A Gift That Carries Forward
Before Abby Stanley was preparing for a career in pediatric critical care, before clinical shifts and research hours, she was a child learning how to find her footing in a life that had already asked her to be resilient.
Out now: School of Nursing Magazine
Our yearly spring magazine highlights the theme: Serving Communities, Changing Lives. Across every story, you’ll find nurses who give back to their patients, their students, their communities and to one another, embodying the very spirit of our mission to “serve God by serving students, so they may, in turn, serve others."
A Career that Matters, A Life with Meaning
Taking a holistic approach to student learning and patient care has been one of the hallmarks of Duquesne School of Nursing since our founding in 1937. Duquesne was among the first schools of nursing in the country to offer the Bachelor of Science in Nursing, which remains our most popular program. In 1997, Duquesne became a pioneer in offering a fully online Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) which has enabled us to offer several other online programs including the Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN), Post-Master’s Certificates (PMC) and the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).
Today, we offer extraordinary clinical experiences at sites located in the heart of Pittsburgh, which is on the cutting edge of health care opportunities and research. Our students enjoy outstanding first-time licensure pass rates for the BSN (96.12%) and 100% for each three of our MSN Nurse Practitioner programs.
Our nursing graduates and faculty are making a difference as practitioners and researchers, educators and scholars, leaders and innovators. Now, it’s your turn.
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What Students Say
As of right now, I am interested in working as an ICU nurse, but at the same time, I am still open to exploring other specialties as I continue my education and get hands-on experience in my clinical rotations!
If you're considering the Second Degree Program, I say to go for it. I waited a while before actually entering the program and I wish that I had started sooner. Any experience with being a PCT or shadowing is super helpful when starting the program.
Coming from a high-acuity ICU background, the FNP program helps broaden my perspective beyond critical care to include prevention and long-term management. The coursework and clinical experiences have strengthened my ability to care across the lifespan.
As a bedside nurse, I saw how significant leadership decisions are in shaping patient outcomes, staff morale, and the overall experience. It led me to want to have a larger influence on how care is delivered, not just at the individual patient level, but across the organization.
One of the most appealing aspects of Duquesne’s CRNA program is its clinical partnership with Allegheny Health Network, one of the most respected hospital systems in Western Pennsylvania.
Reading the about the research interests of the doctoral faculty at Duquesne sold me on the program. Their interest in transcultural nursing and vulnerable populations matched my professional experiences and interests.
Nursing Events
Second-Degree Nursing Information Session - August 19
Please join us for a virtual information session and program overview of the Second Degree BSN Program!
BSN Information Session - August 28
Learn more about our BSN program and Duquesne University by attending our information session!
During the session, you will hear a group presentation about the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, discuss the admission process, and learn about life at Duquesne. A tour will immediately follow the
Second-Degree Nursing Information Session - September 8
Please join us for a virtual information session and program overview of the Second Degree BSN Program!
When Francesca Fisher graduated from Duquesne University’s accelerated second-degree nursing program in December 2025, she wasn’t just earning a diploma—she was stepping confidently into a future defined by purpose and service. Joy, pride, happy tears and applause filled campus this past weekend as Duquesne University celebrated 1,175 members of the Class of 2026 during Spring Commencement ceremonies. Assistant Professor Clinical Assistant Professor Professor Clinical Assistant Professor, Director, Family (Individual Across the Lifespan) Nurse Practitioner Program Associate Professor Clinical Associate Professor, Director Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program, Director of Advance Practice Simulation Pedagogy and Scholarship for the Joanne Barkett-Conway Simulation Center Professor, The Jacques Laval Chair for Justice for Vulnerable Populations Clinical Associate Professor Clinical Associate Professor Clinical Assistant Professor Dean and Professor, School of Nursing Associate Professor Clinical Associate Professor Professor and Associate Dean for Research Assistant Professor Assistant Professor Clinical Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Clinical Faculty & Affairs Assistant Professor Clinical Assistant Professor and Director, Second Degree BSN Program Clinical Assistant Professor Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Professor, and Noble J. Dick Endowed Chair in Community Outreach Clinical Assistant Professor Professor Emerita Clinical Associate Professor Clinical Associate Professor, and Chair, Advanced Practice Programs Director of Academic Support and NCLEX RN Success Clinical Assistant Professor Assistant Professor Clinical Professor/ Director of Nurse Anesthesia Studies and Scholarly Projects Associate Professor Professor by Courtesy Clinical Assistant Professor Clinical Assistant Professor Professor Emerita Professor Professor, Noble J. Dick Endowed Chair in Academic Leadership Assistant Professor/Undergraduate Programs Chair Assistant Professor Clinical Assistant Professor Clinical Assistant Professor, Nurse Anesthesia Program Clinical Assistant Professor Academic Support Coach Professor Associate Professor, Director of Ethics for the School of Nursing Clinical Assistant Professor, Assistant Director Nurse Anesthesia Program Clinical Associate Professor and Director, BME/BSN Program, Instructor Director of Graduate Clinical Faculty & Clinical Affairs; Assistant Clinical Professor Assistant Dean for Clinical Skills and Simulation Education, Instructor, Simulated Participant Coordinator Professor and Chair of Advanced Role and PhD Programs, Director of Nursing Education and Faculty Role Clinical Associate Professor/ Director of the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program
Nursing Stories and News
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A Second Degree, A Clearer Path
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A Celebratory Weekend for the Class of 2026
Faculty
Larissa Allen
Christopher Baker
Alison Colbert
Laura Crimm
Jessica Devido
Deborah Dillon
Sr. Rosemary Donley
Manjulata Evatt
Ruth M. Foreman
Steven Ganchuk
Mary Ellen Smith Glasgow
Julie Hinkle
Ruth Irwin
Melissa Kalarchian
Angela Karakachian
Kimberly A. Kasper
Susan Kelly
Megan Kitts
Amber Kolesar
Frank Kosnosky, Jr.
Rebecca Kronk
Jodi Licata
Joan Such Lockhart
Mary Kay Loughran
Denise Lucas
Sr. Mary Meyers
Cara Morrill-Stoklosa
Lauren Narbey
Michael Neft
Mai-Ly Nguyen Steers
Daniel B. Oerther
Nicole Pacella
Ergie Pepito Inocian
Lenore K. Resick
James Schreiber
L. Kathleen Sekula
Torrie Snyder
Theresa Stujenske
Rebecca Sullivan
Garalynn Tomas
Mayra Toney
McKenzie Trader
Melanie Turk
Eric Vogelstein
Rebecca Vrescak
Yvonne L. Weideman
Tasha Wheeler
Donna White
Susan Williams
Rick Zoucha
Marci L. Zsamboky
Duquesne - Pittsburgh Connection
The Second Degree BSN program at Duquesne University is an opportunity for those individuals who want to be a nurse to have an accelerated program to work as that field, and we need nurses. There are an abundant number of opportunities for these individuals to make an impact on our mission of providing excellent care to our patients and families. At UPMC Children’s we love partnering with our friends at Duquesne to provide a pediatric experience for the second degree students should they choose to want pediatrics. We see the success stories and welcome the students commitment to our goals.
Duquesne prepared me well, by offering some of the best clinical experiences in all of Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh has a lot of trauma and specialized hospitals, such as Allegheny General Hospital, UPMC Presbyterian and the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. My clinical experiences provided a well-rounded education and prepared me for my role as a Mayo Clinic’s Medical ICU nurse after graduation.
Allegheny General Hospital (AGH) is fortuante to have recruited many nurses from the Duquesne Second Degree BSN program. These nurses thrive in caring for the complex patients at AGH and are confident due to their thorough preparation at Duquesne. Nurses in the Second Degree program often bring life experience to their nursing career that benefit our patients and their families.
What drew me to Duquesne are the number of hospitals in the area. There are major hospital systems like UPMC and Allegheny Health Network along with dozens of hospitals within a 30-minute drive. It’s great to be able to experience these health care networks and use these different types of nursing software.
Pittsburgh has an international reputation for leadership in medicine and technology. As a member of both the Biomedical Engineering and Nursing communities at Duquesne, I have loved the endless opportunities that both programs have offered and I cannot wait to begin to narrow down the many career choices.
Announcement of Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) Visit
Duquesne University School of Nursing will host a Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accreditation site visit for the BSN, MSN, DNP and Post Graduate Certificate Programs on September 14, 15, 16, 2026.
In accordance with its Procedures for Accreditation of Baccalaureate and Graduate Nursing Programs, CCNE provides the opportunity for program constituents and other interested parties to submit, in writing, comments concerning the program's qualifications for accreditation. Written constituent or third-party comments must be received by CCNE 21 days before the scheduled on-site evaluation on August 24, 2026.
If you would like to submit a third-party comment for a program currently under review, please submit to thirdpartycomments@ccneaccreditation.org
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The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master's degree program 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. Duquesne University's Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in Nurse Anesthesia program is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA). Our programs are fully approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing.