Not everyone can say they’ve discussed community health issues over breakfast with their state legislator.
But that’s the position Karen Wyble found herself in because of her time in UL Lafayette’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program.
Wyble was doing research for her synthesis project in the program when she noticed a trend in health disparities in rural areas of Louisiana. She approached Dr. Jennifer Lemoine, interim associate dean and professor in the College of Nursing & Health Sciences.
“I said, ‘Oh my goodness, we can’t do this anymore. We have to make a difference for these families,’” Wyble recalls. “Dr. Lemoine looked at me and said, ‘So do something about it.’ So, I did.”
Wyble called then-State Representative Vincent Pierre to request a meeting about her concerns. The two met at a cafe in Lafayette, and before Wyble knew it, she was actively shaping health policy in Louisiana.
Making a Difference in Rural Healthcare
Wyble has always had a passion for advocacy. As Regional Associate Vice President of Community and Public Affairs for Ochsner Lafayette General, being a voice for the voiceless is her job.
“I am a healthcare advocate,” she says.
Throughout her career, Wyble’s efforts have focused on developing programs to improve health outcomes in the communities she serves.
In her previous role as the CEO of a rural hospital, she developed a six-week training program to educate the public on issues like safe weight loss, portion sizes, BMI, and more. The goal was to reduce heart disease. In that role, she also spearheaded efforts to bring telemedicine to local schools and the local jail.
Despite her previous program planning success, it wasn’t until Wyble entered the DNP program that she realized that she could also make an impact through healthcare policy.
Wyble’s meeting with Rep. Pierre led to an introduction to State Rep. Dustin Miller, Chair of the State House Health and Welfare Committee.
In 2022, Miller sponsored House Concurrent Resolution 44 to create the Health Disparities in Rural Areas Task Force. Wyble has served as chair of that task force since its inception.
“Long story short, because I went to UL Lafayette to get my doctoral degree, I’ve testified in front of the Health and Welfare Committee, am serving as chair of the Health Disparities in Rural Areas Task Force, and have three health-related bills in the legislature right now.”
Support and Community in the DNP Program
Wyble credits much of her success beyond the DNP program to the support she received during the program from her professors and peers.
As a busy executive, Wyble needed flexibility in how she could complete her coursework. She found that flexibility not only in the program’s online course delivery but also in the responsiveness of the program’s faculty.
“It was tough,” she says. “At one point, I went to Dr. Lemoine and said, ‘Look, I work Monday through Friday, and I need to understand this material better. I need to have a meeting with you on Sunday evenings.’ Dr. Lemoine thought for a second and said, ‘OK, what time’s good for you?’”
“They treated me so special. And it wasn’t just me. That’s how they treated all their students. They wanted to ensure our success.”
During her third year in the program, Wyble’s son passed away.
Though many would see that as a reason to stop, for Wyble, the support she received was a reason to keep pushing.
“I started getting text messages and beautiful flowers from my classmates, and faculty showed up at his wake,” she says. “When you have that level of support from your team — your faculty and your classmates — how can you not finish?”
When Wyble walked across the stage in May 2023 to accept her diploma, the team that supported her through her biggest challenges was there to celebrate her success.
“He’s here with you today,” Dr. Lisa Broussard, interim dean of the College of Nursing & Health Sciences, whispered to her as they posed for a photo at Commencement.
The Value of a DNP
Wyble had already earned three master’s degrees before she decided to earn her DNP degree: an MBA, an MHA, and an M.S. in Nursing.
She went for the DNP because she felt she still had more to learn — and more of an impact to make — as a nursing executive.
“I wanted to be at the height of my nursing profession,” she says. “It’s my responsibility to ensure that I’m meeting all of the essentials of what it means to be a great nurse.”
She asserts that while her MSN program taught her to be a good leader, it was the DNP program that helped her better understand how to serve the profession by looking at the health systems, structures, and protocols in place and evaluating how they can be more effective.
“It goes beyond just caring for one patient,” she says. “It’s about looking out community-wide outcomes, identifying where the gaps are, understanding the demographics and care delivery models, and making appropriate decisions.”
“It’s important that we have this Doctor of Nursing Practice program and continue to support nurses completing this program. This program is building a stronger nursing profession and a stronger healthcare industry across the country.”
Her advice to nurses considering the program? Commit to it, and make sure you understand why you’re making that commitment.
“Hold on to why you’re doing this,” she says. “Go back to that when things get really difficult.”
Reach the height of your nursing profession and make an impact in healthcare by earning your Doctor of Nursing Practice.