Nursing is a demanding career. With a focus on patient-centered care from a Christian perspective, JBU will equip you to succeed.
Being a nurse is mentally, physically and emotionally demanding. It's also incredibly rewarding, and the need for nurses is growing. JBU will prepare you to succeed in this unique field.
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Discover how JBU will equip you to become an excellent nurse
JBU's high-tech facilities prepare you to work in real healthcare facilities
What our alumni have to say
Kate Garrison '18
"It’s important not only to be aware of the difficulties and hardships prevalent in our world but also to help change it. I am studying nursing at JBU to make positive change both in the states and overseas."

A personalized approach to education
With a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio, JBU's top-notch professors will know your name and personally invest in your success – academically, spiritually and professionally.

Preparation for the NCLEX
JBU's senior capstone course and its internship component specifically prepares students to pass the NCLEX exam for obtaining licensure as a registered nurse. Our most recent graduating class had a first-time pass-rate of 95%.

Real-world job preparation
We'll equip you with the skills to set yourself apart and get a great nursing job right out of college or to get into grad school.

Opportunities to serve on medical missions
During the summer, faculty-led medical mission trips give students hands-on training while providing life-changing medical care in developing countries.

A highly-ranked and valuable education
The Wall Street Journal ranked JBU as Arkansas' #1 University. MONEY ranked JBU as the best value university in Arkansas. U.S. News & World Report ranked JBU as #11 in the South among its peers.

A degree from an accredited program
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at John Brown University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Christ-centered and authentic community
You'll be part of a community who's ultimate mission is to honor God and serve others. You'll connect with others and find plenty of ways to engage in our authentic community.
JBU nursing students are eligible for discounted tuition and facilitated admission to Colorado Christian University's Master of Science in Nursing program.
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Meet our Nursing professors

Janet Gardner
Assistant Professor of Nursing Education
Mrs. Janet Gardner began her nursing career 21 years ago as a pediatric nurse in a children’s hospital in Utah. Her acute care nursing years were primarily spent in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and nursery areas caring for mothers and their babies. She began teaching Community Health about 6 years ago and this led her to discover a love for educating new nurses. She completed her Master’s Degree in Nursing Education at the University of Arkansas 20 years after receiving her BSN, showing it is never too late to pursue your dreams. She joined the faculty of John Brown University in May of 2017. Her passion is to encourage nursing students to find a way to connect to their patients in all interactions. If it is a baby in the NICU or a homeless person at the shelter, she believes we have the privilege of being the hands and feet of God through our calling as nurses. She strives to show this in all she does in the classroom and clinical settings. She is honored to be able to openly express the connection between nursing and our relationship with the Lord as a professor at JBU.
Mrs. Gardner has been married to her husband Kent for 17 years and has 3 children: Max, Zachary and Samantha. In between transporting her boys to and from the golf course and her daughter to Girl Scouts and choir, she enjoys experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen and spending time outdoors in Northwest Arkansas.
Kristin McCloud
Assistant Professor of Nursing Education
Darla Bearden
Assistant Professor of Nursing

Deana Reinhardt
Assistant Professor of Nursing Education
Mrs. Deana Reinhardt began her career as a Certified Nursing Assistant in a local Emergency Department (ED) in Northwest Arkansas in 1995. While working full-time in the ED, she attended Northwest Arkansas Community College where she graduated with her Associate Degree in Nursing. She has had various roles as an RN in the ED and hospital setting for over 20 years. In 2017, she earned her M.S. in Nursing through Regis University’s RN to MSN program and soon began teaching at John Brown University.
In the position of Clinical Educator, Mrs. Reinhardt realized how much she enjoyed teaching others and wanted to expand her teaching role. She taught various American Heart Association and Emergency Nurses Association courses hospital wide that directly relate to emergency medicine and trauma care. Her desire is to create a learning environment that supports and encourages the various learning styles of students. She believes she has been called by God to teach in an academic setting that supports the growth and equipping of nursing students. Romans 12: 6-7 says, “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching.”

Tina Wright
Department Chair and Assistant Professor of Nursing Education
Dr. Tina Wright’s clinical career included the specialties of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and pediatrics. She has worked at some of the nation’s top pediatric hospitals including Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Texas Children's Hospital, and Arkansas Children's Hospital. She has a passion for mentoring which led her into the leadership roles of assistant manager, manager, director, and house supervisor. Dr. Wright has a Bachelors of Science degree in Biology and Chemistry from Evangel University, a Bachelors of Arts degree in Missions and Cultural Studies from Evangel University, a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Nursing from Union University, a Masters of Science degree from Middle Tennessee State University, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Grand Canyon University.
Dr. Wright joined JBU so she could combine her faith, admiration for Christian education, and her desire to mentor future nurses. Her favorite scripture is Proverbs 31:25-26 “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.”
Dr. Wright moved to Northwest Arkansas in 2017. Her husband, Scott, is a high school teacher. They have two children, Matthew and Mikayla. And they have two fur-babies, Bijou and Solomon. They all enjoy hiking in Northwest Arkansas.