Natchitoches – The Louisiana Nurses Foundation recognized Northwestern State University’s College of Nursing with several awards during the LNF Nightingale Gala.
NSU’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree program was named Nursing School of the Year for the Graduate Degree Program. Dr. Aimee Badeaux, interim dean of the College of Nursing and School of Allied Health and Nurse Anesthesia program coordinator, was named School of Nursing Administrator of the Year. Dr. Shaun Wheat, assistant professor on the Natchitoches campus, was named Educator of the Year and Megan Downey, a 2023 Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduate, was named Rookie of the Year.
NSU’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program is offered to baccalaureate or master’s prepared registered nurses who desire to practice at the highest level and significantly impact healthcare outcomes for vulnerable populations. Graduates of the DNP have the potential to transform healthcare by utilizing advanced clinical settings, translating evidence into practice, implementing system changes, establishing standards and policies and acting as organizational leaders.
The nomination for NSU’s DNP program elaborated on program’s quality curricula design, student-centric program offerings, expert faculty, excellent clinical partnerships and production of practice improvement projects focused on improving health care in vulnerable patient populations were the key components that made NSU’s DNP program one of the best in the state and the nation. Badeaux accepted the award on behalf of the DNP program.
Dr. Aimee Badeaux, interim dean of NSU’s College of Nursing and School of Allied Health, received the award from Donald Stafford on behalf of NSU’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program.
Badeaux joined the NSU faculty in 2020 as the director of doctoral studies to assist in the development and accreditation of the first DNP Nurse Anesthesia (NA) concentration above the I-10 corridor. Badeaux had previously served as a faculty member, assistant program administrator and program director for the Nurse Anesthesia Program at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University. The self-study to obtain initial accreditation from the Council on Accreditation for Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs was written and submitted on August 5th, 2020, while Covid-19 was rampant. Badeaux has guided the NSU DNP Program through significant expansion and redesign. Under her direction, the Nurse Anesthesia concentration was started within the already established DNP program, initially providing an Organization Systems Leadership (OSL) concentration for students who held a master’s degree in nursing.
Badeaux is a visionary leader who uses emotional intelligence and servant leadership to lead and manage with empathy and understanding. As a culmination of her visionary leadership and evidence of success in the DNP degree program, Badeaux was asked to serve as the interim dean for the College of Nursing and the School of Allied Health (CONSAH). She is lauded by both colleagues and students as an exceptional leader, educator and nurse based on her expertise, leadership capacity, futuristic thinking, active involvement in lifelong learning, scholarship, clinical practice, professional organizations and community service.
Wheat, who has taught undergraduate nursing students since 2003, was nominated based on educational excellence, scholarship and professional activities, university and community service, advising and student impact and ethical and professional conduct. Wheat was lauded by both colleagues and students for embodying the qualities of an exceptional educator and mentor.
Wheat consistently integrates innovation and excellence into her teaching competencies, engaging students through a variety of approaches and incorporating active learning in the classroom and clinical settings to help students build clinical judgement. She also serves on several professional service committees at the university and is a member of numerous professional organizations. Last year, she and a group of clinical nursing students travelled to Nepal to work with the Empower Nepali Girls organization, which prevents sex-trafficking of girls while providing educational opportunities through scholarships. Wheat and students delivered safety kits and basic medical supplies to a remote village and provided health screenings and instruction on women’s health.
This is the second year in a row that an NSU faculty member has been recognized with the award. Dr. Susan Steele-Moses, associate professor, statistician and methodologist, was last year’s Educator of the Year.
Downey earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2023 and is a member of the Oschner LSU Health Shreveport-Academic Medical Center nursing staff where she consistently volunteers for additional responsibilities and engages in continuing education and staff development opportunities. She completed Ochsner’s Preceptor and Critical Care Academy courses, along with the Trauma and Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT) courses. In addition to seeking out educational opportunities for professional growth and being a reliable employee, Downey also demonstrates critical qualities of a future expert nurse, such as clinical expertise, exemplary time management skills, effective professional communication, compassionate care, accountability for job performance, and willingness to go above and beyond what is asked or expected of her.
After working as an RN for a year, Downey began training to become a postoperative care nurse for cardiovascular surgical patients. After only a month of CV orientation, she was providing one-on-one care to postoperative open-heart surgery patients in the SICU. Downey has since obtained her Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) and Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT) certifications and recently completed Ochsner’s Trauma Course. She is preparing for the Trauma Certified Registered Nurse Certification (TCRN) and Critical Care Nurse Certification (CCRN) examinations. Downey’s mother, Renee Downey, NSU’s BSN Level 5 coordinator, accepted the award on her behalf.
NSU graduates more registered nurses than any single university in Louisiana. NSU’s College of Nursing and School of Allied Health is comprised of a diverse group of staff and health professionals dedicated to providing the highest quality nursing and allied health education in the state and region. CONSAH offers degree programs from the associate to the practice doctorate, post-master’s certificates in nursing, undergraduate certificates in radiologic sciences and post-baccalaureate in ultrasound. There are about 2,400 students currently enrolled on NSU’s learning sites in Alexandria, Leesville, Natchitoches and Shreveport.
Information on NSU’s College of Nursing and School of Allied Health is available at https://www.nsula.edu/nursing/.
