U.S. News and World Reports ranks Wayne State University's (WSU) Nurse Anesthesia (NA) program 17 out of more than 100 NA programs nationwide. The program, under the direction of Prudentia Worth, PhD, CRNA, is part of the Department of Health Care Sciences in the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (EACPHS).

"The College congratulates Dr. Worth, her faculty and students who have made this program among the best in the United States," said Howard J. Normile, associate dean for the EACPHS Health Sciences Division. He also noted that this is the highest ranked program of all health programs across Wayne State. The next highest ranked health program at WSU is Midwifery in the College of Nursing, which is ranked 19th.

The NA program began as a certificate program in September 1963 by Detroit Receiving Hospital in collaboration with Wayne State. In 1972, the WSU Nurse Anesthesia program became the first in the United States to offer a baccalaureate degree. In January 1984, WSU approved the expansion of the NA program to a master's degree. It became the second program nationwide to offer a Master of Science in Anesthesia. In 2001, in collaboration with Children's Hospital of Michigan, the first post graduate certificate in pediatric anesthesia in the country was developed.

The program is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA). The professional association is the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA). To view the U.S. News and World Reports rankings go to http://www.usnews.com/education/worlds-best-universities-rankings.

The Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, one of the founding colleges of Wayne State University, is committed to advancing the health and well-being of society through the preparation of highly skilled health care practitioners, and through research to improve health care practices and treatment from urban to global levels.

Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution offering more than 400 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 32,000 students.

Contact: Kathleen J. Karas, APR
Phone: 313-577-2312
Email: kkaras@wayne.edu