Nursing

NSU Nursing, which launched in Fall 2025, represents Northern State University's bold commitment to shaping the future of healthcare in our region. Our innovative program transforms students into skilled, compassionate nursing professionals through a comprehensive BSN curriculum.

What sets us apart is our commitment to personalized education, with dedicated faculty bringing real-world experience from diverse healthcare settings and maintaining active roles in clinical practice, research, and service. The NSU Nursing difference lies in our holistic approach: combining hands-on clinical experience, advanced simulation training, and a strong liberal arts foundation. We have started a program that will prepare graduates to meet modern healthcare challenges, becoming leaders who save lives, advocate for patients, and bring compassion to every interaction.

Our pre-nursing students are already embracing their future careers through active involvement in the Student Nurses Association. These aspiring nurses are already serving our community through meaningful initiatives - from organizing fundraising events and blood drives to providing fluoride treatments and health education for local children, while also showing appreciation to the construction crew with thoughtful treats. Meanwhile, our dedicated faculty and staff are reaching out to the next generation, hosting educational events that inspire elementary through high school students to explore careers in nursing and healthcare.

The Department of Nursing completed a landmark first year, transitioning from program development to active instruction of the university’s first-ever BSN students. In Fall 2025, the program welcomed its inaugural cohort of 30 students, followed by a second cohort of eleven students admitted in Spring 2026. Cohort 1 achieved 100% retention from Fall to Spring, reflecting both the strength of the program and the dedication of its students.

In addition to the traditional BSN pathway, the department launched an LPN-to-BSN pathway, expanding access for licensed practical nurses seeking to advance their education. Induction ceremonies were held for both cohorts, marking each student’s formal entry into the nursing profession. The Spring 2026 induction was held in the new Business & Health Innovation Center on January 26, 2026.

The program also reached a critical accreditation milestone: CCNE applicant status was granted, putting NSU on track for its accreditation site visit in Fall 2026.

The Department of Nursing relocated to the new Business & Health Innovation Center (BHIC) in December 2025. This state-of-the-art facility was purpose-built to support excellence in nursing education, and all Spring 2026 courses took place in the new building, lab, and simulation center. An official dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony is forthcoming.

Simulation & Skills Lab

The BHIC houses a comprehensive simulation and skills complex designed to mirror real-world clinical environments. The simulation suite features six beds across multiple specialty settings, each configured to replicate specific areas of patient care. Dedicated suites include an OB/Pediatrics room equipped with a warmer and delivery-style bed, a clinic and home health setting, a large medical-surgical room, a critical care suite with advanced ICU equipment and ventilators, and multipurpose rooms used for skills validation and testing. This multi-room, hospital-style layout allows students to experience realistic transitions between care settings, much as they would in an actual healthcare facility.

In addition to the simulation suites, a separate eight-bed skills lab provides dedicated space for students to practice foundational nursing procedures such as wound care, medication administration, catheter insertion, and patient assessment. Students have access to a dedicated locker area for lab preparation, ensuring a professional, organized environment for every session.

The center’s technology investment is substantial. Equipment includes several high-fidelity (life-like) manikins, a Pyxis automated medication dispensing system—the same technology used in hospitals—virtual reality equipment, and a variety of task trainers for focused skill development. Audiovisual recording equipment and two dedicated debriefing rooms support the full simulation learning cycle: preparation, hands-on practice, and guided reflection. Together, the simulation and skills lab areas support 945 hours of clinical learning, giving students extensive opportunity to build confidence and competence before entering real patient care settings.

The Department of Nursing enters its second year with strong momentum and several key milestones on the horizon. The CCNE accreditation site visit is scheduled for Fall 2026, a defining moment for the program. The first graduating cohort is anticipated in Spring 2027, marking a historic achievement for NSU.

Your support during this pivotal development phase is crucial to creating an exceptional educational program that will serve our communities for generations. By investing in NSU Nursing now, you're helping build a stronger, healthier future from the ground up. Join us in launching this vital program that will transform healthcare education in our region.