welcome to the department of nursing
Chairperson's Message
Welcome to the Department of Nursing at Southern Connecticut State University! We thank you for your interest in our profession and specifically our programs. The need for nurses, particularly registered nurses educated at the baccalaureate degree level, has perhaps never been higher. Nurses with a baccalaureate degree are prepared to practice in a wide variety of healthcare settings and are able to pursue graduate studies in nursing to practice in advanced roles. At SCSU we have been preparing nurses for entry-level practice at the BSN level since 1969 and have offered graduate degrees in nursing since 1989. Please visit the rest of our site for specific information about our programs.
SCSU nursing graduates are readily employed in area healthcare agencies and many hold leadership positions. Since their establishment, the Department of Nursing's programs have received continuous national accreditation and have been continually approved by the Connecticut State Board of Examiners for Nursing. Our baccalaureate graduates are very successful on the national licensing exam for RNs and, in fact, the average score over the past five years has been above the state and national averages. Graduates from our Family Nurse Practitioner Program also score above the national average on the national certification exam.
Our faculty is committed to offering students high quality nursing programs and continuously review the curriculum to be sure we are preparing students for practice in a highly complex and competitive healthcare environment. For example, with recent federal appropriations we received through the efforts of Congresswoman Rosa De Lauro, we expanded our nursing laboratory facilities and purchased new high tech equipment, including two SimMan models. These technologically advanced models enable faculty to simulate realistic patient care situations in the laboratory setting, thus providing students with the ability to refine their clinical skills prior to entering the clinical setting. In addition to our laboratory expansion, we were able to move our main offices to the new nursing building, which also houses additional classrooms, computers, and study spaces for the students. Consistent with our mission, we will continue to seek ways to improve and enhance our programs and educate professional registered nurses for a challenging and exciting profession. I hope you join us! If I can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Cesarina Thompson, PhD, RN
Chairperson & Professor
Department of Nursing
New Nursing Building 101E
Email: Thompsonc1@southernct.edu
Phone: (203) 392-6487
Fax: (203) 392-6493
