When Dr. Hope Holmes was trying to advance her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project, she found herself at a standstill after months of work.
Holmes—an adult gerontology nurse practitioner (AGNP) providing endocrine-diabetes care at Mount Sinai Hospital in New…
Facial lacerations are common among children, who are in the important business of playing, learning, and growing. While medical providers have routinely used sedation to keep kids calm and compliant while they repair cuts, these anxiolytic medications can carry risks for children. Duke University…
The School of Nursing’s Ruby L. Wilson Center for Nursing Science and Innovation selected three faculty studies for the Spring 2025 Pilot Research Award, granting them funding for a period of 18 months to kickstart projects that will inform equitable and effective healthcare solutions across North…
Brandon Knettel, PhD, Associate Professor at Duke University School of Nursing and Associate Director of the Duke Center for Global Mental Health, recently completed a four-year grant-funded research project in Tanzania, where he partnered with medical providers and patients…
.header-quote {margin: 0 -7%;}
As the child of immigrants, and as a nurse practitioner working with underserved patient populations, Psychiatric Mental Health student Padla Yang understands intimately what culturally-relevant nurse-led care can bring to a community. In this conversation, Yang…
With a lifelong passion for healthcare rooted in a passion for serving rural communities, Tonya Hensley’s path to Duke began back in high school. Today, as a student in the school’s Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program, Hensley is combining her deep experience in both rural…
The Bedford Falls Foundation has committed $250,000 to support the Duke University School of Nursing Master of Nursing (MN) program clinical immersion experience.
“We are deeply honored by the support of the Bedford Falls Foundation,” said Michael Relf, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN,…
Faculty at the Duke University School of Nursing are leading a research project that amplifies the voices of people with substance use disorders, bringing attention to treatment and recovery in local, rural communities.
Since 2015, rural areas have experienced a surge in drug overdose rates…
Associate Professor Devon Noonan, PhD, MPH, FNP-BC, CARN, FAAN, is a project lead for the Interdisciplinary Hub for Rural Health Equity, one of three faculty-led projects to receive a Multiyear Interdisciplinary Hub grant from the Office of the Provost, with Provost Alec D.…
Joey Schwind came to Duke knowing he wanted to be a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), but along the way discovered the value of taking on leadership roles. From his early days as an acute care nurse to his time in Duke's Nurse Anesthesia program, Schwind's experiences have shaped his…
In today's dynamic healthcare environment, nurses are increasingly called to lead innovation, drive systemic change, and create scalable solutions that improve patient outcomes. Duke University School of Nursing—ranked #2 nationally for Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs by U.S. News &…
School of Nursing MN Handbook and Bulletin
MN Student Handbook
This handbook is designed to be a ready resource for you during the course of your MN studies here, and as such is designed for currently enrolled MN students. Changes will be made to the electronic version of the handbook as they…
The Need for Protected Postpartum Sleep
For newly postpartum parents, sleep is critical to the wellbeing of both themselves and their newborns—but unsurprisingly, it is often difficult to come by. School of Nursing Assistant Professor Bonnie Hepler, RN, MSW, MSPH, PhD, is using her research to…
Duke University School of Nursing's On-Campus Intensives (OCIs) are a pivotal component of the nursing education experience for students whose programs are conducted primarily virtually. Designed to bridge the gap between remote learning and hands-on practice, these intensives offer a unique…
Lydia Widder, MSN, RN is a Clinical Associate in the Center for Nursing Discovery (CND), where she brings over two decades of pediatric nursing experience and a deep commitment to advancing nursing education through simulation-based learning.
She earned her Associate Degree in Nursing (2003),…
When PhD student Jill Sergison, CNM, MA came to Duke, with a background in midwifery and reproductive health policy, she was interested in cervical cancer disparities in Appalachia. Exploring the psychosocial aspects of the disease’s higher rates among Appalachian women, Sergison…
Medical advances improving premature newborn survival and higher rates of multiple births are driving growing demand for neonatal nurse practitioners. Duke University School of Nursing is working to fill that demand by preparing experienced NICU nurses to deliver advanced, evidence-based care to…
In a question-and-answer session, Valerie Sabol, RN, PhD, MBA, Clinical Professor and inaugural Director of Planetary Health at Duke University School of Nursing, explained nursing’s link to planetary health, imagined what a climate-friendly nursing future could look like…
A Volunteer's Perspective
In June 2025, I volunteered to support the School of Nursing’s Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner MSN students in their perinatal ultrasound learning experience. As the School’s Internal Communications Manager, and with a Duke graduate background in women’s and feminist…
Recent reports estimate that the United States is 2,700 physician endocrinologists short, particularly in rural and underserved areas. To help fill this critical gap, Duke University, Yale University, and the University of California, San Francisco have led the way in creating diabetes and…