DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) – The Decatur Memorial Hospital Nurse Anesthesia Program is marking a major milestone.
The program is celebrating 60 years of training skilled nurse anesthetists for Central Illinois and beyond.
Founded in 1955 by a group of Decatur anesthesiologists — including Dr. Howard Wibbles, Dr. Merlin Budd, Dr. Paul DeBruine, and Dr. Ronald McGregor — the program was designed to meet the growing need for nurse anesthesia in the region.
“This program has a long history at DMH and has graduated more than 500 skilled nurse anesthetists who have served patients here in central Illinois and beyond,” said Dana Flatley, CRNA, DNP, current director of the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Program. “We are proud to continue that legacy.”
Now affiliated with Millikin University, the program offers a 36-month, full-time course of study. Students complete doctoral-level nursing coursework, anesthesia-specific courses, and clinical rotations at DMH. Scholarships funded by the Decatur Memorial Foundation help support students in the program.
Nurse anesthetists are advanced practice registered nurses who administer anesthesia and provide critical care in surgical and medical settings. The specialized field requires a nursing license, an advanced degree, and national certification.
"Decatur continues to educate nurse anesthetists for the local community. That was one of the primary goals when they started the program -- create nurse anesthetists that would stay in central Illinois."
For more information about the program, visit Decatur Memorial Hospital’s Nurse Anesthesia Program page.
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