School of Nursing

Nursing Faculty Crista Briggs and Lori Fox at BSN Convocation

Welcome to The School of Nursing!

Our mission is to provide undergraduate and graduate education to meet the changing health care needs of a global society.

Why Choose Nursing as a Career?

The ANA (American Nurses Assoication) defines nursing as:

"Nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and population."

In other words, nursing careers involve many different challenges and responsibilities! Nurses are involved with all aspects of a patient's care, from providing therapeutic and diagnostic procedures to providing comfort to patient's and their families.

If you love helping others, if you are truly passionate about the human spirit, and really want to make a difference in the lives of others. If you are not afraid of hard-work, have excellent attention to detail, nursing may be an option for you!

Planned BSN Program Expansion

The School of Nursing is pleased to announce, pending approval from the Kentucky Board of Nursing, we will be doubling the BSN nursing program. A maximum of 80 new students will be accepted each semester starting Fall 2012.

WKU’s School of Nursing is pleased to announce the availability of an on-line RN to BSN program

The curriculum is designed to build on the education registered nurses (RNs) received in their AD program. Both full-time and part-time options are available. The RN to BSN program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. For more information please visit http://www.wku.edu/cohort/rn-to-bsn/ or call 270-745-2391.

Recent Faculty Publications

Dr. Mary Bennett, Dr M. Laurie Branstetter, Dr Melinda Joyce and Dr Cherie Howk published an article in the February 2012 Journal for Nurse Practitioners. The article, titled Nurse Practitioner and Pharmacist Interactions: Implications for Effectiveness of Interdisciplinary Health Care Teams, can be viewed on TopScholar at http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/47/

School of Nursing Helps RN to BSN Students Attend Medical Reserve Corps Training

Faculty in the School of Nursing and staff at the Barren River District Health Department collaborated to offer the opportunity for students enrolled in the on-line RN to BSN program to attend the Medical Reserve Corps Training. Seventeen students, from areas throughout the state, participated in the training. Those completing the training are now able to become volunteers in their local communities to assist during a disaster. Four faculty members (Cathy Abell, Lisa Proctor, Kathleen Riley, and Deborah Williams) accompanied the students.