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Kayla Sullivan, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
Assistant Professor, FIR, and DEMSN Program Director
Biography
Dr. Kayla Sullivan is a distinguished healthcare professional and academic renowned for her commitment to enhancing patient care and nursing education. She began her journey at UNLV in 2019 as a part-time instructor, swiftly advancing to lecturer and now serving as an assistant professor. She spearheaded Nevada’s first Direct-Entry MSN program, which she currently leads. As a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Dr. Sullivan brings extensive expertise in emergency and intensive care medicine, focusing on women's health. Her career has been dedicated to providing vital healthcare services to underserved, low-income populations.
Dr. Sullivan’s academic background is equally impressive, holding five advanced degrees in various fields of nursing and healthcare. In addition, she remains deeply involved in professional organizations, contributing to the ongoing development of the healthcare community.
Driven by her passion for both patient care and education, Dr. Sullivan continues to make significant strides in improving healthcare outcomes while advancing the nursing profession.
Expertise
Dr. Sullivan’s expertise as a registered nurse spans emergency medicine, intensive care, and surgical services, with hands-on experience in both inpatient and outpatient settings. She is skilled in delivering high-quality, patient-centered care in fast-paced, critical environments, ensuring optimal outcomes through effective coordination and clinical decision-making.
As a Family Nurse Practitioner, she specializes in aesthetics and provides comprehensive care at a women's health urgent care clinic. In this role, she addresses a wide range of urgent and ongoing healthcare needs, focusing on personalized, patient-centered care to enhance both health and well-being.
Classes Taught
Dr. Kayla Sullivan has taught a wide range of courses across prelicensure nursing programs, including the BSN and DEMSN tracks. She specializes in complex and critical care nursing. Her teaching repertoire includes medical terminology and nutrition for pre-nursing students, along with medical-surgical nursing, geriatric nursing, and critical care for BSN students. In the DEMSN program, Dr. Sullivan has taught critical care, pediatrics, geriatrics, and clinical synthesis, emphasizing her expertise in preparing students for high-stakes, real-world nursing environments.
Education Background
Dr. Sullivan holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from San Diego State University and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from an accelerated post-baccalaureate program at the Marian University of Indianapolis. She advanced her expertise with a Master of Science in Nursing Education and a Doctorate of Nursing Practice in Nursing Leadership at UNLV. Additionally, she earned a post-graduate certificate as a Family Nurse Practitioner from the University of Nevada, Reno.
Research or Scholarship
Dr. Sullivan's research and scholarship focus on critical issues in nursing, including workplace violence in emergency departments. She explores strategies for nurses to identify and manage violent situations while developing interventions to improve nurses' perceived knowledge, safety, and confidence in handling these encounters.
In addition, Dr. Sullivan is deeply committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within the nursing profession. She has published papers on developing and implementing holistic admissions for pre-licensure nursing education, aiming to create more inclusive pathways. She also works to remove barriers for individuals with disabilities seeking to enter the nursing field, helping to foster a more accessible and diverse healthcare workforce.
Awards, recognitions, or group affiliations
Dr. Kayla Sullivan has been recognized for her excellence in nursing through several prestigious awards and nominations. In 2018, she was a finalist for the March of Dimes Southern Nevada Nurse of the Year in Emergency Medicine and a nominee for Southern Nevada Nurse of the Year in Critical Care and Emergency Services. Her dedication to her education was acknowledged in 2019 with the School of Nursing Graduate Scholarship, followed by the Tony & Renee Marlon Scholarship in 2020 and the UNLV Access Grant in 2021. In 2023, she was honored with the Nevada Nurses Foundation Shining Stars of Nursing Award and the Catherine Cortez Masto Award. In 2024, Dr. Sullivan was nominated for the Shining Stars of Nursing in Nevada People's Choice Dean/Director of Nursing Award, further highlighting her ongoing contributions to the field
Dr. Kayla Sullivan is also an active member of the Emergency Nurses Association, the American Association of Critical-Care Nursing, and the American Nursing Association, further demonstrating her commitment to advancing the nursing field and staying engaged with professional communities.
News Articles
Recruiting Nursing Students: New Approaches to Filling the Healthcare Gap
UNLV School of Nursing Graduates First Students From Direct-Entry Program