KEEPING PULSE
Judy LeFlore, Ph.D., RN, NNP-BC, CPNP, AC & PC,
ANEF, FAAN, a professor in the UTA College of Nursing,
where she also serves as the associate dean and chair for
graduate nursing programs and simulation technology,
expresses the importance of dedicated nurses. “The online and accelerated programs make us really stand
out.” The experience provides students with the supportive
environment of fellow classmates as well as mentorship
from faculty members. MSU Flower Mound enrolled 44
nurses in the spring semester alone.
“As nurses, we come in with a four-year degree of
education, plus years of experience, which makes
us unique. And, as nurses, we land in a population
or setting that makes us happy,” she said. “Some
of our students choose to enter this field simply
because of an experience they had with a nurse or a
nurse practitioner. They want to give back. The nurse
practitioner increases access to care and gives the
population more individuals to turn to. This is the way
we hope to meet the demands of our community.” The field of nursing makes up the single largest sector of
the healthcare workforce and MSU is working to fill that
need. “With the expansion of DFW and our people here, we
thought we would expand our BSN program here to ensure
that reach,” said Canivel.
Midwestern State University
Flower Mound Closing Gap in
Supply and Demand
Proving you can never have too many nurses
because there’s never enough, Midwestern
State University (MSU), a public liberal arts
university seen as a leader in the field of
nursing education for many years, has shortened the
commute time by opening a new campus in the North
Texas town of Flower Mound, and made advanced nursing
degrees possible by offering the program online.
The new program provides registered nurses the
opportunity to earn a bachelor of science in nursing degree
online, eliminating the distance barrier that made it
difficult for working nurses to earn an advanced degree.
Students in the RN transition program, which is accredited
by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, can
complete the courses leading to a BSN in as few as nine
months, even while continuing to work full-time.
“We’ve already had some great success,” stated Randy
Canivel, director of MSU’s new campus in Flower Mound.
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SUMMER 2018
MSU Flower Mound offers other distance learning
opportunities in other applied healthcare careers, as
well, including a bachelor of science in respiratory
care (BSRC) and a bachelor of science in radiologic
science (BSRS) degree.
Abilene Christian University Dallas
Joins Pursuit of Healthcare Excellence
Another university going the distance to
provide healthcare students the online
opportunity to further their careers is
Abilene Christian University (ACU).
Opening its Dallas campus enabled students the flexibility
of the online learning format, making it possible to work
while pursuing an advanced degree.
ACU’s online graduate programs encompass multiple
industries, one of which is healthcare. The doctor of
nursing practice (DNP) degree was designed to enhance
clinical and leadership skills of the medical professional
through a combination of online learning and practical
application in the workplace.
Another rapidly growing area of interest is in mental
health, and the profession of marriage and family therapy
is another specialization now available online from ACU.
The marriage and family therapy program provides practical
training in the treatment of mental illness, substance
abuse and addiction, couple, family and child therapy, and
assessment and diagnosis.