University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies Receives $1 Million Federal Grant to Launch Nurse Anesthesia MSN Program

Coral Gables, FL -- The University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies has received a three-year, $1 million grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to launch a nurse anesthesia master’s degree program, announced Nilda Peragallo, dean of the school. Accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Education Programs, the new program will admit its first group of students in fall 2005. The school also announces the appointment of Stephen J. Yermal, Ph.D., C.R.N.A., R.N., as program director.

“Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) have a profound impact on healthcare today,” said Dean Peragallo in announcing the award. “The shortage of CRNAs is a major concern nationwide. Surgeries in hospitals, surgical centers, and physician offices are often cut back as a result of the CRNA shortage. Adding this important program to our curriculum will enable the University of Miami to meet critical community needs and at the same time expand educational opportunities for nursing students.”

Applicants to the 28-month program must be R.N.s with a B.S.N. degree, plus at least one year of critical care nursing experience. The school’s curriculum and clinical training have been developed in collaboration with the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s Departments of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Medicine, and Pain Management.

“UM’s anesthesia program centers around three major themes: patient safety, interdisciplinary practice, and cultural competency,” says Yermal, assistant professor of clinical nursing who was recently recruited to serve as program director. “In addition, ours is the only anesthesia program statewide whose primary clinical education site is a major academic health center, the UM/Jackson Health System. Students will gain extensive clinical experience by completing rotations at UM/Jackson Memorial Medical Center and through simulated learning at UM’s Center for Patient Safety.”

A former Assistant Chief CRNA at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago, Yermal is a seasoned educator who has taught anesthesia at Northwestern University Medical School, Georgetown University Medical School, and Rush University College of Nursing. His research, which focuses on the role of pain, psychological distress, and immune function in surgical oncology procedures, has been published in peer-reviewed publications and presented at national and international meetings. Yermal received his PhD from Loyola University Chicago, his MS in Nurse Anesthesia from Rush University, and his BSN from the University of Maryland.

“Steve Yermal brings a wealth of teaching and research experience to our faculty,” said Peragallo in announcing his appointment as program director. “His leadership was crucial in securing major funding for our anesthesia program. Receiving a HRSA grant to help launch the program is a credit to his expertise in the field.”

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Established in 1948 as South Florida’s first collegiate nursing program, the School of Nursing and Health Studies at the University of Miami has a distinguished tradition of preparing nurses to provide compassionate, quality care to local, national and international communities. Nursing students at the undergraduate and graduate levels are educated by renowned scholars and exposed to a broad range of clinical experiences and cutting-edge research. In February 2005, the School expanded its program offerings to include the University of Miami’s Health Science program and changed its name to the School of Nursing and Health Studies. The expanded curriculum includes programs leading toward the BSN, MSN, and PhD degrees as well as the BS in Health Science degree.

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Media Contact:
Annie Reisewitz
305-284-1601
a.reisewitz@miami.edu