In accordance with Commission on Accreditation for Nurse Anesthesia (CoA) Standard H.1.1.1, the Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia (DNAP) entry to practice program requires that all graduates definitively demonstrate achievement of all 50 COA-identified Doctoral Student Learning Outcomes (DSLOs) and profession-wide competencies prior to the conferral of the degree.
Throughout the program, student progress and DSLO acquisition are rigorously assessed using a comprehensive developmental framework that includes both formative and summative evaluation methods. Formative assessment methods include faculty advising records documenting individualized student progress, ongoing clinical evaluation performance ratings, and continuous monitoring of clinical case requirement achievement. Summative assessment methods include didactic course grades, simulation performance evaluations, board review performance metrics, and cumulative clinical evaluation ratings. Together, these multi-faceted assessment methods ensure continuous, documented tracking of each student's developmental progress toward full achievement of all 50 DSLOs.
Prior to graduation, a formal terminal evaluation is conducted by the Program Director. This terminal evaluation constitutes the final, summative review of the student's cumulative performance across all assessment domains, including didactic and simulation grades, clinical evaluation performance, faculty advising records, and verified achievement of all required clinical case requirements. Through this process, program leadership collectively and formally determines that the student has successfully demonstrated achievement of all 50 COA-identified DSLOs. This determination is documented on the Program Completion and DSLO Verification Form, which is retained in the student's permanent academic file. In the event that the Program Director is unavailable, the Assistant Program Directors are jointly authorized to conduct and certify the terminal evaluation. No student will be recommended or cleared for graduation without this documented terminal certification of full DSLO achievement by program leadership. Students who have not demonstrated achievement of all required DSLOs prior to the terminal evaluation will be referred to the program's remediation procedures as outlined in the Performance Improvement Policy.