HISTORY OF THE FRANK J. TORNETTA SCHOOL OF ANESTHESIA
The Frank J. Tornetta School of Anesthesia was founded under the direction of Frank J. Tornetta, M.D., Ph.D. in 1951. It has graduated over 600 students, who have and are serving in hospitals throughout all parts of the country, the Armed Services, facilities of the Veteran’s Administration and areas that are medically underserved. Many of these graduates have grown professionally and attained faculty positions, administrative teaching positions and Program Administrator positions in nurse anesthesia programs. They are held in high esteem for their clinical and academic practices. The school has developed a favorable reputation not only in the community but also throughout the country. Furthermore, because of its longevity, the school continues to uphold a strong sense of tradition.
The first Master of Science (MS) in Anesthesia and Healthcare Administration was offered in conjunction with St. Joseph’s University from 1989 to 1998. An academic partnership with LaSalle University School of Nursing, which formed in 1998, now provides a Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) degree.
The BSN to DNP Doctorate in Nursing Practice was approved by the Council on Accreditation at its October 2017 meeting. The first DNP cohort to enter the Frank J. Tornetta School of Anesthesia began the DNP core courses at La Salle University School of Nursing and Health Sciences in the fall of 2018 and their clinical practicum commenced in the summer of 2020. This cohort will be graduating in November of 2022. A detailed BSN to DNP curriculum is listed on this website.