History of the School
Madison Hospital School of Anesthesia for nurses was founded in 1950 by Bernard Bowen, CRNA, under the sponsorship of Madison Hospital. It has been in continuous operation since that time. The program got its start when Mr. Bowen was invited to Madison by Dr. James D. Schuler, a surgeon, and Dr. Julian C. Gant, who was the Medical Director of the hospital. Since that time, more than 1000 graduates have gone out from Madison to provide high quality anesthesia service throughout the United States and in many parts of the world.
Through the years, all persons connected with the School, whether as students, faculty, staff, or administrators, have contributed to the success of the School and to the growth of nurse anesthesia as a profession. Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia is proud to carry on the tradition of excellence that was so firmly established by Bernard Bowen, his staff, and students.
As of July 1, 1980, the School of Anesthesia changed from Madison Hospital School of Anesthesia to Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia. Nashville Anesthesia Services, a partnership of physicians, agreed to temporarily shepherd the School until a corporation could be formed. On January 5, 1982, the institution was incorporated as an independent, 501 (c)(3),non-profit organization, Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia, Inc., under the guidance of a Board of Trustees composed of community leaders involved in the business, educational, financial, legal, and medical industries.
Tennessee Christian Medical Center, formerly Madison Hospital, continued to provide strong support for MTSA in the form of a leased building and operative facilities until 2005. In 2005, MTSA initiated a capital expansion project, constructing an entirely new state-of-the-art classroom and student lounge facility, while beginning renovation of two existing buildings. In early 2006, MTSA purchased three acres and the two existing buildings from the parent company of Tennessee Christian Medical Center, Adventist Health System. Later that same year, students first occupied the innovative lecture hall, and then began using the newly designed and equipped Simulation Skills Center. Currently, the Building the Future capital campaign is underway for additional campus expansion.
In addition to specificity accreditation in nurse anesthesia through the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA), in December of 1994, MTSA first received regional accreditation through the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). The latter enabled the School to grant a master’s degree.
Mission
Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia exists to provide a Christian, Seventh-day Adventist learning environment that fosters the pursuit of truth, excellence in and access to graduate nurse anesthesia education, and a life of service.
Vision
Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia endeavors to be a national leader in academic and professional excellence, specific to graduate nurse anesthesia education. The School will remain responsive to the needs of its constituents and its diverse student body.
Core Values
- Christian, Seventh-day Adventist values-driven curriculum and program
- Academic and clinical excellence that fosters a life of service
- Wholistic approach to education, health care, and a balanced lifestyle
- Graduate education that prepares nurses and CRNAs to complete their educational goals and enter the workplace with confidence
History & Heritage
MTSA’s quiet beginning has roots from more than a century ago. In 1904, a group of Seventh-day Adventist pioneers committed to health, wellness, and temperance traveled south from Battle Creek, Michigan to initiate a health care education institution among the poor and founded Nashville Agricultural and Normal Institute. This School developed and transformed through name changes and maturity including an elementary school, high school, junior college, and eventually a full college. Concurrently on the campus, a health work began with Madison Sanitarium which developed into Madison Sanitarium and Hospital, Madison Hospital, and finally nearly a century later, Tennessee Christian Medical Center. The hospital provided a site for clinical training as the college educated scores of health care professionals. Since its beginning, the School regularly provided anesthesia at rural hospitals across the region as a service – which is the basis for the multiple clinical instruction locations today.
These ancestor institutions laid the groundwork for MTSA which began as the Madison Hospital School of Anesthesia for nurses in 1950 as part of Madison College. This rich history began more than 60 years ago when Bernard V. Bowen, CRNA, DSc, founded the School to facilitate nurse anesthesia education within the framework of Seventh-day Adventist beliefs, which included no Saturday classes. MTSA started with just two students in a 12-month program, but soon expanded to 18-months, admitting 16 students annually. On July 1, 1980, the school changed its name from Madison Hospital School of Anesthesia and officially formed as it is known today—the Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia – the last vestige of Madison College and Madison Hospital that remains to this day.
Christian Seventh-day Adventist Legacy
The Christian spirit of dedication and work that led to MTSA’s development is very much alive today. The School continues to foster a learning environment encouraging strong moral principles and a close relationship with God. The Institution celebrates the diversity of faiths represented in the student body, faculty, and staff, and respects the differences of persuasion that are present. It operates with a wholistic, balanced approach to life which includes the physical, mental, emotional, moral, and spiritual – while encouraging a relationship with God as the Creator.
As a Christian church, Seventh-day Adventists are a faith community rooted in the beliefs described by the Holy Scriptures (both Old and New Testaments). In harmony with a broad overall mission to reflect Christ in its educational program, and in keeping with its Adventist heritage, the Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia conducts classes with an exposure to Adventist beliefs.
Many of these beliefs are foundational and common to Protestant Christians from a variety of faith traditions and include -- The Trinity; the Divinity of Jesus; a literal six-day creation; and, Salvation through faith in Jesus. Yet, there may be some belief differences, including a 24-hour Sabbath rest from work and school beginning Friday evening sundown and concluding Saturday evening sundown, when no school-sponsored activities, classes, or events take place. You too may notice food choices limited to a diet exempt of certain options as a commitment to health and temperance.
Jesus Christ exemplified a life of service. It is MTSA’s desire to follow His pattern and honor the Bible, while exhibiting this through learning, scholarship, and ministry. For more information regarding the SDA church visit www.adventist.org.
MTSA’s Underlying Educational Principles
MTSA recognizes the expanded role CRNAs fill as contributing members of the health care team. It is no longer enough that nurse anesthetists be skilled in anesthesia administration. They must also be able to assess their patients’ medical status and plan a comprehensive anesthetic management program that encompasses the pre- and post-anesthetic periods, as well as the operative period.
MTSA aims to provide the academic climate and facilities necessary for the student to attain the body of knowledge and technical skills consistent with high standards of practice. In recognition of the important role played by CRNAs in the nation, and specifically in the Southeastern region of the United States, MTSA is historically constituted and strategically located, so as to play a vital part in meeting continuing needs for well-prepared anesthetists, both regionally and nationally.
MTSA believes that true education involves the growth of the spiritual, intellectual, and physical aspects of the student. In keeping with this belief, faculty members seek to provide a balanced program between the academic and clinical phases, so that knowledge and skills may be developed concurrently. The curriculum is integrated with academic and clinical experience occurring simultaneously. The acquisition of both intellectual and technical skills should start with the basic, then progress in logical steps to the more complex and advanced; each step building on the previous one. Throughout the entire educational process, Christian values should be emphasized in the daily lives of both faculty and students, for both their benefit and that of their patients.
MTSA believes that the student’s role is one of an active participant in the educational process. This means students may participate in seminars, present case studies, write papers, and maintain independent study.
MTSA believes that the body of knowledge that constitutes the art and science of anesthesia is ever growing and ever changing. In keeping with this belief, MTSA endeavors to foster in both faculty members and students a thirst for knowledge and an intellectual curiosity that will promote lifelong professional growth and a desire for excellence. Graduates will be able to assist in the preparation of the next generation of anesthesia providers.
It is the goal of MTSA that graduates be well qualified to fill first level positions and be capable of working to their full scope of practice with other CRNAs or physician anesthesiologists.
It is the philosophy of MTSA that it be operated as a freestanding, single purpose, anesthesia specific, graduate degree granting institution.
Location and Facilities
The MTSA campus has offices and classroom facilities located in Madison, Tennessee. The academic and simulation classes are held on campus. There are three main buildings on campus.
Building A teaching facilities include The Center for Simulation, a technological state-of-the-art lecture hall, as well as two seminar rooms for study, small group use, and static simulation classes. The offices of the Vice President of Academics / Title IX Coordinator, and Program Administrator are located in this building. There is also a student lounge in this building.
Building B houses the administrative support staff and faculty offices. On the first floor is the Nelda Faye Ackerman Learning Resource Center which includes a computer lab for student use. The second floor includes the Heritage Room, a conference/classroom designed with online learning technology.
The P.T. Magan Building houses a large collaborative classroom that can be divided into 2 separate rooms or divided into multiple small group areas, each with state-of-the-art technology access. A student lounge and the fitness center, as well as the offices of the President and other administrative personnel, are also located in the P.T. Magan building.
School Hours: Campus buildings are open Monday – Thursday from 8am to 6pm. During orientation, students are given electronic card keys with which enable access to the student mailroom and lounge, the LRC, the classrooms, and the fitness center outside of regular class hours on Monday through Thursday, in addition to daytime hours on Friday and all day Sunday.
Parking: Students must use the adjacent parking lots of Skyline Medical Center and the Madison Campus Seventh-day Adventist Church. The parking lot behind the Student Support Center and adjacent to the Bowen Academic Center is for staff, faculty and visitors only. There is one handicap spot available in the staff lot for anyone who has a placard or license plate that needs this service. The P.T. Magan building student parking is noted with signage.
Academic Facilities
The Center for Simulation, located in the Bowen Academic Center, houses two realistic operating rooms with three computerized human patient simulators (Laerdal SimMan 3G, SimMan, and SimBaby) to enhance both academic and clinical education.
The Nelda Faye Ackerman Learning Resource Center (LRC), located in the Student Support Services building, is a computer lab with multiple desktop computers and a printer, as well as a small group study lounge.
Student Facilities
There are two student lounges, located in The Bowen Academic Center and in the P.T. Magan building, equipped with a refrigerator, microwave, and dishwasher. The Bowen Academic Center’s lounge also has tables and chairs for students to meet. There are also vending machines in the lounge in The Bowen Academic Center. Students are responsible for their food and clean-up of the lounges and are to notify staff if there is a problem. Drinks taken out of the lounges must have a cap or lid when going into classrooms.
Student mailboxes are located in the Bowen Academic Center. Books and internal correspondence are delivered to these boxes and students are notified by e-mail when they are placed in their box. Students are responsible for keeping the mailboxes tidy.
The P.T. Magan building’s copy/print station is located in the main hallway. The P.T. Magan building also houses the MTSA fitness center. There are separate male and female shower facilities, as well as daily lockers for those using the fitness center. The center can be accessed 24 hours a day with the electronic card key.
The MTSA campus buildings and the outdoor covered porch areas are equipped with wireless internet service dedicated exclusively to students’ use, to enable an entire class to work online simultaneously. The Wi-Fi password will be given to students during orientation.
Institutional Calendar
Each year MTSA updates the calendar and publishes it in the MTSA Student Handbook, which is available on the website, www.mtsa.edu.
Students do not attend class or clinical on holidays, unless the student is scheduled on call. If the student is on call, a compensatory day is given to the student.