Integrating the Roles and Knowledge of Nephrology Nurses into Undergraduate and Graduate Education

Webinar Overview

This Webinar explores the many roles and knowledge of nephrology nurses in various practice settings. Strategies for integrating these roles into undergraduate and graduate nursing education will be explored as an alternate or complement to traditional learning experiences and environments.

NOTE: This Webinar is open to everyone including non-members, communities of interest, practice representatives, and AACN member schools including deans, faculty, staff and students.

Webinar Speakers

Tamara Kear, PhD, RN, CNS, CNN
Assistant Professor
College of Nursing
Villanova University

Dr. Tamara Kear is a nursing professor at Villanova University and a nephrology nurse for Fresenius of North America. Dr. Kear earned her BSN from Gwynedd-Mercy University, an MSN from Thomas Jefferson University, and a PhD from Villanova University. She has nearly 25 years of nephrology nursing experience and has been a faculty member in higher education for 15 years. Prior to entering academia, Tamara was the Renal Clinical Nurse Specialist for Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. Dr. Kear has conducted research internationally on the prevalence of hypertension in underserved populations and has published numerous articles on various topics related to kidney disease and failure. She has also delivered presentations regionally and nationally on the management of kidney disease and failure. Dr. Kear is the chairperson of ANNA's Research Committee, a member of the ANNA Education Committee, and is on the editorial board for The Nephrology Nursing Journal. Recently, Drs. Ulrich and Kear conducted and published the first national study investigating the safety culture in nephrology nursing practice settings.

Beth Ulrich, EdD, RN, FACHE, FAAN
Senior Partner, Innovative Health Resources
Professor, School of Nursing
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Editor, Nephrology Nursing Journal

Beth Ulrich is a nationally recognized thought leader who is known for her research studying nursing work environments and the experiences of new graduate nurses as they transition from nursing school into the workforce and for her leadership in developing the roles of nephrology nurses and improving the care of nephrology patients. Dr. Ulrich has extensive experience as a healthcare executive, educator, and researcher. She currently serves as the Senior Partner, Innovative Health Resources, providing consultative services to healthcare organizations and associations, Professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Nursing, and as Editor of the Nephrology Nursing Journal, the official journal of the American Nephrology Nurses’ Association. Dr. Ulrich has been a co-investigator on a series of national nursing workforce and work environment studies and on studies of critical care nurse work environments conducted for the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses and is currently the primary investigator on ANNA's study Assessing the Patient Safety Culture in Nephrology Nurse Practice Settings. Dr. Ulrich received her bachelor's degree from the Medical University of South Carolina, her master's degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and her doctorate from the University of Houston in a collaborative program with Baylor College of Medicine. She is a past president of the American Nephrology Nurses' Association, a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives, and a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing. She was recognized as the Outstanding Nursing Alumnus of the Medical University of South Carolina in 1989, as a Distinguished alumnus of the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Nursing in 2002, and received the Outstanding Contribution to the American Nephrology Nurses' Association award in 2008. Dr. Ulrich also serves on the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Research Advisory Panel on Transition into Practice. She has numerous publications and presentations to her credit on topics including nephrology nursing, nurses' work environments, and how new graduate nurses transition into professional nurses. Her book, Mastering Precepting: A Nurse's Handbook for Success, was named a 2012 AJN Book of the Year. Her most recent book is Mastering Simulation.