Kaiser Permanente - School of Anesthesia

1970s

During the 1970's, the demand for highly educated and skilled nurse anesthetists was a priority in southern California. Visionary leaders, Dr. Joyce Kelly, EdD, CRNA, FAAN, Dr. Kay, MD, and Dr. Baker, MD, of the Southern California Permanente Medical Group established Kaiser Permanente School of Anesthesia (KPSA).

In 1972, the KPSA faculty enrolled its first cohort of 10 students. Dr. Kelly was the director and Dr. Robert Venrose, MD, was the anesthesiologist medical advisor. The school was located near Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center.

In 1978, Kaiser Permanente School of Anesthesia created a partnership with California State University, Long Beach that awarded the first master’s degree in nurse anesthesia in the US.

1980s

The 1980s was a decade of recognition and new partnerships for the school. Dr. Kelly and Dr. Franklin (medical advisor) were instrumental in forging our first affiliate clinical site with the US Naval Hospital in San Diego, California in 1988. This affiliate partnership paved the way for the development of additional affiliate relationships which continue today.

1990s

The next 10 years were hallmarked by continuous change and improvement in KPSA’s educational process. In 2000, KPSA changed its university affiliation to California State University, Fullerton. This collegial partnership has flourished throughout the years and continues presently. As the amount and quality of anesthesia knowledge significantly increased, the KPSA faculty improved the academic and clinical curriculum to reflect our accreditor’s mandates and current clinical anesthesia practice.

In 1996, Dr. John Nagelhout, PhD, CRNA, FAAN, became the second program director at KPSA. During his 22-year tenure as director, Dr. Nagelhout led our program through two successful accreditation cycles and increased the size of the student body and the faculty. Dr. Nagelhout, who earned his PhD in pharmacology, masterfully taught this subject to generations of CRNAs at Kaiser and on video to nurse anesthesia learners nationwide. He was the original creator, editor, and author of the core textbook for our profession, Nurse Anesthesia.

2000s - Present

Dr. Nagelhout retired from KPSA in 2018 and was succeeded by Dr. Ed Waters, DNP, CRNA, FAANA. Dr. Waters led the transition from the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree to the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. Now, with a three-year doctoral curriculum, changes were made to help improve the competence of our learners upon graduation, which include:

Further education focusing on research and quality improvement throughout the DNP scholarly project process
Improved simulation education to include task training, ultrasonography, point of care ultrasound (POCUS), echocardiography (TEE/TTE), crises management, and high-fidelity simulation
Expansion of our clinical affiliations to hospitals in Idaho, Arizona, and Hawaii. Created partnerships and clinical rotations with leading healthcare institutions in southern California

In 2024, Dr. Sarah Giron, PhD, CRNA, FAANA, was hired as only the fourth director in the 52-year history of KPSA. Dr. Giron brings her knowledge of basic sciences to the classroom focusing on lectures in pharmacology, neuroanatomy and physiology, and cardiac anesthesia case management. Her commitment to leadership will further galvanize the faculty’s strong commitment to excellence in education and anesthesia care.

KPSA has been a pioneer in graduate nurse anesthesia education since its inception in 1972. Our graduates achieve academic excellence and are recognized for their high quality, safe, and compassionate healthcare service to patients and the community. To date, KPSA has educated half of all CRNAs in California. Our program has been ranked among the top 10 best nurse anesthesia programs in the US. With the continued support of Kaiser Permanente, the Southern California Permanente Medical Group, and our university partners at California State University, Fullerton, KPSA is dedicated to providing the highest quality educational program to help you achieve your dream of becoming a nurse anesthetist.

The outstanding education that KPSA offers was an impetus for the Kaiser Permanente Anesthesia Technologist (KPAT) program. In 2010, Kaiser Permanente School of Anesthesia, in conjunction with Pasadena City College, accepted their first anesthesia technologist class. The program was the first associate degree in Anesthesia Technology in the country, and its inaugural class graduated in 2011. KPAT’s sound foundational clinical education is a testament to the diversity of clinical experiences at its 19 clinical sites.