Nursing Programs
Northwestern State University was the first public institution in Louisiana to establish a baccalaureate program in nursing, welcoming its first students in 1949. The College of Nursing was also the first in the state to offer a master’s degree in nursing. NSU offers an Associate of Science in Nursing, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, LPN to ASN, LPN to BSN, RN to BSN program, Master of Science in Nursing and a Doctor of Nursing Practice. Classes are available on Northwestern State campuses in Shreveport, Alexandria, Leesville/Fort Johnson and Natchitoches. NSU’s College of Nursing is known throughout the state for graduating highly qualified nurses.
The nursing faculty consists of experienced health care professionals who are dedicated to preparing students to achieve their professional goals as responsible and contributing members of their profession and society. Members of the faculty regularly volunteer their time sharing their expertise and knowledge with organizations and individuals in the community, with many serving as consultants, leaders, and board members as part of their professional responsibilities in the local, state and national arenas.
Undergraduate Studies in Nursing
The undergraduate clinical application deadline for Fall is April 15th
The undergraduate clinical application deadline for Spring is August 15th
The clinical application deadline for the BS to BSN Program Summer Session is February 15th
Undergraduate Studies Clinical Applications
Graduate Studies in Nursing
| Full Time Faculty | Adjunct Faculty |
|---|---|
| Dr. Cheryl Adair – Assistant Professor Phone: (318) 677-3075 Nursing Education Center–Shreveport – 217C adairc@nsula.edu Faculty ProfileDr. Aimee L. Badeaux –Director of Doctoral Studies, Associate Professor Phone: (318) 677-3100 College of Nursing badeauxa@nsula.edu Faculty ProfileDr. Alice Blue – Assistant Professor Phone: (318)677-3085 Nursing Education Center – Shreveport – 239C bluea@nsula.edu Faculty ProfileDr. Geneva Caldwell Phone: (318) 677-3100 Nursing Education Center-Shreveport caldwellm@nsula.edu Faculty ProfileDr. Debra Clark – Director of Assessment, Evaluation, & Planning, Associate Professor Phone: (318) 677-3100 Nursing Education Center–Shreveport – 419C clarkd@nsula.edu Faculty ProfileDr. Dana Clawson – Professor Phone: (318) 677-3100 Nursing Education Center-Shreveport roed@nsula.edu Faculty ProfileDr. Michelle DeBose – Associate Professor Phone: (318) 677-3100 Nursing Education Center-Shreveport debosem@nsula.edu Faculty ProfileDr. Donald Johnston – Associate Professor Phone: (318) 677-3078 Nursing Education Center–Shreveport – 233C johnstond@nsula.edu Faculty ProfileMelanie LaCour – Assistant Professor Phone: (318) 769-7994 Rapides Medical Center – 209 lacourme@nsula.edu Faculty Profile Dr. Katrina O’Con – BSN-DNP NA Asst. Coordinator, Assistant Professor Dr. Robyn Ray – Assistant Professor Donald Stafford – Assistant Professor Dr. Susan Steel-Moses – Associate Professor Aaron Stigers – Interim Director of MSN and PMC Programs, Assistant Professor Dr. Tiffany Williams – Assistant Professor Dr. Mary Zapczynski – Assistant Professor |
Dr. Donna Atobejeun atobajeund@nsula.edu Faculty ProfileDr. Wendy Bailes bailesw@nsula.edu Faculty ProfileDr. Meridith Bergeron bergeronm@nsula.edu Faculty ProfileLeKidra Brown brownle@nsula.edu Faculty ProfileWinde Chambers chambersw@nsula.edu Faculty ProfileDr. Tonye Cox-Miller coxmillert@nsula.edu Faculty ProfileMeredith Eastin waldropm@nsula.edu Faculty ProfileGayle Elliott elliottg@nsula.edu Faculty ProfileSarah Girlinghouse girlinghouses@nsula.edu Faculty Profile Yoshika Hayward Alysha Hinson Dr. Katie Hooven Dr. Kristi Hylan Dr. Charla Johnson Dr. Beatrice Launius Dr. Melissa Lucas Dr. Meryn Olivier Dr. Courtney Owens Michelle Phelan Dr. Danita Potter Dr. Allyson Spence Brooke Stokes Dr. Ruzanna Topchyan Dr. Rebecca Weston Joshua White |
| Full-time Faculty | Adjunct Faculty |
|---|---|
| Dr. Cheryl Adair Dr. Alice Blue Dr. Geneva Caldwell Dr. Debra Clark Dr. Michelle DeBose Dr. Angela Hardy Dr. Donald Johnston Dr. Tiffany Williams Dr. Mary Zapczynski Aaron Stigers Lisa Lee |
Dr. Donna Atobajeun LeKidra Brown Dr. Winde Chambers Dr. Tonye Cox-Miller Meredith Eastin Gayle Elliott Sarah Girlinghouse Dr. Yoshika Croute Alysha Hinson Dr. Katie Hooven Dr. Beatrice Launius Dr. Courtney Owens Michelle Phelan Dr. Danita Potter Brooke Stokes Dr. Rebecca Weston Joshua White |
The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program at Northwestern State University (NSU), College of Nursing and School of Allied Health provides learning opportunities for registered nurses to build upon baccalaureate nursing education, as well as experiential professional knowledge, attitudes, and skills. The MSN program at NSU prepares registered nurses to function and excel in various advanced nursing roles. Graduates of the MSN program are educationally prepared to make significant contributions to the improvement of healthcare and to the advancement of nursing knowledge and practice.
Students must complete both a NursingCAS Clinical application and a Graduate school application prior to June 1st to begin coursework in the Fall semester. Students returning to clinical after pausing progression from normal curriculum must complete a clinical reapplication.
ADVISING
- You can now book and manage appointments using our Booking Page
- For any graduate inquiry with MSN faculty please call Charla Bumgardner (318-677-3131).
This program provides the student with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing the opportunity to develop advanced knowledge, intellectual skills, and clinical competence necessary for the role of the advanced practice nurse. Areas of concentration include:
Nurse Practitioner
- Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP),
- Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP)
- Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
- Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PCPNP),
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Across the Lifespan (PMHNP)
- Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP)
Education
- Adult-Gerontology Nursing
- Maternal, Child, and Family Nursing
Administration
- Adult-Gerontology Nursing
- Maternal, Child, and Family Nursing
* All students must register for NURG 5000: Orientation to Graduate Nursing during their first semester. NURG 5000 meets virtually on the first Friday of the Fall semester.
Accreditation
The master’s degree in nursing at Northwestern State University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, (202) 887-6791.
MSN Documents
MSN Concentrations
Concentration Curricula
The MSN and PMC programs nurse practitioner concentrations may require students to attend courses, labs, and/or simulation activities on the main campus or off-campus learning sites. Students must obtain direct care (in person) clinical hours as specified by the curriculum pattern. Presently, NP clinical hours are obtained in Louisiana.
MSN AND PMC APPLICATIONS
Applications for the MSN and PMC programs are processed through NursingCAS, the centralized application for nursing. Visit www.nursingcas.org to start an application. The application period is from January 1st to a priority deadline of March 31st for the Fall semester.
**Students must apply to the Graduate School and NursingCAS**
Visit www.nursingcas.org to start an application or log into your existing account. Visit the Add Program page to select our nursing program and complete the steps to fill out and submit your Fall application. If you need help with NursingCAS, visit the applicant help center or contact applicant support with questions.
The MSN and PMC programs nurse practitioner concentrations may require students to attend courses, labs, and/or simulation activities on the main campus or off-campus learning sites. Students must obtain direct care (in person) clinical hours as specified by the curriculum pattern. Presently, NP clinical hours are obtained in Louisiana.
Accreditation
The post-graduate APRN certificate program at Northwestern State University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, (202) 887-6791.
MSN AND PMC APPLICATIONS
Applications for the MSN and PMC programs are being processed through NursingCAS, the centralized application for nursing. Visit www.nursingcas.org to start an application. The application period is January 1st to a priority deadline of March 31st for the Fall semester.
**Students must apply to the Graduate School and NursingCAS**
Visit www.nursingcas.org to start an application or log into your existing account. Visit the Add Program page to select our nursing program and complete the steps to fill out and submit your application. If you need help with NursingCAS, visit the applicant help center or contact applicant support with questions.
| Full-time Faculty | Adjunct Faculty |
|---|---|
| Dr. Aimee Badeaux Dr. Dana Clawson Ms. Larissa Koll Dr. Katrina O’Con Dr. Robyn Ray Mr. Donald Stafford Dr. Susan Steele-Moses |
Dr. Meridith Bergeron Dr. Kristi Hylan Dr. Charla Johnson Dr. Stacey Joslin Dr. Meryn Olivier Dr. Armando Paladino Dr. Leah Pearce Dr. Allyson Spence Dr. Ruzanna Topchyan |
The Goals (Purposes) of NSU’s Doctor of Nursing Practice are:
- Provide advanced nurse practice leaders with expertise, specialized competencies, and advanced knowledge required for evidence-based nursing practice and mastery in an area of specialization within the larger domain of nursing.
- Prepare advanced nurse practice leaders to influence, design, direct and implement change in healthcare practice, education, and policy through the development of collaborative alliances to improve healthcare outcomes and decrease morbidity and mortality in vulnerable populations.
- Develop advanced nurse practice leaders who contribute to nursing’s body of knowledge through professional development and scholarly inquiry into practice, processes, or outcomes which affect morbidity and mortality in vulnerable.
The Program Objectives, or Student Learning Outcomes
The DNP Graduate student will:
- Integrate nursing science with knowledge from ethics, biophysical, psychosocial, analytical, and organizational sciences as the foundation for the highest level of nursing practice.
- Critically analyze health care delivery models based on contemporary nursing science and organizational and systems perspectives to eliminate health disparities and promote patient safety and excellence in practice.
- Systematically appraise existing literature, outcomes of practice, practice patterns, systems of care, and health organizations to design and generate best practice evidence to improve practice and health care outcomes.
- Utilize information systems technology to implement and evaluate healthcare resources, quality improvement initiatives, and programs of care that support practice decisions.
- Advocate for health care policy which addresses social justice and equity in all health care settings.
- Employ consultative and leadership skills to function on inter-and intra-professional multidisciplinary teams that work collaboratively to improve vulnerable populations’ health outcomes.
- Synthesize data relevant to clinical prevention and health promotion for individuals, aggregates, and populations to guide implementation of the highest level of nursing practice.
- Demonstrate advanced practice expertise, specialized knowledge, and expanded responsibility and accountability in the care, management, and evaluation of individuals, families, and communities in a specialty practice area within the domain of nursing.
Accreditation
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree at Northwestern State University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, (202) 887-6791.
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree, nurse anesthesia role (Nurse Anesthesia Program) at Northwestern State University of Louisiana is fully accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) (http://coacrna.org, 10275 W. Higgins Rd., Suite 906 Rosemont, IL 60018-5603, and can be reached at 224-275-9130 or via email at accreditation@coacrna.org), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council on Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation and the U.S. Department of Education. The nurse anesthesia program received COA accreditation in May 2021 and the next accreditation review will be in 2026.
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program is approved by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing, 17373 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70810, 225-755-7500.
DNP PROGRAM INFORMATION
DNP ORGANIZATIONAL SYSTEMS LEADERSHIP APPLICATION
Applications for the DNP OSL program are being processed through NursingCAS, the centralized application for nursing. Visit www.nursingcas.org to start an application. The application period for the DNP OSL program is February 15-July 15 for the following Spring semester.
Visit www.nursingcas.org to start an application or log into your existing account. Visit the Add Program page to select our nursing program and complete the steps to fill out and submit your application. If you need help with NursingCAS, visit the applicant help center or contact applicant support with questions.
DNP NURSE ANESTHESIA APPLICATION
Applications for the DNP NA program are being processed through NursingCAS, the centralized application for nursing. Visit www.nursingcas.org to start an application. The application period for the DNP NA program is February 15-July 15 for the following Spring semester.
Visit www.nursingcas.org to start an application or log into your existing account. Visit the Add Program page to select our nursing program and complete the steps to fill out and submit your application. If you need help with NursingCAS, visit the applicant help center or contact applicant support with questions.
