February 21, 2003

BIRMINGHAM, AL — Graduating nurse anesthetists from UAB’s class of 2002 are nearly perfect. Thirty-five of 42 graduating students passed their recent national board examinations with perfect scores. All 42 students passed the examination to become certified registered nurse anesthetists. The class mean score was 595 out of a possible 600 points.

The cumulative score is the highest achieved by any class in the 50-year history of the program. UAB’s nurse anesthesia masters degree program is a part of the UAB School of Health Related Professions.

These outstanding results are due to a strong faculty who set high expectations for our students and then follow through by tirelessly committing themselves to each individual student,” says Harold Jones, Ph.D., dean of the School of Health Related Professions. “The students themselves are passionate about these learning experiences and we offer our heartfelt congratulations to the entire class.”

"Our goal is to produce graduates of our program who are trained to the highest standards, and who utilize the skills and knowledge they have gained for the benefit of their patients and their employers,” said Edward Huechtker, MPA., chair of the department of critical care. “The high scores earned by these 42 new certified registered nurse anesthetists attest that they are at the top of their chosen field.”

The UAB nurse anesthesia program prepares the registered nurse to be a certified registered nurse anesthetist, training the student in all aspects of nurse anesthesia practice at the graduate level.

Nurse anesthetists are registered professional nurses who specialize in anesthesiology. Most nurse anesthetists are employed by hospitals, clinics or physicians.