Photo of Kayla Sullivan

Kayla Sullivan, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC

Assistant Professor & Direct-Entry MSN Program Director

Department(s)
Nursing
Phone
702-895-3114
Email
kayla.sullivan@unlv.edu

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 both the BSN and DEMSN tracks. She specializes in complex and critical care nursing and brings a comprehensive approach to her teaching. Her instructional experience includes medical terminology and nutrition for pre-nursing students, as well as medical-surgical nursing, geriatric nursing, pediatric nursing, clinical synthesis, and evidence-based practice. In the DEMSN program, Dr. Sullivan has taught critical care, pediatrics, geriatrics, and clinical synthesis, underscoring her commitment to preparing students for high-acuity clinical environments. Additionally, she teaches advanced physical assessment in the MSN program, focusing on clinical skill development for future advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs).

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 Marian University of Indianapolis. She advanced her expertise with a master of science in nursing education and a doctor of nursing practice (DNP) in nursing leadership from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Additionally, she earned a post-graduate certificate as a family nurse practitioner from the University of Nevada, Reno. Dr. Sullivan is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in nursing education, further deepening her commitment to academic scholarship and the advancement of nursing education.

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. Her work also addresses the removal of barriers for individuals with disabilities seeking to enter the nursing field, helping to foster a more accessible and diverse healthcare workforce. Dr. Sullivan conducts research in accessibility for students and nurses with physical disabilities, working to inform policy and practice that support their success in academic and clinical environments.

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 Nurses, the American Nurses Association, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), further demonstrating her commitment to advancing the nursing profession and staying engaged with national professional communities.

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