In 90 years, the LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans School of Nursing has achieved many great feats. Our storied past helps inform the exciting new chapters ahead for us. In this issue, you’ll get a glimpse into our history and a look at the path we are embarking on. But to fully appreciate that journey, allow me to share a retrospective highlighting some of the steps taken along that way.
As in all epic journeys, we have endured and persevered through many challenges, including a changing academic and health care landscape. We have overcome significant challenges and disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the more recent COVID-19 pandemic. Through it all, we have persisted and grown as a beacon of exemplary nursing education, remaining devoted to our institution’s values and to producing exceptional, impactful nurses.
Prestigious Education
Our prestigious record of providing nursing education began in 1929, and our inaugural Bachelor of Science in Nursing Education degree was first conferred in 1935. Over the decades, our educational programs have adapted to evolving health care and community needs. For example, in 1958, we replaced the original bachelor’s degree with a modern Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and in 1972, we introduced a master’s program that blends theory and practice in the curriculum.
Among our crowning educational achievements are our two doctoral programs. In 1988, we awarded our first Doctor of Nursing Science degree. To better prepare our students for clinical leadership roles and align with recommendations from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, we became early adopters of the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, receiving approval for it in 2011. We launched the post-master’s path in 2012 and the BSN to DNP path in 2013, with concentrations developed for all APRN roles.
In 2021, we pioneered one of only two PhD in Nursing programs in Louisiana, a testament to our commitment to cultivating transformative nurse scholars.
Honors and Recognitions
With a thorough, specialized approach to education, our school has garnered numerous accolades. We hold the distinction of being recognized as a Stellar Nursing School by the National Student Nurses’ Association for three consecutive five-year terms. In 2011, we established the Centre for Promotion of Optimal Health Outcomes: A JBI Centre of Excellence, the only JBI-affiliated center in Louisiana.
Since 2017, Nursing Schools Almanac has consistently ranked us among the nation’s top 10 nursing schools. In 2021, our honor society, Epsilon Nu, evolved into an at-large chapter with additional academic and clinical sites (University Medical Center New Orleans LCMC Health and LSU-Alexandria).
Additional honors include long-standing membership in the National League for Nursing, designation as a National League for Nursing Center of Excellence from 2015 through 2023, maximum accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education in 2019, and recognition as the 2017 Nursing School of the Year by the Louisiana State Nurses Association. We proudly became a member of the National Collegiate Honors Council in 2020, underscoring our commitment to academic excellence.
In the Heart of the Community
Imbued with a deep commitment to service, our School of Nursing has ceaselessly strived to embed a spirit of community and compassion within our educational framework. This ethos was tangibly demonstrated when we established our partnership with the Walgreens Take Care Clinic in 2011. The following year, we opened the doors to the first of our nurse-managed clinics at Village de Jardin and Terraces on Tulane, extending our footprint into the heart of our local community.
In 2015, we broadened our interdisciplinary collaboration, partnering with the School of Dentistry to establish the Dental Medical Primary Care Clinic on the school’s campus. This interprofessional endeavor, based on a collaborative practice model of care, exemplifies our dedication to addressing the unique health needs of our population.
Further echoing our commitment to global health, our faculty and students first participated in the annual Healing Peru project in 2017. This enriching initiative afforded our learners the opportunity to provide critical medical care and service to Peruvian communities over a two-week period.
The challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic further underscored our adaptability and commitment to service-focused nursing. In March 2020, we transitioned to a remote learning environment, ensuring the continuity of our educational mission, and in January 2021, we partnered with the LSU Healthcare Network to administer COVID-19 vaccinations.
Each of these milestones highlights the profound impact our school has on local and global communities, as well as underscoring our unwavering commitment to service, community and health equity.
Charting New Frontiers in Nursing Education
Formal nursing education began in the LSU System in 1929 on the Baton Rouge campus. Since then, our institution has blossomed into a flourishing school that graduates the largest number of BSN holders entering the RN workforce in Louisiana. Nationwide, we now have over 10,000 alumni.
Today, our emphasis is on practical, research-driven education that equips nurses for impactful careers.
Today, our emphasis is on practical, research-driven education that equips nurses for impactful careers. As part of this commitment, we are embracing a pivotal shift toward competency-based learning in our undergraduate and graduate programs. In a rapidly evolving health care landscape, this contemporary approach will equip our graduates to be practice-ready, honing their clinical judgment and enabling them to better serve their communities.
Underpinning this transformation is our new Center for Advanced Learning and Simulation, a pioneering facility where students will gain hands-on experience in a realistic hospital environment. With advanced technology, this innovative center will give students the opportunity to hone their skills and practice true-to-life clinical scenarios, better preparing them for real-world situations.
Advancing With Ambition: The Next 90 Years
Our history is a clear embodiment of our institution’s commitment to educational excellence and adapting to innovations in nursing practice. Looking toward the future and the next 90 years, we are filled with hope and ambition. We aim to develop postdoctoral nursing research fellowships and advance nursing science through our JBI collaborative. The school will evolve with the integration of artificial intelligence in both academic and practice settings, and we look forward to embracing competency-based learning and the difference it can make for our students and their future patients.
In the next 90 years, we plan to expand our nursing footprint throughout Louisiana in varying capacities, having a direct effect on nursing in our region. Our leadership team will continue to embody the spirit of our early adopting, research-focused institution that embraces innovation, technological advancement, diversity, inclusion, belonging, nursing science and the spirit of stewardship and advocacy. We will also count on the unwavering support of our faculty and the staff, students, alumni, partners and donors who are instrumental in realizing our vision to transform the nursing profession and patient care.
Demetrius J. Porche, DNS, PhD, PCC, ANEF, FACHE, FAANP, FAAN
Dean and Helen A. & James B. Dunn Professor
Louisiana State University Health – New Orleans School of Nursing
