The University of Alabama at Birmingham's Nurse Anesthesia program in the School of Health Professions was awarded the International Federation of Nurse Anesthtists Recognition for five years. It is the first program to offically receive the IFNA Recognition having completed all requirements of the Anesthesia Program Approval Process. The recognition is valid until May 2016.
"The faculty and staff of the Nurse Anesthesia Program is pleased to know we are being recognized for the dedication and hard work we put into our program to graduate superior nurse anesthetists in the world," said Phillip Kendrick, Ph.D., assistant professor and program director for the Nurse Anesthesia program in the Department of Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences at UAB.
Last month, UAB's Nurse Anesthesia program received a 10-year accreditation by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Education Programs. It consistently ranks as one of the top Nurse Anesthesia programs in U.S. News & World Report.
"Very few programs are granted accreditation with progress report required," said Francis Gerbasi, CRNA, Ph.D., executive director of the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Education Programs. "Even fewer programs have achieved the maximum accreditation of ten years."
The IFNA is an international organization representing nurse anesthetists in 35 countries serving the public and its members. The IFNA participates in the formulation and implementation of healthcare policy and the recognition of nurse anesthetists as essential and cost-effective health care providers. More information on IFNA can be found at http://www.ifna-int.org/ifna/page.php?16