Meaningful Practice Experiences in Online RN-BSN Programs

Dr. Nina Beaman came to psychiatric nursing through my interest in women's health. Even though she worked her way through nursing school as a prepared childbirth educator, she decided to practice in home health and long-term care (for the mentally and neurologically ill) for decades. Board certified in Ambulatory Women's Health, she became concerned about the amount of postpartal depression she was witnessing. Then, after probing, found a definite link with domestic violence. Concerned about violence, she began working in the elementary schools in my rural Virginia County to decrease violence and substance abuse. She was approached by a sheriff candidate to work with the Nelson County Sheriff's Office after his election. She consulted with the sheriff on anti-violence programs in the county (in elementary and high schools, and within the community), grant funding, and behavioral profiling when violent episodes (rarely) occur. Board certified in both Psychiatric/Mental Health and Ambulatory Women's Health, she is a frequent speaker on issues related to violence against women. She is currently the Director of the Online Nursing Program at Aspen University. Genuinely honored to be working with this talented group, she offers help on any projects that arise. She completed her dissertation on "Disaster Simulation for Promoting Volunteerism of Medical Assisting Students."

Dr. Heglund is an actively practicing Nurse Practitioner and full-time member of the nursing faculty at the University of Central Florida. He is the Director of Post-License BSN programs for the College of Nursing that includes the RN to BSN program, AS to BSN program and two Concurrent programs. He brings his 25 years of critical and emergency care experience to nursing education and has been an integral part of the UCF College of Nursing’s prominence in the realm of Distance Learning for the past 15 years. During this time, he has managed the growth of programs from partially to fully online with opportunities for students to partake in face-to-face learning as an available option. He has also broadened the practice experiences of the RN student completing the BSN that address the demands of highly varied needs for nursing in the communities they will serve as BSN prepared Registered Nurses. He is an award-winning faculty advisor and instructor, author, and speaker on subjects pertaining to innovative learning, advising and nursing program management.

Dr. Janet Phillips holds a PhD in nursing education and has been teaching nursing for two decades. Currently a Clinical Associate Professor at Indiana University School of Nursing at the Indianapolis campus. Dr. Phillips is known for her contributions to the nursing community in innovative course and curriculum development. Obtaining national leadership experience in nursing education as a member of the National League for Nursing’s (NLN) Board of Governors, leading task groups on curriculum innovations, participating as a member of the Nominations, Constituent League, Governance, and Academy of Nursing Education Fellow Review Panel Committees. She has been a fellow in the NLN’s Academy of Nursing Education since 2013. Currently the Director of an Indiana University’s statewide online RN to BSN Degree Completion Option, providing leadership in faculty mentoring using systems thinking. She has received awards in curriculum innovation, excellence in teaching, faculty mentoring, and academic-practice partnerships. An innovator at the national level through her work with quality and safety, particularly related to preventing medical errors. I am the founder and co-leader of the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) RN-BSN Task Force. Her current research and scholarship incorporates a model to guide nurse educators in assessment and integration of systems thinking for quality and safety while engaging learners in interprofessional education and practice.

Dr. Slade graduated from Chatham University's MSN program in 2008 and the DNP program in 2009 with her capstone project focus being End-of-Life Education for In-Hospital Nurses. Dr. Slade is currently an assistant professor of nursing and the RN-BSN program coordinator. Dr. Slade's professional areas of interest are end-of-life/hospice nursing and nursing education/engagement in online education.

Julie Slade has been a nurse for nearly 20 years. Her early years in nursing were spent providing direct patient care in intensive care units. Julie’s current areas of professional interest are in hospice/end-of-life nursing and nursing education. Julie has worked for the nursing department at Chatham University since 2010, first as the clinical coordinator for the RN-BSN, MSN, and DNP Programs, and now as assistant professor and Program Coordinator for the RN-BSN program.

Dr. Susan Ruppert is Professor, Associate Dean of Graduate Studies at the Cizik School of Nursing at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Nursing. She has experience teaching both in undergraduate and graduate programs. She maintains a faculty practice as a family nurse practitioner in a college health clinic.

Dr. Ruppert has held numerous national leadership positions within professional organizations including as Past Chair of the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) Board of Commissioners, Co-Chair of the CCNE Accreditation Review Committee, member of the CCNE Standards Committee, and Co-Chair of the current CCNE Nurse Practitioner Residency/Fellowship Standards Committee. She also currently serves on the AACN Essentials Revision Task Force and the Board of Commissioners of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board.

Dr. Ruppert is a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, the American College of Critical Care Medicine, and the National Academies of Practice.