair on Thursday to address more than 500 openings at multiple locations across the health ... Continue Reading Nursing at Independence Health ... Meet Jodi Williams, RN at Independence Health System. She's been with the health system for 20 years and is currently the team leader for Pre-op, ... Continue Reading Nursing at Independence Health ... Meet Shannon Barnes, RN at Independence Health System. She has been with the health system for 23 years and currently works at Butler Hospital in the ... Continue Reading Westmoreland Students Explore ... Trib Live : Tenth grade Eastern Westmoreland Career and Technology Center student Zoey Wilders carefully stuffed gauze into a simulated wound to ... Continue Reading Nursing at Independence Health ... Meet Sierra Colwell, RN, B.S.N at Independence Health System. She's been with the health system for 7 years and currently works in the ICU at Clarion ... Continue Reading Nursing at Independence Health ... Meet Holly Lint, RN at Independence Health System. She's been with the system for eight years and currently works in the PACU/SSU at Westmoreland ... Continue Reading Nursing at Independence Health ... Meet Alyssa Kalp, RN at Independence Health System. She's been with the system for 6 years and started as a technical partner. During her time as a ... Continue Reading Nursing at Independence Health ... Meet Ronee Haller, BSN, RN at Independence Health System. She's been with the health system for 24 years. After working in the OB unit for eight ... Continue Reading Nursing at Independence Health ... Meet Mackenzie Sendro, BSN, RN at Independence Health System. She's been with the health system for 10 years and is currently working in the GI Lab at ... Continue Reading Independence Health System Remains ... GREENSBURG, PA, July 11, 2023 …Independence Health System continues to be recognized as a leader in employee wellness, with its human resources ... Continue Reading Athletic Trainer Spotlight: Nicole ... Athletic trainers complete years of educational training, along with clinical training before stepping onto the field. Along with being a part of the ... Continue Reading Independence Health System Named ... GREENSBURG, Pa., Nov. 10, 2025 – Independence Health System has been recognized in the 2025 Healthiest 100 Workplaces in America, an awards program ... Continue Reading 1 / 18 View All School of Anesthesia Admission Criteria Anesthesia: Curriculum Faculty & Staff Students Our Featured Videos Inside IHS: WVU Health System and Independence Health System Affiliation Announcement Watch Video Inside IHS: BMH Five-Star Rating for Outpatient Total Knee Replacement by Healthgrades Watch Video Inside IHS: Westmoreland Hospital #1 in the State for Coronary Intervention by Healthgrades Watch Video Inside IHS: Career Opportunities at Independence Health System Watch Video 1 / 4 View All