The anesthesia shadowing verification form is the signed document your graduate anesthesia program uses to confirm you spent time observing a practicing CRNA, physician anesthesiologist, or certified anesthesiologist assistant in a surgical setting. You get the form from the application portal your program uses or from the program’s admissions page, complete the applicant fields yourself, have the supervising provider fill in the clinical details and sign, then upload it through NursingCAS, CASAA, or the school’s own system. Every program sets its own minimum hours and its own format, so download the correct version before you start shadowing.
Where To Get the Right Form
CRNA programs generally use NursingCAS, and each program posts its own verification form under the program-specific “Documents” tab. The University of Evansville’s CRNA program, for example, provides a downloadable PDF that applicants print, have signed, and upload back into NursingCAS.1University of Evansville. Anesthesia Shadow Verification Form Anesthesiologist Assistant programs use CASAA, the Centralized Application Service for Anesthesiologist Assistants, which covers all graduate AA programs in the United States.2Kansas City University. Anesthesiologist Assistant Application
If your target program uses neither service, check its graduate admissions page under supplemental requirements. Some post a standalone PDF; others fold the verification fields into a larger application packet. Pull the correct file before shadowing begins so the provider can see what they will be asked to attest to.
Get Cleared at the Hospital First
Before you step into an operating room, the hospital or surgical center has to approve you. This clearance is separate from anything your target program requires, and it takes longer than most applicants expect. One major academic medical center requires applications at least 60 days before the desired start date.3UT Health San Antonio. Clinical Observership Opportunities Other facilities report six to eight weeks. Start the paperwork months before your application deadline.
Common requirements:
- Current immunizations, typically the standard healthcare-worker set.
- A criminal background check and sex offender database search.
- Proof of health insurance at some facilities.3UT Health San Antonio. Clinical Observership Opportunities
- A signed HIPAA acknowledgment before you enter any clinical area.
Contact the hospital’s volunteer services department or academic affairs office to start. At UNC Health, all shadowers must be cleared and vetted through Volunteer Services before any shadowing is scheduled.4Department of Anesthesiology, UNC School of Medicine. Shadowing CRNAs/CAAs – Program Scope and Overview Do not assume your provider can wave you in; most hospitals require institutional approval regardless of the provider’s willingness.
Arranging the Shadowing
Finding a willing provider is on you. Programs expect applicants to contact a local anesthesia provider and set the experience up themselves.5Nova Southeastern University. Documentation of Exposure to Anesthesia Practice in the Operating Room Start with anesthesia departments at hospitals near you. Larger academic centers sometimes run formal shadowing programs; smaller facilities often mean emailing or calling individual providers.
If you already work in a hospital as a nurse or technician, ask the anesthesia providers you interact with. Local CRNA networks and professional associations can also point you toward regular hosts. When you make contact, name the program you are applying to and the hour count you need.
Plan for full surgical days. Some programs will not accept short visits: UT Tyler’s CRNA program specifies 8-to-12-hour shifts with more than one CRNA.6UT Tyler. Doctor of Nursing Practice in Nurse Anesthesia Shadowing across multiple providers and shifts exposes you to different anesthesia techniques and surgical specialties, which strengthens both the form and your personal statement.
How Many Hours You Need
There is no national standard. Some programs require as few as 8 hours; others require 40 or more. Keiser University’s CRNA program requires a minimum of 40 hours with an anesthesia provider, preferably a CRNA, and specifies that hours logged during your regular employment do not count. All shadowing must be completed in the United States.7Keiser University. Graduate School Admission Requirements UT Tyler also requires at least 40 documented hours.6UT Tyler. Doctor of Nursing Practice in Nurse Anesthesia Nova Southeastern’s AA program sets its minimum at 8 hours.5Nova Southeastern University. Documentation of Exposure to Anesthesia Practice in the Operating Room
Check each target program’s admissions page for its exact number. If you are applying to several, aim for the highest minimum so one shadowing experience covers all of them.
Filling Out the Form
Formats vary, but most anesthesia shadowing verification forms collect the same core information. Keiser University’s form is representative of the standard layout.8Keiser University. Anesthesia Shadowing Verification Form
Your Information
Enter your full legal name exactly as it appears on your application, along with your current mailing address. A mismatch between the form and your application profile can delay processing or trigger manual review.
Shadowing Details
This is the substance of the form. Expect fields for:
- The name and address of the hospital or surgical center where you observed.
- The specific calendar dates of each session.
- The cumulative hours across all sessions. Check the total against your session records before the provider signs.
- The types of surgeries you observed, by specialty.
- The types of anesthesia observed — general, regional blocks, sedation, or a combination.
- The phases of care you were present for: preoperative assessment, induction, maintenance, emergence, and PACU hand-off.
Keep a running log with dates, times, case types, and anesthesia techniques as you go. Reconstructing this from memory weeks later is how errors end up on the form.
Provider Information and Signature
The provider section asks for the supervising clinician’s name, workplace, phone number, and email. The provider must be a CRNA, physician anesthesiologist, or, for AA programs, a certified anesthesiologist assistant.8Keiser University. Anesthesia Shadowing Verification Form If you shadowed with more than one provider, you may need a separate form for each; check your program’s instructions.
Get the signature on your last day of shadowing, while the experience is fresh for the provider. Chasing someone down for a signature weeks later is difficult. If your program accepts digital signatures, confirm that with admissions before submitting; some require a wet signature on the original.
Submitting the Form
Through NursingCAS
Upload the form under the program-specific “Documents” tab. That tab only appears when the program requires supplemental documents. If the program provides a fillable PDF, NursingCAS instructs you to save and upload it as an image file rather than a PDF. Once you submit, you cannot re-upload, update, or edit documents, so verify the scan is legible and complete first.9Liaison. NursingCAS Program Materials
Through CASAA
CASAA handles shadowing differently. Instead of uploading a standalone form, you enter your shadowing as an experience within the application, providing a title, date range, average weekly hours, a description of what you observed, organization details, and your supervisor’s contact information. CASAA asks whether you authorize programs to contact the organization to verify your experience.10Liaison. Experiences Select “yes.” Some AA programs still require a separate signed verification form as a supplemental upload, so read each program’s instructions.
Direct to the Program
Programs outside centralized portals typically accept the form through their own application system. If a program requires a physical copy, use certified mail to the graduate admissions office and keep the tracking number. Save a clean copy of the signed form either way.
After You Submit
Admissions staff review the form for completeness and confirm that the signing provider holds current credentials. In NursingCAS, applications that require verification move from “Ready for Verification” to “Verified” within roughly 10 business days, though peak periods run longer.11Liaison. Check Your NursingCAS Notifications and Status Some programs run random audits, contacting the provider directly using the phone number or email you supplied.
Watch your application portal. If the form is flagged for a missing signature, an illegible scan, or hours below the minimum, you will need to correct and resubmit. Because NursingCAS does not allow edits to already-submitted documents, contact the program’s admissions office to arrange a replacement upload.
Privacy and Honesty Rules
Shadowing is observation only. No direct patient contact and no patient care are permitted.3UT Health San Antonio. Clinical Observership Opportunities Before you begin, expect a HIPAA overview and a written acknowledgment. Disclose your role as an observer to patients and their families, particularly during preoperative evaluations, and do not photograph, record, or take notes containing identifying details.12Department of Anesthesiology, UNC School of Medicine. Shadowing Attending Anesthesiologists – Program Scope and Overview
Log your hours honestly. The anesthesia community is small; program directors know the providers in their region, and an hour total that does not match what the signing provider remembers will surface. Have the provider verify the form while the details are still fresh for both of you.