School of Nursing

Contact

Fisher Hall
Duquesne University
600 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15282

(412) 396-6550
www.duq.edu/nursing

School History

• 1935 - School of Nursing was founded as a unit in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• 1937 - Established as a separate school and approved by the State Board of Education of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
• 1937 - First in Pennsylvania to offer Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree for high school graduates
• 1964 - Implemented revised nursing program for admission of both 4-year and registered nurse students leading to a BSN degree
• 1982 - RN-BSN program, designed to meet the educational and professional needs of the registered nurse, was instituted
• 1986 - Graduate Nursing program was opened to offer the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and ultimately three areas of specialization were offered: Family (Individual Across the Lifespan) Nurse Practitioner, Forensic Nursing and Nursing Education
• 1991 - Second Degree BSN program established for students who hold a baccalaureate degree in a discipline other than nursing
• 1994 - Graduate Nursing program expanded to include study for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Nursing
• 1997 - Created first online PhD in Nursing program in the country
• 2008 - Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program instituted
• 2008 - Designated as a Center of Excellence: Outstanding Achievement in Student Learning and Professional Development by the National League for Nursing
• 2009 - Awarded the Jacques Laval Endowed Chair in Justice for Vulnerable Populations
• 2010 - Awarded the Noble J. Dick Endowed Chair in Community Outreach
• 2011 - Redesignated as a Center of Excellence: Outstanding Achievement in Student Learning and Professional Development by the National League for Nursing
• 2012 - School of Nursing celebrates its 75th Anniversary
• 2014 - Revised online RN-BSN program
• 2014 - Biomedical Engineering and Nursing program (BME/BSN) initiated
• 2015 - Redesignated as NLN Center of Excellence: Outstanding Achievement in Student Learning and Professional Development by the National League for Nursing
• 2017 - PhD in Nursing Ethics began
• 2020 - Three Graduate MSN Nursing tracks were added: Executive Nurse Leadership and Health Care Management, Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
• 2020 - Post-Master's Certificate in Executive Nurse Leadership and Health Care Management began
• 2020 - DNP tracks expanded to include Executive Nurse Leadership and Health Care Management (Post-Bachelor's) and Executive Nurse Leadership and Health Care Management (Post-Master's)
• 2020 - Redesignated as NLN Center of Excellence: Outstanding Achievement in Student Learning and Professional Development by the National League for Nursing
• 2021 - Post-Master's Certificates began in Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
• 2025 – Doctor of Nursing Practice in Nurse Anesthesia program began

To date, more than 8,000 students have graduated from Duquesne's School of Nursing.

School of Nursing Mission Statement

The purpose of the School of Nursing is to prepare nurses to practice professional nursing that meets the dynamic health care needs of individuals, families, groups and communities. Faculty facilitate the education of students in the art and science of nursing to provide ethical, holistic, culturally competent and population-based, collaborative care.

School of Nursing Vision Statement

From its beginnings in 1937, Duquesne University School of Nursing has challenged its students to develop their minds, hearts and spirits. Dedicated to excellence and imbued by a sense of purpose, the faculty of nursing integrates nursing science and evidence-based practice with moral and spiritual values, preparing its students to be leaders, locally and globally. As citizens of the world, we embrace ecumenism and diversity, standing with the oppressed and vulnerable and teaching by example.

School of Nursing Philosophy

The faculty believes that nursing is a human science profession and an academic discipline that focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of human responses to actual or potential health problems. We believe the client, conceptualized as an individual, family, group or community, is the focus of the professional nurse. We believe each client and member of the School of Nursing community is unique and holds values and beliefs reflective of their own culture, sense of spirituality and life experiences.

The faculty believes that there are core competencies that enable a nurse to provide "safe passage" for clients. The core competencies are the basis of the nurse's ability to provide, design, manage and coordinate caring practices. These core competencies are clinical judgment, advocacy, caring practices, systems thinking, response to diversity, facilitation of learning, clinical inquiry and collaboration.

The faculty believes that together we serve students by being strong role models through commitment to excellence as teachers, scholars, clinicians and learners. The faculty is dedicated to cultivating a sense of professional empowerment, a desire for lifelong learning, and a passion for social justice as a way of being in our school and as an integral part of our school community. An innovative curriculum, based on the changing health and socio-cultural needs of populations and the health care delivery system, is integral to the commitment of the faculty to students' learning and development.

The faculty believes that we all learn best when actively engaged in the learning process. The faculty desires to work with students as a community of learners in which all function at a high level of accountability, flexibility and integrity. In that way, a true learning environment can be created that fosters the exchange of diverse ideas and opinions and advances collaboration. In such a learning community, progress can be anticipated, and the efficient use of technology can be assessed and incorporated into the total health care environment. An appropriate balance between technology and aspects of human touch and caring is sought.

School of Nursing Value Statement of Inclusion

Duquesne University School of Nursing creates an environment that values a culture of inclusion and openness for faculty, staff, students and its community partners in pursuit of teaching/learning, scholarship, research and services, both locally and globally.

Catalog Clause

Accreditation

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master's degree in nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice program and the post-graduate APRN certificate program at Duquesne University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).

The Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice program is approved and accredited by the Council on Accreditation. The Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (http://coacrna.org) supports doctoral education for entry into nurse anesthesia practice and has mandated that all students in nurse anesthesia programs graduate with a doctoral degree by January 1, 2025.

Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs
10275 W. Higgins Rd., Suite 906
Rosemont, IL  60018-5603
Telephone number: (847) 655-1160
URL: http://coacrna.org

Our programs are fully approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing.
P.O. Box 2649
Harrisburg, PA 17105-2649
Phone: (717) 783-7142

Centers and Resources

The School of Nursing Learning and Simulation Center provides students with exceptional hands-on learning experiences using state-of-the-art patient simulators and advanced technology. The School’s Center for Research for Underserved and Vulnerable Populations offers students an environment of cultural exchange and inquiry and research in nursing. Nursing students are assigned faculty mentors for career and professional development.

Application Exception

Duquesne University participates in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA). However, due to State Boards of Nursing regulations, the School of Nursing is currently unable to enroll online students residing in:

• Alabama
• Arizona
• Louisiana
• *New York
• Oregon
• Tennessee
• Washington

*New York Exception: Duquesne University is able to accept applications for the online PhD programs in Nursing and Nursing Ethics.

For questions, please email online@duq.edu or call (412) 396.1319.

Graduate Tracks

The School of Nursing offers the following graduate degrees:

Master of Science in Nursing

The MSN advanced practice nurse will synchronize the nurse competencies with patient characteristics in facilitating health care delivery across one of six tracks

Post-Master's Certificate

An online Post-Master's Certificates (PMC) in Nursing allow nurses who have previously earned their MSN to continue their post-graduate nursing education and gain a competitive edge in today's nursing field.

Doctor of Nursing Practice

The online Doctor of Nursing Practice degree enables the graduates to transform the health care delivery system and design new systems to improve the context in which health care is offered.

Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing

The PhD program is designed to engage students in an intensive rigorous manner that prepares them as nurse scholars to enter the workforce in a reasonable amount of time.

Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Ethics

The PhD in Nursing Ethics will teach students how to think and debate in a rational way, as well as feel more empowered to stand up for what you know is right.

Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice

The hybrid DNAP program requirements are fulfilled through online courses, face-to-face classroom learning, extensive laboratory practicums and direct patient care experiences

Multiple Tracks

Several of the programs available in the School of Nursing have multiple tracks and/or concentrations. Please see the table below for a quick overview, or the catalog pages for each program for an in-depth look.