Which classes do you teach online?
DNP 800, DNP 801, DNP 803, DNP 896 and MSN 600
What do you want students in your courses to learn? What is the learning outcome or objective?
At the graduate level I believe that it is important to meet students where they are and make the learning relevant to the everyday problems encountered in their nursing practice setting. I ask students to envision themselves as problem-solvers and change-makers in their anticipated future roles as nurses with advanced degrees.
Why did you start teaching?
My philosophy of teaching encompasses two areas that professionally define who I am: a nurse and an educator. The act of caring for people to influence positive healthcare outcomes is similar to caring about and teaching students. The focus of my teaching involves drawing on the individual’s strengths and uniqueness to facilitate learning (outcomes). I have been involved in teaching nursing for almost 30 years in both clinical and classroom settings and consider it a privilege to guide nursing students as they expand their roles as healthcare professionals.
What advice would you give to those considering this online program?
The online program at NKU is flexible, challenging and exciting. Faculty are dedicated to creating an educational atmosphere where students are nurtured so that they are in the best possible circumstance to learn. My advice would be to enjoy the journey of collaborating with nursing minds from across the country. Set aside time to read and write so that you can contribute to the online educational environment in the very best way possible. A commitment to any educational program requires self-care, so be sure to set aside time for yourself to refresh and renew!
What qualities make someone particularly successful in the field in which you teach?
The care of human beings from birth to death is a balance of "knowing what," "knowing how," and "knowing when," and my function as the teacher/mentor/guide is to assist students in navigating this delicate balance. The reward of teaching students who are already nurses comes when they realize a new way of thinking or when they identify ways to inform and influence nursing practice that they never thought were possible. Nurses with advanced degrees must be able to think outside of the box.
What do you think is the biggest challenge that people in the profession face today?
The biggest challenge that nurses and advanced-practice nurses face today is the ever-changing healthcare climate. Nurses are always at the forefront of healthcare decisions and therefore must be well versed in health policy and the politics of healthcare.
What is the one book you think everyone should read?
Rebecca Skloot's "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks".
Tell us something interesting about yourself that your students may not know about you.
I took 10 years of classical piano lessons.
