/reference/coa

COA case minimums

Council on Accreditation requires nurse anesthesia students hit specific case-experience minimums to graduate. Check current COA Standards for Accreditation (most recent revision) for binding numbers — these are summary targets.

Total minimum cases: ~1665 across all categories (note: a single case can count toward multiple categories — e.g., a thoracotomy under GA with epidural counts toward general, regional, thoracic, and intra-abdominal).

Patient Care: Lifespan

Patient ages 2 mo to 65 yr

≥ 600

Pediatric (< 2 yr)

≥ 30

Geriatric (> 65 yr)

≥ 100

Anesthesia Methods

General anesthesia

Mix mask, LMA, ETT

≥ 400

Regional anesthesia (any technique)

≥ 25

MAC

≥ 25

Airway Management

Endotracheal intubation

≥ 200

Mask only

≥ 25

LMA / supraglottic

≥ 25

Fiberoptic intubation

Awake or asleep

≥ 5

Surgical Specialty

Intra-abdominal

≥ 20

Intracranial

≥ 5

Cardiac

On- or off-pump

≥ 5

Vascular

≥ 5

Thoracic (non-cardiac)

≥ 5

Orthopedic

≥ 25

Obstetric

Both vaginal + cesarean

≥ 35

ENT

≥ 5

Genitourinary

≥ 5

Special Procedures

Arterial line placement

≥ 25

Central line placement

≥ 5

Spinal anesthesia

≥ 25

Epidural anesthesia

≥ 35

Peripheral nerve block

≥ 25

Trauma

≥ 5

Transplantation

No minimum but exposure encouraged

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COA Standards (official) →