Library, writing, tutoring and wellness support for Lewis nursing students

The library for nursing research

Lewis University Library sits in the Brother Paul French, FSC Learning Resource Center, known as the LRC, on the Romeoville campus. Its search runs on Primo, which can reach beyond Lewis's own holdings to "All I-Share Libraries" in the CARLI consortium. Around it the library offers RefWorks for citations, Research Guides, LibCal appointment booking, OpenAthens access and Digital Commons at Lewis University.

One naming trap: the graduate catalog still refers to an older "Summon service". That description is out of date; Primo is the search you will use.

For a nursing student, the library earns its keep in the courses built on evidence. The MSN core includes NURS 53300 Scholarly Inquiry, and the DNP project runs from NURS 79000 planning through NURS 79200 implementation and NURS 79300 evaluation and dissemination, each of which rests on a solid literature search. Practicum courses call on it too, whenever a preceptor asks you to bring the evidence behind a plan of care.

Working with the nursing librarian

Lewis has a librarian for nursing: the role is titled "Research and Instruction Librarian, STEM, Nursing, and Health Sciences", and the nursing guide calls it the STEM, Nursing and Health Sciences Librarian. The library books appointments through LibCal, and the guide's "Schedule a Research Appointment" link is the quickest way in, so you can book time instead of trading messages.

An appointment goes further when you arrive with a draft PICOT question, the databases and search terms you have already tried, and one or two articles close to what you need. That lets the session start at refining your search rather than explaining the assignment.

For DNP students, booking a session early in NURS 79000, before the proposal takes shape, is time well spent, because the planning course is where the project's evidence base gets built.

Disability Support Services and clinical courses

Disability Support Services is run by Academic Services in CASE, in LRC room 342, and it covers undergraduate and graduate programs, including clinical programs. Plan ahead: Lewis says becoming eligible for accommodations "can take 2-3 weeks after completing an intake meeting".

Clinical courses add a step. The 2026-27 University Student Handbook says students enrolled in clinical placements or laboratory classes must meet with the DSS office and the clinical or laboratory coordinator before the course, in the context of service animals. If you need an accommodation during a practicum, start the conversation with DSS and the Clinical Placement Office well before the semester begins, since that coordinator meeting has to happen before the course starts.

For exams, the Accommodated Testing Center has sites at Romeoville (LRC 342) and at Lewis University at Oak Brook (the Oak Brook campus).

Where our help fits

Lewis's support services carry your coursework, your research and your wellbeing. Lewis also asks NP students to take an active part in identifying preceptors, and that is the piece we take on for you. Our placement desk finds a preceptor near you who fits your exact Lewis practicum, checks the fit with the course, and prepares the site and preceptor details your contract request needs.

We stay on call through the semester and find a replacement if a preceptor drops, so your study hours go to the papers, searches and exams on this page instead of cold calls to clinics. See how we work with Lewis students, check the tools you will use along the way, or start on the placement request form.