�ձ�av��Ƶ

Nurses with bachelor’s degrees who are looking for additional paths for advancing their careers can find options in �ձ�av��Ƶ’s College of Nursing. 

The College of Nursing offers many graduate program options: a Master of Science with specializations in nurse administrator and nurse educator; a Doctor of Nursing Practice with specializations in family nurse practitioner, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, and clinical nurse leader; postgraduate certificates in psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner and adult gerontology acute care nurse practitioner; and the Doctor of Philosophy in nursing. 

While most are familiar with the advanced practice registered nurse roles (nurse practitioner), many may not be familiar with the other graduate degree options that can offer expanded career options. 

Nurse administrator 

The Master of Science in Nursing with a nurse administrator specialization may be of interest to someone who wants to seek a health care administration job. 

“Whether it’s an administrator in a nursing home, clinic, hospital — it could be any sort of leadership position — this degree would certainly give them additional expertise. The master’s degree is not always a requirement to hold a leadership position, but it’s certainly a benefit,” said Heidi Mennenga, associate dean for academic programs. 

Amy Seales, a Rapid City native who still calls the community home, earned her Master of Science nurse administrator degree from �ձ�av��Ƶ earlier this year. 

She was recently promoted to director of operations for general surgery and gastroenterology for Monument Health. Her 32 years of nursing experience also include medical-surgical bedside, clinic nurse, bariatric patient navigator, nursing supervisor and bariatric coordinators, as well as director of ambulatory nursing. 

Seales decided to pursue the nurse administrator program to grow in leadership in her organization. “To be a competitive applicant, I knew I needed the knowledge that would be obtained with this degree,” she said. “The majority of directors in my organization hold master's degrees. The knowledge that I gained through this program has prepared me to hit the ground running in my new position as an operations director.” 

Seales recommended the program to others who want to grow as leaders in their fields, and she said the �ձ�av��Ƶ coursework gave her a great foundation to continue her professional journey. 

“My academic advisor was knowledgeable and helpful in ensuring I reached my goal, and the professors were all readily available for questions and concerns even though the coursework was online and asynchronous,” she said. 

Nurse educator 

The Master of Science in Nursing with a nurse educator specialization is for those who are interested in teaching in higher education. Nurse educators can also teach in the clinical setting. 

“It’s required by Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education-accredited, Bachelor of Science in Nursing-prepared programs, for faculty to have a master’s to be able to teach. So, they can teach in the academic setting or in the clinical setting as a nurse educator,” Mennenga explained. 

Carly Zwicki, a resident of Andover, Minnesota, earned her MSN nurse educator degree from �ձ�av��Ƶ. She started her nursing career at Mayo Clinic in Rochester working as a bedside nurse on the solid organ transplant floor. She now works at Allina Health as a clinical services supervisor, overseeing a team of nine clinical assistants and working with them to roll out new workflows and processes. She oversees and manages day-to-day clinical flow. 

“I have always been passionate about education and helping new and student nurses be successful in their roles. The program at �ձ�av��Ƶ was recommended to me by a nursing education specialist who had also gone through the program at �ձ�av��Ƶ.” 

She recommended the program and completed it without stepping foot on the Brookings campus. 

“I was able to be successful throughout the entire program. It’s set up to be flexible and easy to follow through the online platforms. During the program, I worked full time and had my daughter, and the support from the faculty was outstanding. I was able to manage the workload of the classes without it feeling overwhelming. I would recommend the program at �ձ�av��Ƶ to anyone interested in pursuing an MSN.” 

DNP clinical nurse leader 

Graduates of the Doctor of Nursing Practice clinical nurse leader program typically work bedside and are considered expert clinicians. The program prepares nurses for the continuum of care within any health care setting. 

“They can help bridge that gap in evidence-based practice, so they focus more on care coordination, but they also look at how outcomes are across a system or across a floor. They look at quality improvement, best practices based on evidence. We often think of the leaders at the executive level. However, this degree is beneficial for leaders who want to be at the bedside,” Mennenga said. 

The DNP clinical nurse leader program was developed to address the critical need to improve the quality of patient care outcomes at the point of care. The advanced preparation positions a program graduate for more advanced, systemwide practice designed to better meet the needs of today’s health care systems. 

A clinical nurse leader also focuses on outcomes measurement, transitions of care, interprofessional communication and team leadership, and risk assessment. 

Like the college’s other graduate programs, coursework is delivered online and includes a field-based practicum, offering flexibility for those who need to juggle a job with going back to school. 

“Since the program is online, students can fit it around their schedule, plus while we have plans of study, we’re always willing to have conversations about how to individualize it for students. Some want to do it faster, and others want to do it slower, just based on life circumstances,” Mennenga said. “We’re extremely student-centered, and we want the student to be successful.” 

Ph.D. in nursing 

The first three degrees require a bachelor’s degree in nursing as a starting point. But a Doctor of Philosophy, for those who want to become a nurse scientist, is an option for anyone with any bachelor’s degree and does not require a registered nurse license. 

“This is for people who want to do research that improves human health,” said Sarah Mollman, associate dean of research and Ph.D. program director. That could include those already in the health care industry and systems who want to become scientist-scholars. 

One College of Nursing Ph.D. alum, Tamara Keefner, is a Rapid City native who started her career as a dental hygienist, working in pedodontics with young patients with special needs. After about 20 years, she decided she wanted to make a greater impact and began a second career as a registered nurse, earning a BSN in 2014 from �ձ�av��Ƶ at Rapid City. 

Her career led her to medical-surgical nursing and behavioral health, and she started teaching clinicals for �ձ�av��Ƶ as soon as she was able. It ultimately led her to pursue a Ph.D. in nursing, which she earned in 2019. 

Keefner said she discovered her love of research when she became a nursing student. 

“During my time as a nurse in the behavioral health unit, I realized that there was more for me to do on a different level. I discovered that there was little research on suicide prevention, and there was a need for research and community support for individuals struggling with suicidal thoughts and behaviors,” Keefner said. “My research focuses on mental health, specifically learning more about suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and what support is needed.” 

As a result of her dissertation, Keefner decided to start a nonprofit organization called SPEAK Network, for which she serves as CEO in addition to teaching online nursing courses as an assistant professor for the University of South Dakota. “This organization provides education to the community, empowering them to recognize when and how to help someone dealing with a mental health crisis, as well as classes for community members who want to build a foundation of strength and resilience.” 

Keefner said she highly recommends the Ph.D. in nursing program at �ձ�av��Ƶ. The faculty at �ձ�av��Ƶ inspired her to continue her education, and she chose �ձ�av��Ƶ because the BSN to Ph.D. program allowed her to stay in Rapid City and continue working in behavioral health while pursuing her studies. 

“It is challenging, and the faculty are very supportive. I am so glad I went this route. The professors I had got to know their students well and supported them all the way,” Keefner said. “Even now, five years after I graduated, my professors still send me information they think I would be interested in and that could aid my research. The benefits of holding a Ph.D. include the autonomy I have in my work and the opportunity to instill the same passion for learning in my students.”