Henderson State nursing program welcomes new faculty
Henderson State University’s nursing program welcomes six new faculty members as the 2023 fall semester gets under way. They join five returning faculty, giving the program a fully-staffed nursing team to provide top-quality instruction to students seeking a successful career in nursing.
“Our nursing team is stronger than ever, and I can’t wait to see where the future will take us,” said Dr. Kristina Shelton, chief academic nursing officer and assistant professor of nursing. “The quality of faculty we were able to bring on board is phenomenal. The new faculty possess the nursing backgrounds needed to successfully serve our students and the Arkadelphia community.”
The new faculty members are:
- Kelly Malcolm, assistant professor of undergraduate nursing
- Liz Clayton, assistant professor of undergraduate nursing
- Karson Henry, assistant professor of undergraduate nursing
- Latoya Young, assistant professor of undergraduate nursing
- Ashly Siskowski, assistant professor of undergraduate simulation/lab coordinator
- Leah Wood, assistant professor, MSN program, and family nurse practitioner coordinator.
- Caron Manning is the new administrative analyst.
Returning faculty members are:
- Kristina Shelton, chief academic nursing officer and assistant professor
- Allison Divine, assistant professor, MSN program
- Trudi Sabaj, assistant professor, MSN program
- Charity Dawson, assistant professor, MSN program
- Janna Lock, assistant professor of undergraduate nursing, RN to BSN program
- Amber Wright is administrative assistant
Henderson Nursing offers the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program on campus, the RN to BSN online, and the Master of Science in Nursing. A Family Nurse Practitioner track is also offered.
Henderson nursing students improved on their notable history of success taking the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) in spring 2023. Shelton said the pass rate increased from 74 percent in 2022 to 92 percent.
“The rise in our class score is significant because it shows our students are able to apply the lessons they have learned to produce the best patient outcomes,” Shelton said.
Also, all nursing students in the 2023 class had jobs within three months of commencement, with most finding jobs before they graduated.
“I have communicated with many clinical facilities this summer while trying to secure clinical sites, and each time I speak with directors, CNOs, and leadership teams, they tell me they want Henderson students at their facility because they know the quality of nursing students Henderson produces,” Shelton said.
For more information about Henderson’s nursing program, go to hsu.edu/nursing.