Luther College restructures nursing program to enhance integration with Mayo Clinic

Luther students in the Nursing Simulation Center, which creates a practice setting that closely recreates a real hospital environment.

DECORAH, IOWA—Luther College announces changes to the nursing program curriculum in order to better meet the needs of students and of the nursing profession. 

Beginning with the cohort entering in fall 2024, nursing students will spend their senior year working at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, rather than their junior year, to ease the transition into professional nursing after graduation. 

During the Rochester year, students are placed in a variety of settings throughout the Mayo hospitals, including obstetrics, pediatrics and surgical units. Luther nursing students have spent their junior year in Rochester since the nursing program’s inception in 1974. Annually, anywhere from a third to half of Luther nursing students go on to work at a Mayo-affiliated hospital.

“We want our students to use their senior year to develop the skills and independence to work as a licensed nurse by easing the transition from student to professional life,” said Angela Kueny, Ph.D., M.S.N., head of the nursing program at Luther. “These changes are meant to adapt to the needs of both students and the nursing field as a whole.” 

Nursing program leaders consulted with students in this curriculum restructure. One of them, Souksakhone Sengsaisouk, class of 2023, is now a registered nurse in the general surgery unit at Mayo. He praised the invaluable experience of the Rochester year and said the curriculum restructure would help students transition into professional nursing and retain the skills they learn at Mayo into their careers. 

“The structured practicum of Luther’s nursing program and the clinical experiences it offers through healthcare organizations like Mayo have not only honed my abilities but also positioned me as a standout candidate and an impactful contributor to Mayo as a professional nurse,” Sengsaisouk said.

“Mayo Clinic values the clinical placement partnership with Luther College and we support the exciting new curriculum and placement of nursing students,” said Jeanine Gangeness, program director for Midwest nursing academic affairs at Mayo. 

Luther’s nursing curriculum is designed to help students master nursing competency skills before taking the nursing licensing exam (NCLEX-RN), which all students must pass to work as a registered nurse. In 2023, 90% of Luther students passed on their first try. 

“We anticipate that the revised program would increase the support to students to pass NCLEX because of increased nursing credits and intensity of courses to build and review for taking the exam after graduation,” Kueny said.

This change will also promote student wellness and ease students’ workloads by redistributing their pre-nursing classes. During their first and second years, students take biology and psychology; students also take Luther’s core curriculum, including its renowned Paideia courses, to establish a foundation of liberal arts education in their nursing practice. During their junior year, students will take nursing courses in the Decorah area, introducing them to nursing practice in the rural setting and preparing them to work at Mayo. During their senior year in Rochester, students will take advanced nursing courses, including a “Transitions to Professional Nursing” to prepare them for their careers. 

This change will not impact current students, who will continue to spend their junior year in Rochester. The 2027-28 will be the first year Luther students will spend their senior year at Mayo. 

About Luther College

At Luther College in beautiful Decorah, Iowa, students explore big questions and take action to benefit people, communities and society. Our academic programs, experiential approach to learning and welcoming community inspire students to learn actively, live purposefully and lead courageously for a lifetime of impact. Learn more at luther.edu.