NATCHITOCHES – A four-year $1.8 million grant from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation (Louisiana Blue Foundation) has helped Northwestern State University’s College of Nursing address the critical healthcare workforce shortage in northwest and central Louisiana.
Now in its final year, the grant’s impact is evident in the number of graduates from accelerated nursing programs who are now providing care in rural and underserved communities across the region.
“Strengthening Louisiana’s healthcare workforce requires that we expand access to education and opportunity,” said Michael Tipton, president of the Louisiana Blue Foundation. “By supporting accelerated nursing programs at Northwestern State University, we are helping remove barriers for students who are committed to serving rural and underserved communities across the state.”
With prior knowledge and critical thinking skills applied, the accelerated programs enabled students who were already registered paramedics and military medics to complete an Associate of Science in Nursing in as little as three semesters. Individuals with a Bachelor of Science degree were able to complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in four semesters.
Students who received financial support through the grant report that the funding significantly reduced the financial burden of the intensive accelerated programs, allowing them to focus entirely on their academic responsibilities and family obligations.
Tieshana Morgan of Bossier City earned a degree in biology with the intention of attending medical school before serving in the U.S. Army for 10 years. While stationed in Leesville, she researched nearby nursing programs and discovered Northwestern State’s accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, which allows students to become registered nurses in 16 months. She applied immediately.
Tieshana Morgan
“At the time, I was a newly single mother with a 9-month-old child and had no family nearby for support,” Morgan said. “I had just separated from the military and no longer had a steady income, relying solely on my savings. I also had to relocate to Shreveport, a city I was unfamiliar with. Given the intensity of the course load and my personal circumstances, I questioned whether I would be able to succeed in the program.”
The Louisiana Blue Foundation grant lifted a tremendous financial burden for Morgan while she pursued a degree that was academically rigorous, time-intensive and did not allow for outside employment.
“Each semester, I worried about how I would afford tuition and required textbooks. I applied for numerous loans, grants and financial aid options, many of which I was either denied or awarded in amounts that provided minimal assistance,” she said. “This grant made a meaningful difference and provided much-needed relief during an incredibly challenging time. I was deeply grateful, as the support allowed me to focus on my education and ultimately achieve my goal of becoming a nurse, contributing to the healthcare workforce and helping meet the needs of underserved and rural communities.”
Morgan is now employed as an operating room nurse at Ochsner LSU Health.
Charlisa Carter, also of Bossier City, was working in a medical laboratory when she learned about the program through NSU faculty advisors while exploring nursing career pathways. After earning her BSN in 2023, she began working in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit at Willis Knighton North, transitioning into a high-acuity role due to the program’s strong clinical preparation. She is currently enrolled in NSU’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program in nurse anesthesia.
Charlisa Carter
“The accelerated BSN program was academically rigorous and time-intensive, which made it extremely difficult to work while enrolled. Balancing the demands of coursework, clinical rotations and personal responsibilities created a significant financial strain, particularly because the program structure required full-time commitment,” Carter said. “The Louisiana Blue Foundation grant significantly reduced the financial burden of completing an accelerated program while being unable to work, allowing me to focus fully on my education. The medical center where I work serves many patients from surrounding rural communities, and I routinely provide care to individuals who travel long distances for advanced treatment. This support helped make my nursing career possible and ultimately contributed to my ability to return to NSU for doctoral training in nurse anesthesia.”
Over the past three years, the grant has been matched with $1.2 million in private support from several healthcare and industry partners, along with $2 million in institutional support from the university. Partners include CHRISTUS Bossier Emergency Hospital, CHRISTUS Coushatta Health Care Center, CHRISTUS Highland Medical Center, CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Hospital, Natchitoches Regional Medical Center, Rapides Regional Medical Center, RoyOMartin, Willis Knighton Health and the NSU Foundation. In addition to financial contributions, partners provided clinical training capacity by hosting students at their facilities.
University administrators say the grant, one of the largest ever awarded by the Louisiana Blue Foundation, has significantly expanded NSU’s capacity to prepare healthcare professionals for service in rural and underserved communities. As the demand for healthcare workers continues to grow, the university remains committed to developing pathways that allow individuals to earn credentials and return to serve their home regions.
“Having completed an accelerated nursing program myself, I was aware of the unique challenges faced by students seeking a second degree,” said Dr. Anna Morris, director of Academic Services for NSU’s College of Nursing and School of Allied Health. “Many financial aid options are not available or have been exhausted at that point. As the grant director, I was able to witness firsthand how the financial support provided by the Louisiana Blue Foundation, Northwestern and our community partners was paramount to our nursing students’ success each semester.”
“We are deeply grateful to the Louisiana Blue Foundation and to our healthcare partners for their extraordinary commitment to our students and to the health of our region,” said Dr. Aimee Badeaux, Dean of Northwestern State University’s College of Nursing and School of Allied Health. “Their collective investment made it possible to expand accelerated nursing pathways, reduce financial barriers for students and prepare graduates who are now delivering care in rural and underserved communities.”
Information on NSU’s College of Nursing and School of Allied Health is available at https://www.nsula.edu/academics/colleges-and-schools/consah/. Information on the Louisiana Blue Foundation can be found at www.LABlueFoundation.org.