Creating Synergy: Practical Strategies for DNP and PhD Student Collaboration
May 08, 2026
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM (ET)
Webinar Details
Despite sharing a commitment to advancing nursing and improving patient care, DNP and PhD programs often operate in silos, which limits collaboration at a time when such partnerships are more critical than ever. In this presentation, we offer a student-led perspective on bridging that gap and real case examples that can be replicated in other programs.
Webinar Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Identify two actionable strategies students or faculty can use to initiate effective collaboration between DNP and PhD peers.
- Describe how student partnerships can foster connection and enhance inter-pathway innovation within nursing education.
Note: Recording of the webinar will be available soon after the webinar airs. Visit AACN's On-Demand Webinars to watch.
Speakers
Speaker
Lisa Kelly, MSN, RN
Clinical & Safety Account Executive
ECRI
Adjunct Nursing Professor
University of Tulsa
Lisa Kelly is a Clinical & Safety Account Executive at ECRI and an adjunct nursing professor at the University of Tulsa. A U.S. Army veteran, she is pursuing a PhD in Nursing at Texas Woman’s University, where she explores purpose-building, identity, and existential well-being in individuals with multiple sclerosis. While currently building out a grant-funded quantitative study, she has also used autoethnography and Photovoice to examine the lived experience of cognitive impairment. Lisa holds a BSN from Georgia Southern University and an MSN in Nursing Informatics from Walden University.
Jana O’Hara, MSN, RN, CPHFH, CPHQ, CPPS
Director of Consulting and Education
Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP)
Jana O’Hara is the Director of Consulting and Education at the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP). She is pursuing a DNP from Texas Woman's University with a focus on patient safety and the medication use process. She holds a BSN from Biola University and a MSN in Nursing Systems Management from the University of Texas at El Paso. Jana is certified in Healthcare Quality, Patient Safety, and Human Factors in Healthcare.
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Integrating ELNEC Content and the Five Wishes Advance Care Planning Document: Two Applied Exemplars
April 16, 2026
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM (ET)
Webinar Details
Join colleagues on National Healthcare Decision Day, April 16, to explore key concepts from the End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) palliative care education and the Five Wishes advance care planning document from Aging with Dignity, with an emphasis on incorporating these resources into curricula and strengthening academic-practice partnerships.
This session uses experiential learning and features two applied exemplars:
- a reflective assignment where prelicensure nursing students complete either an Advance Health Care Directive or the Five Wishes document to examine their values, preferences, and readiness for goals-of-care discussions; and
- an implementation model that promotes advance directives and demonstrates interprofessional collaboration, such as nursing–law partnerships, to support the documentation of patient preferences.
The webinar concludes with a discussion of instructional design strategies, examines feasibility and adaptation in educational and practice environments, and identifies potential outcomes including learner knowledge, self-efficacy, and communication behaviors.
Learning Objectives
- Describe how ELNEC core content aligns with the structure and intent of the Five Wishes document as an advance care planning intervention.
- Compare two applied exemplars (a prelicensure reflective assignment and a Vanderbilt-based implementation model) with respect to experiential learning elements, interprofessional collaboration, and support for goals-of-care communication.
- Identify curricular and practice-setting considerations for implementing advance care planning education using Five Wishes, including feasibility, adaptation across settings, and outcomes for evaluation (e.g., knowledge, self-efficacy, and observed communication behaviors).
Learn more about ELNEC and Five Wishes.
Speakers
Speakers
Therese Doan, PhD, RN, PHN
Professor
San Francisco State University School of Nursing
Dr. Therese Doan is a Professor at San Francisco State University School of Nursing. Her Scholarship focuses on Nursing education innovation, advance care planning, and end-of-life care. With decades of clinical experience spanning the full continuum of care—often described as "womb to tomb"—from perinatal nursing to end-of-life practice. Dr. Doan bridges academic preparation and clinical realities to strengthen nursing students’ readiness for complex patient care conversations. Her research examines reflective and experiential pedagogies that prepare pre-licensure nursing students to engage in meaningful, culturally sensitive discussions about serious illness, advance directives, and patient values.
Megan Lippe, PhD, MSN, RN, CNE, ANEF, FPCN, FAAN
Associate Professor
UT San Antonio
Dr. Megan Lippe is an Associate Professor with tenure and palliative care expert. She is a national leader for palliative nursing care education with published work in areas related to palliative care practice and education, simulation, and interprofessional education. She is a co-investigator of the End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) focused on advancing palliative care education in schools of nursing throughout the country. Dr. Lippe is a 2019 Cambia Sojourns and recipient of the 2017 ELNEC Award and 2019 Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA) New Investigator Award. In 2023, Dr. Lippe was inducted as a fellow of both the American Academy of Nursing and the Academy of Nursing Education. In 2024, she was inducted as a Fellow of Palliative Care Nursing by HPNA.
Gloria Littlemouse, PhD, RN, MSN
Assistant Professor
Vanderbilt School of Nursing
Dr. Gloria Littlemouse, Post-Doctoral Scholar from Watson Caring Science Institute and an Assistant Professor at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. Her work integrates Watson Caring Science and end-of-life education to advance compassionate, culturally responsive care for individuals and families facing serious illness and works with marginalized communities including her own Indigenous community. Dr. Littlemouse is ELNEC-trained, completing training in 2010 with Dr.?Betty Ferrell in San Diego, California.?She has presented nationally and internationally on Five Wishes/advance directives, expanding its integration in nursing education and global end-of-life care initiatives, including work with Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, always through the lens of Watson Caring Science. She recently returned from presenting at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women and will serve as a keynote speaker at the University of Palermo in just a few weeks on Watson Caring Science and end-of-life education using Five Wishes in international contexts. Her goal is to prepare nursing students to create meaningful Caring Moments with Love.
Paul Malley, MA
President
Five Wishes
Paul Malley is President of Five Wishes, a program of the national non-profit organization Aging with Dignity, based in Tallahassee, Florida. Five Wishes, dubbed the "living will with a heart and soul," is the most popular document used by Americans to make health care decisions before a serious illness. The national version debuted in 1998, when Malley began his tenure with Aging with Dignity, and today there are more than 44 million copies of Five Wishes in national and international circulation. It is available in 33 languages and in Braille. The Five Wishes program provides resources and training for individuals, families, healthcare providers, businesses, employers, places of worship, and community groups. Malley holds a M aster of Arts in Communications degree from Florida State University. He joined Aging with Dignity in 1998, was named its President in 2002, and was named President of Five Wishes in 2025.
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Advancing Pediatric Nursing Science through a Collaborative Academic-Clinical Research
April 10, 2026
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM (ET)
Webinar Details
Academic–clinical partnerships are essential to advancing nursing science and improving patient outcomes. In this webinar, nursing leaders from Children’s Health and Texas Christian University share a real-world model of a collaborative academic–clinical research partnership designed to integrate research into clinical nursing practice. Participants will explore the structures, guiding principles, and outcomes that support nurse-driven research, implementation science, and innovation. Together, this session highlights how shared leadership and aligned goals can bridge the research–practice gap in pediatric nursing care.
The speakers of this session are winners of the AACN Exemplary Academic-Practice Partnership Awards.
Outcomes:
- Identify the critical elements of successful academic-clinical research partnerships that advance nursing science.
- Explore effective strategies to foster collaboration between academic institutions and clinical settings to enhance research outcomes.
- Understand how collaborative efforts can drive innovation, improve evidence-based practice, and advance the field of nursing.
Speakers
Speakers
Carol J. Howe, PhD, RN, CDCES, FAAN
Associate and Parker Endowed Professor
Texas Christian University
Dr. Carol Howe is an Associate and the Paula R. and Ronald C. Parker Endowed Professor of Nursing in the Harris College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Her research focuses on the health literacy skills of patients, clinicians, and hospital systems to drive improved patient outcomes. Her focus is on implementation research and quality improvement to increase clinician uptake of health literacy practices to improve patient outcomes. Dr. Howe is currently a principal investigator, collaborating with colleagues at Children’s Health, on three studies using implementation science frameworks and strategies to implement clinician health literacy practices in pediatric ambulatory clinics. Dr. Howe has received honors for her efforts, including the Big 12 Faculty of the Year, the Leadership Award from the American Diabetes Association, the Excellence in Education Award from the Pediatric Endocrinology Nursing Society, the Penn Nursing Alumni Award for Clinical Excellence and Dr. Howe is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.
Lindsey Patton, PhD, APRN, PCNS-BC
Sr. Director Nursing Excellence, Research and Innovation
Children’s Health System of Texas
Dr. Lindsey Patton leads strategic initiatives that elevate nursing practice, advance research, and foster innovation across Children’s Health. As Senior Director of Nursing Excellence, Research and Innovation, she has been instrumental in shaping a culture of inquiry and evidence-based care. Her leadership has driven the development of a robust academic partnership with Texas Christian University (TCU), expanding opportunities for collaborative research, professional development, and clinical scholarship.
Danielle Walker, RN, PhD, CNE
Associate and Parker Endowed Professor
Texas Christian University
Dr. Danielle Walker is an Associate Professor in the Harris College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Texas Christian University. A learning scientist focused on nursing education, Dr. Walker’s research centers on improving the quality of teaching and evaluation through evidence-based practices. Her expertise in psychometrics supports the development and validation of reliable instruments across diverse educational and clinical settings. She has been recognized for her contributions to nursing education research with awards such as the 2020 QSEN Researcher of the Year and the Generating Evidence for Nursing Education Practice Award at the Nursing Education Research Conference.
Tammy Webb, PhD, RN, NE-BC
Chief Nurse Executive
Children’s Health System of Texas
President
California Association of Colleges of Nursing
Precision Health & Genomics Work Group Co-Chair
American Nurses Association
Dr. Tammy Webb leads nursing strategy and drives clinical excellence in a large children’s hospital system, while fostering a culture of patient- and family-centered care and nursing excellence. She has led multiple ANCC Magnet designations and pioneered both new and evolving professional nursing governance structures empowering nurses through accountability, autonomy and authority.
She is responsible for executing strategies aimed at achieving high reliability, advancing quality and patient safety and performance improvement culture. She has published numerous articles in prominent nursing journals and conducted significant research on the role of pediatric nursing.?She serves in multiple local, regional and national professional nursing and healthcare organizations advancing and promoting the i mpact of nurse leaders.
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Purdue University School of Nursing and North Central Nursing Clinics Academic-Practice Partnership
April 09, 2026
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM (ET)
Webinar Details
Purdue School of Nursing and the North Central Nursing Clinics have a long-standing collaboration dating back to when the clinics first started at Purdue in 1995. They work in close partnership to advance nursing education, improve community health, and reduce healthcare disparities in Indiana. This collaboration creates a unique model where academic excellence directly supports real-world healthcare delivery. The aim of the partnership is to promote and advance the beneficial relationship between the Purdue School of Nursing (PSON) and the North Central Nursing Clinics (NCNC) by fostering educational excellence, educating future healthcare providers, ensuring the sustainability of the nursing workforce, and advancing nursing science while providing safe quality care to rural and underserved populations.
The speakers of this session are winners of the AACN Exemplary Academic-Practice Partnership Awards.
Outcomes:
- Attendees will learn about rural and underserved healthcare
- Attendees will be able to articulate the importance and benefits of academic-practice partnerships
- Attendees will gain practical insights into a collaborative relationship between academia and the clinics, excellent communication, and faculty practice
Speakers
Speakers
Nancy Edwards, PhD, MSN, ANP-BC, FAANP
Professor Emerita
Purdue University
Dr. Nancy Edwards is an associate professor of nursing. Edwards is also Director of the Purdue Primary Care Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner program. She is known for her research into non-chemical ways to improve quality of life for those with all forms of dementia, their loved ones and caregivers, and their communities at large. She has studied the effects of animal-assisted therapy, including robotic dogs, and chair-based exercise therapy for patients, as well as the differing needs of family caregivers based on the challenges posed by various kinds of dementia. As a faculty member and clinical preceptor, she has guided the education of 89 nurse practitioner students and served as chair for 42 master's students as well as 21 students seeking their doctor of nursing practice degrees.
Jennifer Coddington, DNP, MSN, RN, CPNP-PC
Assistant Dean of Online, Professional and Clinical Education, Clinical Professor, Director of the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Graduate Program
Purdue University
Medical Director, Director of Practice and Outreach
Central Nursing Clinics
Dr. Jennifer Coddington is Clinical Professor, Director of the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Program, Director of Practice and Outreach, and Medical Director of North Central Nursing Clinics for the School of Nursing, and HHS Assistant Dean of Clinical Practice, Professional and Online Education. She has over 35 years of experience in pediatrics and currently practices part-time as a CPNP-PC in primary care. Dr. Coddington’s research focuses on quality outcomes of nurse-managed health systems. She implements and evaluates unique models of care that address current challenges in healthcare delivery in the United States including: increasing access to health care for vulnerable populations, innovating rural health care, removing barriers for practice for Advanced Practice Nurses, and improving pediatric health.
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Purdue University School of Nursing and North Central Nursing Clinics Academic-Practice Partnership
April 09, 2026
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM (ET)
Webinar Details
Purdue School of Nursing and the North Central Nursing Clinics have a long-standing collaboration dating back to when the clinics first started at Purdue in 1995. They work in close partnership to advance nursing education, improve community health, and reduce healthcare disparities in Indiana. This collaboration creates a unique model where academic excellence directly supports real-world healthcare delivery. The aim of the partnership is to promote and advance the beneficial relationship between the Purdue School of Nursing (PSON) and the North Central Nursing Clinics (NCNC) by fostering educational excellence, educating future healthcare providers, ensuring the sustainability of the nursing workforce, and advancing nursing science while providing safe quality care to rural and underserved populations.
The speakers of this session are winners of the AACN Exemplary Academic-Practice Partnership Awards.
Outcomes:
- Attendees will learn about rural and underserved healthcare
- Attendees will be able to articulate the importance and benefits of academic-practice partnerships
- Attendees will gain practical insights into a collaborative relationship between academia and the clinics, excellent communication, and faculty practice
Speakers
Speakers
Nancy Edwards, PhD, MSN, ANP-BC, FAANP
Professor Emerita
Purdue University
Dr. Nancy Edwards is an associate professor of nursing. Edwards is also Director of the Purdue Primary Care Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner program. She is known for her research into non-chemical ways to improve quality of life for those with all forms of dementia, their loved ones and caregivers, and their communities at large. She has studied the effects of animal-assisted therapy, including robotic dogs, and chair-based exercise therapy for patients, as well as the differing needs of family caregivers based on the challenges posed by various kinds of dementia. As a faculty member and clinical preceptor, she has guided the education of 89 nurse practitioner students and served as chair for 42 master's students as well as 21 students seeking their doctor of nursing practice degrees.
Jennifer Coddington, DNP, MSN, RN, CPNP-PC
Assistant Dean of Online, Professional and Clinical Education, Clinical Professor, Director of the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Graduate Program
Purdue University
Medical Director, Director of Practice and Outreach
Central Nursing Clinics
Dr. Jennifer Coddington is Clinical Professor, Director of the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Program, Director of Practice and Outreach, and Medical Director of North Central Nursing Clinics for the School of Nursing, and HHS Assistant Dean of Clinical Practice, Professional and Online Education. She has over 35 years of experience in pediatrics and currently practices part-time as a CPNP-PC in primary care. Dr. Coddington’s research focuses on quality outcomes of nurse-managed health systems. She implements and evaluates unique models of care that address current challenges in healthcare delivery in the United States including: increasing access to health care for vulnerable populations, innovating rural health care, removing barriers for practice for Advanced Practice Nurses, and improving pediatric health.