Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker announced the release of $10,537,000 in planning funds to create preliminary designs for a $105 million Health Science Building (HSB) on the SIUE campus. The HSB will include approximately 221,000 square feet and facilitate more simulation training, research and growth in programs within nursing, pharmacy and related health science areas.

“This new building will provide students the opportunity to learn professional skills in an innovative state-of-the-art simulation laboratory learning center, to engage in interprofessional education, and to participate in biomedical and clinical research, all with the goal of enhancing collaboration among health professions for improved healthcare delivery throughout the state of Illinois and the region,” said Jessica Hammel, a senior nursing student from Carlyle, Ill.

Learn more about planning for the new HSB.

U.S. News and World Report has ranked the School of Nursing online master’s in nursing program 45^th nationally, a climb up eight spots from a year ago. According to U.S. News, highly ranked programs have strong traditional academic foundations based on student-instructor access, graduation rates and instructor credentials. They also excel at educating distance learners, while offering robust career and financial support.

Learn more about the ranking. 

The School of Nursing is now offering a new mental health specialization. The psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program will provide students with the required clinical competencies and theoretical foundation to deliver quality psychiatric mental health care.

“Healthcare system administrators, clinical partners and community leaders are all asking for more providers to address the mental healthcare crisis,” said Andrew Griffin, PhD, CRNA, APRN, associate professor and assistant dean of graduate programs.

Upon program completion, graduates are eligible to take the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner exam offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

Learn more about the PMHNP DNP program.

The School of Nursing is providing a unique opportunity for qualified nursing students to earn bachelor’s and graduate-level credit for courses taken during the undergraduate program. This accelerated option allows students to complete two degrees in less time.

Students in the traditional bachelor's program may apply for accelerated graduate credit in the following programs:

• Nurse Educator, MS
• Healthcare and Nursing Administration, MS
• Family Nurse Practitioner, DNP

Eligible students may replace up to six credits of nursing undergraduate courses with nursing graduate courses, reducing both time and cost involved in attaining a graduate degree.

Learn more about the accelerated graduate options.  

Eight School of Nursing faculty and students were honored at the March of Dimes’ eighth annual Nurse of the Year Awards in November at the Renaissance St. Louis Airport Hotel.

Each year, the March of Dimes presents awards across 20 clinical and practice specialties to extraordinary nurses in the area who go above and beyond to deliver compassionate care. By promoting nurses that exemplify enduring care, compassion, intelligence and unique skills, the organization supports the critical role that nurses play in advancing the mission of the March of Dimes, which is to lead the fight for the health of all moms and babies.

Frank Lyerla, PhD, RN, director of SIUE’s online master’s of healthcare informatics program, was honored as the Nurse of the Year in the category of clinical informatics. Additional faculty and students were recognized as finalists.

Learn more about the School's finalists and involvement in the event.

The School of Nursing and Lake Land College have renewed a partnership that provides an accelerated, seamless path to a bachelor of science in nursing from the School.

Lake Land College nursing students interested in the option are dually enrolled in the SIUE program during their second year and can take several co-requisites and general education courses at Lake Land. Once students successfully complete the Lake Land associate degree nurse (ADN) program and obtain licensure as a registered nurse (RN), students may progress through the remaining RN to BS nursing courses through the SIUE online program.

Learn more about the partnership.