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Welcome to the Thibodaux Regional School of Nursing
at Nicholls State University
Nursing Continuing Professional Development (NCPD) Program
Ready to register?
Registration Information:
Online registration for all 2026-2027 Nursing Continuing Professional Development activities is available through Eventbrite.
Requirements for successful completion is accomplished by verifying participation in the entire NCPDP activity. No partial credit is awarded.
Accredited and Approved
Thibodaux Regional Health System School of Nursing (SON) at Nicholls State University is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
Thibodaux Regional Health System School of Nursing at Nicholls State University – NCPD Program is recognized by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing (LSBN) as an approved provider of continuing education for re-licensure requirements.
JOINT-PROVIDER OPPORTUNITIES
As an ANCC-Accredited Provider, we collaborate with various healthcare organizations to joint-provide high-quality nursing continuing professional development activities that meet rigorous accreditation standards.
We welcome partnerships with organizations interested in working alongside our NCPD Nurse Planners to plan, develop, and implement evidence-based continuing education programs that support nursing practices across our region.
For inquiries about joint-provider opportunities or to begin a collaborative planning discussion, please contact Michelle Patterson, Accredited Provider Program Director at michelle.patterson@nicholls.edu.
Thibodaux Regional School of Nursing at Nicholls State University
Nursing Continuing Professional Development Program
FALL 2026 - SPRING 2027 ACTIVITY CALENDAR
Strengthen your ability to respond when life depends on you. This evidence based professional development day delivers essential training in organ procurement and disaster management across care settings. The morning session, Organ Donation – What Nurses Need to Know, features LOPA experts who clarify referral triggers, communication strategies, ethical considerations, and the nurse’s role in supporting donor families. The afternoons session, Disaster Management & Nurse Readiness, provides practical, actionable approaches to disaster triage, communication, and coordinated response – addressing well documented gaps in nurse preparedness.
Thursday, October 8, 2026
Location: Nicholls State University, Betsy C. Ayo Hall, Nirmala Yalamanchili Donepudi Auditorium
Networking: 8:15 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.
Presentation time: 8:45 a.m. – 3:15 p.m.
Credit: 5 contact hours.
Fee: $ 75
Speakers:
Charles M. Canan, MA, NREMTP, serves as the Region 3 Public Health Emergency Response Coordinator for the Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Public Health, Bureau of Community Preparedness. In this role, he leads regional preparedness, response, and recovery operations across the Region 3 river and bayou parishes of southeast Louisiana.
Amanda Falgoust, RN, is the Regional Nurse Manager for the Bureau of Regional and Clinical Operations within the Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Public Health. She oversees public health nursing services across her region, supporting high quality clinical operations and coordinated community health initiatives. Amanda also plays a key leadership role in disaster preparedness and response, working with regional partners to strengthen readiness for hurricanes, infectious disease outbreaks, and other public health emergencies.
Amber R. Cavalier, MA, RN, serves as the Manager of the Mental Health Clinic at the South Central Louisiana Human Services Authority, where she oversees clinic operations and coordinates behavioral and mental health programs that support individuals and families across the region.
Lana Stevens, LOPA – Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency’s Community Educator and Volunteer Specialist.
Larry LeBlanc, NREMT P, CCP C, ALSC, MLS, is a Donation Services Coordinator III with LOPA who has devoted more than 28 years to strengthening organ and tissue donation across hospital communities. Through leadership, education, and collaboration, he has helped save and heal countless lives. A graduate of the National EMS Academy and trained in Medical Laboratory Science/Biology, Larry’s diverse clinical and scientific background has shaped a lifelong calling to support, sustain, and save lives in every role he serves.
Missie Durapau, RN, has more than a decade of pediatric intensive care experience at Children’s Hospital – now Manning Family Children’s Hospital – in New Orleans. She is the mother of her donor hero, Mason Kiley, whose legacy inspires her ongoing volunteer work with LOPA, where she shares her story, supports donor families, and advocates for the life saving impact of organ donation.
Jamie Napolitano, MS, CCLS, is a Certified Child Life Specialist with more than 25 years of experience supporting children and families in hospital and community settings across Texas and Louisiana. She also teaches in the Child Life program at Southeastern Louisiana University. Diagnosed with viral cardiomyopathy as an infant, Jamie received a life saving heart transplant on January 2, 2009, and honors her donor hero, Cameron, through her volunteer work with LOPA advocating for organ donation.
Activity Learning Outcomes:
- Explain core donation criteria and the nurse’s role in early identification.
- Differentiate brain death vs. circulatory death in the context of donation.
- Demonstrate trauma informed communication with families during critical moments.
- Describe the phases of disaster management (mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery).
- Differentiate among medical needs shelters, critical transportation needs shelters, and general population shelters.
The target audience is registered nurses, case managers and social workers involved in patient care, coordination, and emergency preparedness and organ procurement.
Strengthen your ability to respond when life depends on you. This evidence based professional development day delivers essential training in organ procurement and disaster management across care settings. The morning session, Organ Donation – What Nurses Need to Know, features LOPA experts who clarify referral triggers, communication strategies, ethical considerations, and the nurse’s role in supporting donor families. The afternoons session, Disaster Management & Nurse Readiness, provides practical, actionable approaches to disaster triage, communication, and coordinated response – addressing well documented gaps in nurse preparedness.
Thursday, October 8, 2026
Location: Nicholls State University, Betsy C. Ayo Hall, Nirmala Yalamanchili Donepudi Auditorium
Networking: 8:15 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.
Presentation time: 8:45 a.m. – 3:15 p.m.
Credit: 5 contact hours.
Fee: $ 75
Speakers:
Charles M. Canan, MA, NREMTP, serves as the Region 3 Public Health Emergency Response Coordinator for the Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Public Health, Bureau of Community Preparedness. In this role, he leads regional preparedness, response, and recovery operations across the Region 3 river and bayou parishes of southeast Louisiana.
Amanda Falgoust, RN, is the Regional Nurse Manager for the Bureau of Regional and Clinical Operations within the Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Public Health. She oversees public health nursing services across her region, supporting high quality clinical operations and coordinated community health initiatives. Amanda also plays a key leadership role in disaster preparedness and response, working with regional partners to strengthen readiness for hurricanes, infectious disease outbreaks, and other public health emergencies.
Amber R. Cavalier, MA, RN, serves as the Manager of the Mental Health Clinic at the South Central Louisiana Human Services Authority, where she oversees clinic operations and coordinates behavioral and mental health programs that support individuals and families across the region.
Lana Stevens, LOPA – Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency’s Community Educator and Volunteer Specialist.
Larry LeBlanc, NREMT P, CCP C, ALSC, MLS, is a Donation Services Coordinator III with LOPA who has devoted more than 28 years to strengthening organ and tissue donation across hospital communities. Through leadership, education, and collaboration, he has helped save and heal countless lives. A graduate of the National EMS Academy and trained in Medical Laboratory Science/Biology, Larry’s diverse clinical and scientific background has shaped a lifelong calling to support, sustain, and save lives in every role he serves.
Missie Durapau, RN, has more than a decade of pediatric intensive care experience at Children’s Hospital – now Manning Family Children’s Hospital – in New Orleans. She is the mother of her donor hero, Mason Kiley, whose legacy inspires her ongoing volunteer work with LOPA, where she shares her story, supports donor families, and advocates for the life saving impact of organ donation.
Jamie Napolitano, MS, CCLS, is a Certified Child Life Specialist with more than 25 years of experience supporting children and families in hospital and community settings across Texas and Louisiana. She also teaches in the Child Life program at Southeastern Louisiana University. Diagnosed with viral cardiomyopathy as an infant, Jamie received a life saving heart transplant on January 2, 2009, and honors her donor hero, Cameron, through her volunteer work with LOPA advocating for organ donation.
Activity Learning Outcomes:
- Explain core donation criteria and the nurse’s role in early identification.
- Differentiate brain death vs. circulatory death in the context of donation.
- Demonstrate trauma informed communication with families during critical moments.
- Describe the phases of disaster management (mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery).
- Differentiate among medical needs shelters, critical transportation needs shelters, and general population shelters.
The target audience is registered nurses, case managers and social workers involved in patient care, coordination, and emergency preparedness and organ procurement.
Strengthen your ability to respond when life depends on you. This evidence based professional development day delivers essential training in organ procurement and disaster management across care settings. The morning session, Organ Donation – What Nurses Need to Know, features LOPA experts who clarify referral triggers, communication strategies, ethical considerations, and the nurse’s role in supporting donor families. The afternoons session, Disaster Management & Nurse Readiness, provides practical, actionable approaches to disaster triage, communication, and coordinated response – addressing well documented gaps in nurse preparedness.
Thursday, October 8, 2026
Location: Nicholls State University, Betsy C. Ayo Hall, Nirmala Yalamanchili Donepudi Auditorium
Networking: 8:15 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.
Presentation time: 8:45 a.m. – 3:15 p.m.
Credit: 5 contact hours.
Fee: $ 75
Speakers:
Charles M. Canan, MA, NREMTP, serves as the Region 3 Public Health Emergency Response Coordinator for the Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Public Health, Bureau of Community Preparedness. In this role, he leads regional preparedness, response, and recovery operations across the Region 3 river and bayou parishes of southeast Louisiana.
Amanda Falgoust, RN, is the Regional Nurse Manager for the Bureau of Regional and Clinical Operations within the Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Public Health. She oversees public health nursing services across her region, supporting high quality clinical operations and coordinated community health initiatives. Amanda also plays a key leadership role in disaster preparedness and response, working with regional partners to strengthen readiness for hurricanes, infectious disease outbreaks, and other public health emergencies.
Amber R. Cavalier, MA, RN, serves as the Manager of the Mental Health Clinic at the South Central Louisiana Human Services Authority, where she oversees clinic operations and coordinates behavioral and mental health programs that support individuals and families across the region.
Lana Stevens, LOPA – Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency’s Community Educator and Volunteer Specialist.
Larry LeBlanc, NREMT P, CCP C, ALSC, MLS, is a Donation Services Coordinator III with LOPA who has devoted more than 28 years to strengthening organ and tissue donation across hospital communities. Through leadership, education, and collaboration, he has helped save and heal countless lives. A graduate of the National EMS Academy and trained in Medical Laboratory Science/Biology, Larry’s diverse clinical and scientific background has shaped a lifelong calling to support, sustain, and save lives in every role he serves.
Missie Durapau, RN, has more than a decade of pediatric intensive care experience at Children’s Hospital – now Manning Family Children’s Hospital – in New Orleans. She is the mother of her donor hero, Mason Kiley, whose legacy inspires her ongoing volunteer work with LOPA, where she shares her story, supports donor families, and advocates for the life saving impact of organ donation.
Jamie Napolitano, MS, CCLS, is a Certified Child Life Specialist with more than 25 years of experience supporting children and families in hospital and community settings across Texas and Louisiana. She also teaches in the Child Life program at Southeastern Louisiana University. Diagnosed with viral cardiomyopathy as an infant, Jamie received a life saving heart transplant on January 2, 2009, and honors her donor hero, Cameron, through her volunteer work with LOPA advocating for organ donation.
Activity Learning Outcomes:
- Explain core donation criteria and the nurse’s role in early identification.
- Differentiate brain death vs. circulatory death in the context of donation.
- Demonstrate trauma informed communication with families during critical moments.
- Describe the phases of disaster management (mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery).
- Differentiate among medical needs shelters, critical transportation needs shelters, and general population shelters.
The target audience is registered nurses, case managers and social workers involved in patient care, coordination, and emergency preparedness and organ procurement.
* For any activity offered virtually, participants will need a computer (desktop or laptop) with internet access, a webcam and microphone. Participants will be notified in a timely manner should there be a change in the mode of delivery from in person to virtual.
The Nursing Continuing Professional Development
Program Activity Information
For more information,
call Michelle Patterson, PhD, MSN, RN, Accredited Provider Program Director
at (985) 448-4203, 448-4686
or michelle.patterson@nicholls.edu
Registration Information: Online registration for all NCPD activities is available through Eventbrite.
Fees
Retired Nurses fee: $40
Student Nurses fee: $25
Regular Registration fee is $75 except for the APRN Pharmacology activity which is $100.
Refund Policy
Registration fees will be refunded in full if cancellation notice is received five days prior to the activity. Refunds after this date will be subject to an administrative fee. Substitutions may be accepted or the fee can be transferred to another activity.
Requirements for successful completion is accomplished by verifying participation in the entire NCPD activity and evaluation completion. No partial credit is awarded.
Cancellation Policy
Thibodaux Regional Health System School of Nursing at Nicholls State University NCPD reserves the right to cancel or postpone NCPD activities, to limit registration or to change instructors. In the event of a cancellation for any reason, such as insufficient registration response, or condition beyond their control, the liability of the School of Nursing shall be limited to a full refund of registration fees. Refund policy on NCPD activities in the School of Nursing does not necessarily apply to other educational activities at Nicholls.
Accreditation
Thibodaux Regional Health System School of Nursing (SON) at Nicholls State University is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
Thibodaux Regional Health System School of Nursing at Nicholls State University – NCPD Program is recognized by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing (LSBN) as an approved provider of continuing education for re-licensure requirements.
Nicholls State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Thibodaux Regional School of Nursing at Nicholls State University – Nursing Continuing Professional Development Program
336 Betsy Cheramie Ayo Hall
P.O. Box 2057
Thibodaux, LA 70310
Contact: Mrs. Michelle Patterson, Assistant Professor of Nursing, NCPD Accredited Provider Program Director
Email: michelle.patterson@nicholls.edu
