Purdue School of Nursing

🎉 Congratulations to Libby Richards on her appointment as head of the Purdue University School of Nursing! 💛🖤

After serving as interim head since August 2025, Libby will officially assume the role on July 1, 2026.

A tenured professor, accomplished researcher and award-winning educator, Libby has been a driving force behind many initiatives that advance Purdue Nursing’s mission. Her leadership has helped strengthen faculty development, support student success, expand research and outreach efforts, and guide planning for the new Nursing and Pharmacy Education Building.

We are excited for the future of Purdue Nursing under Libby’s leadership and look forward to the continued growth, innovation and excellence ahead.

Please join us in congratulating Libby on this well-deserved appointment!

As we recognize Flag Day, we’re proud to celebrate Purdue Nursing alumni who serve both their patients and their country. 🇺🇸

Purdue Nursing alumna Abby (Reneau) Badinghaus (BS ’25) is continuing her nursing journey in the U.S. Air Force, providing care and support to those who serve. Her story reflects the adaptability, leadership and compassion that define the nursing profession across every setting.

From Purdue Nursing to military healthcare, we’re proud to see our alumni making an impact through service, dedication and patient-centered care. 💛🖤

Read more: https://www.purdue.edu/hhs/news/2026/05/same-care-different-setting-purdue-nursing-alumna-serves-those-who-serve/

Yadira Santiago, clinical assistant professor in the School of Nursing, recently partnered with Alyssa Mitchem of the IU School of Social Work to present at the 4th Annual Evidence Based Practice Conference.

Their presentation, “Integrating the 5A’s of Social Determinants of Health into Prenatal Care: An Evidence-Based Interdisciplinary Model to Improve Maternal Mental Health,” highlighted the importance of collaborative, patient-centered approaches to supporting maternal wellbeing.

The team is now working together to pilot an interdisciplinary group prenatal care model that will involve social work practicum students and Purdue Nursing students in leading prenatal classes and evaluating their impact on maternal mental health outcomes.

We’re proud to see Purdue Nursing faculty advancing innovative, collaborative approaches to care and student learning. 💛🖤

June is Men's Health Month, and Purdue Nursing's Julian Gallegos is helping bring greater awareness to the health challenges facing men across Indiana. 💛🖤

Through Gallegos' advocacy, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun issued an official proclamation recognizing June 2026 as Men's Health Month in Indiana. The proclamation highlights the importance of preventive care, mental health awareness and improving access to healthcare for men across the state.

Gallegos has been a passionate advocate for men's health, working to increase awareness of issues that disproportionately affect men and encouraging conversations that lead to better health outcomes.

We're proud to celebrate this recognition and Dr. Gallegos' continued commitment to improving the health and well-being of individuals, families and communities.

Your heart health matters more than you might think. ❤️

In this quick video, Shannon Cook, clinical assistant professor in School of Nursing shares why heart health is so important and simple, practical steps you can take to reduce your risk of heart disease.

From staying active and getting enough sleep to understanding heart rate variability and how it connects to stress and recovery, there are small changes that can make a big impact.

Watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/y4C2zZ63JsQ

We’re proud to share that Purdue Nursing has earned endorsement from the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL), recognizing innovative work in virtual reality learning and simulation-based education. 💛🖤

This recognition highlights Purdue Nursing’s commitment to preparing students through immersive, hands-on learning experiences that strengthen clinical judgment, decision-making and patient care skills in new and engaging ways.

We’re proud to see our faculty continuing to push the boundaries of nursing education and helping shape the future of healthcare training.

Read more: https://www.purdue.edu/hhs/news/2026/05/purdue-school-of-nursing-earns-inacsl-simulation-endorsement-showcasing-innovation-through-virtual-reality-learning/

If you’re looking for education or CE on virtual reality in nursing simulation, this is one to watch. 💛🖤

A webinar presented by Ann Loomis, Amy Nagle and Christi Jones, along with Cindy Bradley from the University of Minnesota, continues to be among the top-ranked webinars in this space.

The session explores best practices for debriefing immersive virtual reality simulation experiences, with a focus on promoting critical thinking, reflection and psychological safety in student learning.

Register for/watch the webinar: https://www.healthysimulation.com/webinars/debrief-techniques-virtual-nursing-simulation/

Congratulations to Ariel Gerrard, Purdue DNP alumna. 💛🖤

Gerrard has joined Franciscan Physician Network Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine in Lafayette as a board-certified nurse practitioner.

She earned her doctorate from Purdue University School of Nursing and brings experience in pulmonary critical care, most recently serving as a triage nurse at Franciscan Health Lafayette East. Her work focuses on critical care and pulmonary medicine, supporting patients with complex health needs.

We’re proud to see our alumni continuing to make an impact in specialized areas of care right here in our community.

Congratulations to Evans Osei on earning his dual-title PhD in Nursing and Gerontology from Purdue University! 💛🖤

As the first male and first African graduate of Purdue Nursing’s PhD program, Evans has made a remarkable impact through his scholarship, research and leadership.

His dissertation, “End-of-Life Financial Decision-Making Among Black/African American Women With Breast and Gynecological Cancers,” explored the financial stressors experienced by Black/African American women living with advanced cancers. The work was completed under the mentorship of Nasreen Lalani, professor in the School of Nursing.

During his four years at Purdue, Evans served as both a graduate research assistant and teaching assistant, co-authored approximately 35 peer-reviewed publications, received multiple research grants and earned several national and international awards recognizing his contributions to nursing research.

As he pursues opportunities in academia and research, Evans plans to continue advancing work focused on oncology, women’s health, palliative and end-of-life care, financial well-being and aging.

We’re proud to celebrate this milestone and look forward to the impact he will continue to make through research and healthcare innovation.

Medication safety can come down to a single calculation. Purdue Nursing researchers are working to better understand how nurses perform high-stakes medical math, and how we can improve accuracy to protect patient lives. 💛🖤

This important research explores the real-world challenges nurses face and aims to strengthen training, confidence and decision-making in critical moments.

Read more about how Purdue University researchers are making an impact:https://www.purdue.edu/hhs/news/2026/04/saving-lives-by-the-numbers-purdue-nursing-researchers-study-high-stakes-medical-math/