Louisiana Nurse Practitioner Programs

Jennifer Trimbee

Written by Jennifer Trimbee

BA Duquesne University, Nursing Diploma UPMC Shadyside School of Nursing

Updated & Fact Checked: 11.30.2024

Like many states, Louisiana is projected to have a significant physician shortage by 2030. In the state, primary care alone is projected to be short by nearly 400 providers. Nurse practitioners are in the unique position of being able to fill some of these roles, working with doctors to provide care for the people who need it the most. 

Nurses who wish to become nurse practitioners have a variety of programs to choose from in Louisiana. Here are the top programs in the state.

Program Overview: 
Established in 1923 by the Franciscan Missionaries, the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University is a small, non-profit Catholic university with a special emphasis on healthcare. The school of nursing was the first program at the school, meaning they have been educating nurses for a century. Students get hands-on experience in the Simulated Environment Teaching Hospital, a state-of-the-art simulation lab with manikins and volunteers trained to come in and act as real patients. There are two nurse practitioner programs available here:

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Program Overview: 
Grambling State University is a comprehensive, historically black public institution. The School of Nursing boasts a 100% certification exam pass rate for its MSN programs. The school offers simulation labs with state-of-the-art equipment, including patient manikins and a birthing simulation.

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Program Overview: 
Herzing University has a number of campuses across the country. The New Orleans campus offers a variety of program options for nurses at any point in their careers, whether they’re an RN seeking a master’s or a BSN seeking a doctorate. There are options in a variety of fields, including the following:

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Program Overview: 
Nursing education has been part of the Louisiana State University system since 1929, but the primary care family nurse practitioner program was not introduced until 1993. The Simulation Center of the Nursing Skills and Technology Center at LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing opened in 2017, allowing students to receive hands-on experience that will prepare them for their clinical rotations and future careers.

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Program Overview: 
Loyola College opened its doors in 1904, becoming Loyola University in 1912, and the College of Nursing and Health’s School of Nursing has been educating nurses for more than 30 years. When on campus, students get the opportunity to learn in the Loyola Ochsner Nursing Simulation Lab, where they gain confidence in connecting theory to practice. Students engage in a variety of nursing scenarios, from inserting IVs and taking blood pressures to assisting with births and participating in codes. Loyola offers multiple nurse practitioner courses, including the following:

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Program Overview: 
McNeese State University was established in 1938 and became an independent institution in 1950. The College of Nursing and Health Professions offers multiple career options for students, including a FNP track. Students in the program get hands-on experience in the school’s high-tech simulation lab and access to online software that helps them develop their assessment and diagnostic skills.

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Program Overview: 
Thibodaux Regional Health System School of Nursing at Nicholls State University is part of a consortium with McNeese State University, Southeastern Louisiana University, and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette that aims to provide a comprehensive nursing education. The school offers a number of nursing labs for hands-on learning, including a computerized simulator, hospital beds, and manikins.

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Program Overview: 
Northwestern State University was established in 1884 and was the first public institution in the state to offer a bachelor’s and a master’s degree program in nursing. NSU offers a variety of options for those wishing to pursue a career as a nurse practitioner, including the following MSN and post-graduate options:

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Program Overview: 
Southeastern Louisiana University opened its doors as a two-year institution in 1925 and began offering four-year degrees in 1939. As a member of the Intercollegiate Consortium for a Master of Science in Nursing, the school began offering its online FNP program in 2011 and its DNP program in consortium with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 2012.

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Program Overview: 
Southern University is part of the only historically black Land Grant university system in the United States. The School of Nursing offers a family nurse practitioner program where students receive hands-on experience working with patient simulators that replicate real health conditions and respond to medical treatment. These realistic encounters help prepare students to care for patients in their clinical rotations and future careers.

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Program Overview: 
The first classes at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette were held in 1901, and the College of Nursing opened its doors in 1951. Today, students learn in the immersive LHC Group · Myers School of Nursing Simulation Program, which features a number of high- and low-fidelity labs where future nurse practitioners can hone their skills and gain confidence.

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Program Overview: 
University of Louisiana at Monroe is located in northern Louisiana, about midway between Shreveport and Jackson, Mississippi. The Kitty DeGree School of Nursing was established in 1960 with nursing programs that focus on both the art and science of nursing. This school offers the following nurse practitioner program:

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NP Programs in Other States