Instructor
Undergraduate Program
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Athena Larson graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a BSN in 2001. She practiced bedside nursing as a cardiac step-down and ICU nurse for 8 years. In 2007 she completed her MSN as an acute care nurse practitioner and has practiced as an ACNP in the ED and cardiac/vascular specialties for 15 years. Currently, she is nursing faculty at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and teaches in the undergraduate nursing program. Mrs. Larson serves on the nursing Simulation Committee and has held a significant role in teaching with simulation-based learning and developing new simulations.
Paula Simon graduated from the University of Southwestern Louisiana with a BSN in 1995. She practiced bedside nursing in the ICU for 3 years before completing her MSNA at Charity Hospital/Xavier University. She has been a practicing Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist for the past 22 years and is currently employed by both Paula Simon Anesthesia, LLC and by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette as faculty in the undergraduate program. Ms. Simon is on the simulation committee for the college and holds a significant role in developing and teaching the critical care simulation course.