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Tulane University Launches New Nursing Program

NEW ORLEANS — Tulane University is launching a new nursing program through a collaboration between the Tulane School of Medicine (SoM) and the Tulane School of Professional Advancement (SoPA). The program will offer a Bachelor of Science in nursing.
“Tulane was founded as a medical school devoted to eradicating yellow fever. We are still laser-focused on treatment and cures for the epidemics of our times, while ensuring we have the workforce available to provide comprehensive and accessible healthcare in New Orleans and throughout Louisiana,” Tulane President Michael A. Fitts said in a press release. “This program is part of Tulane’s commitment to improve our city and region’s health and economy by reimagining downtown New Orleans as a national hub for medical education and as a center of bioscience research and innovation.”
In addition to caring for patients, registered nurses play roles in health promotion, disease prevention, research, health policy planning, patient education, administration, leadership within healthcare facilities and more. Fitts said nurses are even more essential thanks to changes to the country’s healthcare system. Now, patients often receive treatment through a distributed model that shifts care from a clinic or hospital setting to the patient’s home.
Tulane’s nursing program students will complete hundreds of hours of education in clinical settings at Tulane’s local hospital and healthcare partners.
“This nursing program is an exciting addition to our academic offerings and reflects our deep commitment that each of our programs be of the highest quality,” said Robin Forman, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost at Tulane. “This program offers a uniquely Tulane experience that provides an exceptional preparation for the professional pursuits of our graduates.”
Set to begin in fall 2024, the program will initially be housed in the Tulane University School of Medicine’s Murphy Building (131 S. Robertson Street), before moving to its permanent location at the renovated Tulane Medical Center building on Tulane Avenue. The program plans to enroll more than 200 students each year.
Brenda Douglas, a board-certified registered nurse and nurse educator, will lead the program as dean of nursing.
“Our program will prepare students to provide competent, team-based patient care and instill a deep commitment to community and community health outcomes that will be fostered by experiences in caring for our neighbors as part of their studies,” Douglas said.