Southern University School of Nursing (SUSON) was granted initial approval by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing in 1985 and admitted the first baccalaureate level students to upper division courses in the fall of 1986.  The School of Nursing currently offers three degrees:  the bachelor of science in nursing (BSN), the master of science in nursing with a specialty in family health nursing (MSN) and role options as administrator, educator or family nurse practitioner, and the doctor of philosophy with a major in nursing (PhD).  The school houses two academic departments (graduate and undergraduate), the Office of Nursing Research, the Learning Resource Center, and the Nurse Managed Clinics.  The school has four funded Endowed Professorships through the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, the Louisiana State Board of Regents and three area health care agencies (Our Lady of the Lake, Woman's Hospital, and the Baton Rouge General).

The school employs 19 staff members that assist faculty in operationalizing the school's vision.  The faculty complement is 28 full-time, and eight part-time faculty.  Janet S. Rami, RN, PhD, Dean since 1986, has lead the School in acquiring over 12 million dollars in external funding since 1990.  The BSN and MSN programs are approved by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing, accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC), and were granted preliminary approval for accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

Vision

The vision for the School of Nursing for 2008 is to have a nationally recognized school with an emerging center for nursing research. The diverse student population will have graduation and external examination pass rates above the national average. SUSON faculty will be doctoral prepared and represent diverse graduate programs from across the nation. The faculty will be nationally recognized for their success with students from disadvantaged backgrounds and their programs of research will begin to attract national attention. A fully staffed Nursing Research Office, housed within the school, will assist the faculty in their research endeavors. The Nurse Managed Clinics will be self-sufficient and a major resource for clinical research investigating vulnerable populations. The largest portion of the school's funding will be from external sources. Indirect cost funding from external sources will be shared with the school and departments as an incentive to seek funding.

Mission

The School of Nursing is a professional School within the context of higher education. It has as its major focus the preparation of professional nurses and the ongoing development and maintenance of an educational climate of relevancy inclusive of professional culture, research and standards of practice. The School seeks to provide a program of education designed to uniquely and effectively contribute to the alleviation of current and future problems associated with the availability and delivery of quality nursing care. The purpose of the School of Nursing is congruent with the parent institution.

Goal Statements

• Goal I      Develop and maintain high quality degree programs that focus on and are compatible
                  with the mission of the university, as well as with the needs of the community and the
                  health care system it serves.
• Goal II     Provide for an effective research infrastructure to enhance faculty and student
                  scholarship, research, and other creative pursuits.
• Goal III    Recruit, hire, develop, and reward highly competent faculty who bring appropriate
                  expertise and who are committed to providing quality learning opportunities for
                  students.
• Goal IV    Provide a leadership role in public service activities.
• Goal V     Establish and maintain effective systems of program review and assessment to 
                  assure high quality programs. Program reviews will be systematic, ongoing,
                  participatory, comprehensive and outcome-oriented.
• Goal VI    Place strong emphasis on providing an organizational structure and resources to
                  enhance attainment of educational, research and public service goals.

 For more information, contact:
Southern University and A & M College
School of Nursing
P.O. Box 11784
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70813
Fax: (225) 771-2641
paulawhitmore@suson.subr.edu

Last updated on March, 2003