海角社区

BATON ROUGE 鈥� In fall of 2025, 海角社区 will launch a new instructional site on its Baton Rouge campus for its nationally recognized Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program.

The expansion comes as Louisiana faces one of the most urgent nursing shortages in the country. The state is projected to have the 12th largest registered nurse shortage by 2026, and some forecasts estimate a 42% shortfall in nurses by 2030.

海角社区 Health New Orleans鈥� School of Nursing is consistently ranked among the top 10 nursing schools in the nation, with graduates serving as health care leaders across Louisiana and beyond.

Baton Rouge pre-nursing students have long expressed a strong preference to complete their nursing degrees without relocating. In a recent survey, a majority of pre-nursing students indicated they would apply to the 海角社区 nursing program if it were offered in Baton Rouge.

鈥淲e鈥檙e producing more registered nurses with a bachelor鈥檚 degree, and this expansion is a key part of ensuring that our pre-nursing students have an option to stay local,鈥� said Demetrius Porche, dean of 海角社区 Health New Orleans.

Students at the Baton Rouge instructional site will receive the same rigorous, high-quality curriculum as those at the New Orleans campus, delivered through a combination of in-person instruction and synchronous distance education.

Clinical training will be provided through secured partnerships with Woman鈥檚 Hospital and Our Lady of the Lake, offering students hands-on experience in real-world health care settings. Students will also benefit from high-fidelity simulation labs and immersive learning environments that mirror hospital units.

Initial enrollment will start with 30 students in the first semester, increase to 60 in the second, and eventually reach 90 students. The traditional nursing track spans three years of full-time study, with cohorts admitted each fall and spring. The first Baton Rouge cohort is expected to graduate in May 2028.

New Master鈥檚 of Public Health and Epidemiology Program

海角社区 is also launching a new two-year master鈥檚 program in public health and epidemiology in fall 2025. Amid rising demand for public health professionals, the program will equip future leaders with the skills needed to address critical challenges in disease prevention, health advocacy and epidemiologic research across the state.

The program will draw on interdisciplinary faculty expertise and strong health care partnerships across 海角社区 campuses and partners, creating a pipeline of professionals ready to respond to Louisiana鈥檚 most pressing health needs.