Why did you choose your degree program? A doctoral degree has always been the goal for my career as I advanced from clinical
patient care, to administrative program director, and then ultimately to executive
leadership with a broader organizational application. Nurse Executives excel in leadership
roles with highly developed competencies in communication and relationship management,
professionalism, knowledge of the healthcare field, and business skills at the department,
organizational, and system level.
How does this degree program help you advance in your career? Executive Leadership benefits my professional career as it has allowed growth as a
transformational leader and increased my business skills, most significantly with
strategic management and finance. This degree allows me to impact policy at a broader
level, with the goals to improve healthcare outcomes and ensure academic success across
all populations here at Augusta University.
What have you found most beneficial about your program at AU? The interdisciplinary collaboration among programs and faculty, along with the ability
to be supported as an adult learner during a dynamic time in today’s healthcare industry.
Please share words of advice for someone considering this program at AU? This program becomes highly individualized as you advance into your project and comes
with faculty support “Like No Other.” Absolutely delve in and become a leader in the
nursing field.
What have been some of your most rewarding moments while in your program? Serving patients has always been my internal drive, and now with my career advancement
this includes both internal and external customers at the University. I believe every
day I have a purpose, and completing this degree increases my capabilities to serve,
impact positive outcomes, and increase success for individuals at our University and
the community at large.
What courses in your program's curriculum stand out as most helpful for your specific
career goals?Health Care Finance and Economics for the Nurse Executive, allows for strategic planning and budgeting from the C-suite.
The small cohort and drive towards excellence that has been present in every course.
What do you do for fun? Spending time with my son and exercising bring me joy!
How did this program impact your career goal? I would highly recommend the post-Master's DNP program for advanced practice nurses
who have been in clinical practice and wish to transition to academics and/or assume
greater leadership responsibilities. I was able to achieve my goal of becoming a full-time educator! I am now an Assistant
Professor in the AU College of Nursing and teach in the Nursing Anesthesia Program.
What is the greatest lesson you have learned from your professor? A little bit of hard work and tenacity will allow you to achieve any goal you set
for yourself.
What have you found most beneficial about your program at AU? Learning how to facilitate change in an organization to improve patient outcomes has
been the most rewarding benefit of the DNP program.
Please share words of advice for someone considering this program at AU? If you want to learn the process of leading change, this program is for you. If you
want to make processes more efficient and based on evidence, this program is for you.
And if you want your ideas to actually be adopted into clinical practice, then this
program is definitely for you.
What have been some of your most rewarding moments while in your program? When I gave my defense, I was able to state that my DNP project had resulted in a
change in clinical practice that had a positive impact on patient care. That felt
really great!
What are your career goals? In the immediate future, I want to learn how to be the best educator I can be. Long-term,
I would like to be involved in implementing innovative ways to educate nurse anesthetist
residents.
What courses in your program's curriculum stand out as most helpful for your specific
career goals? The "Project Inquiry and Change" is the course that provides the framework for the DNP Project and guides the learner
through identifying a clinical problem at a healthcare facility, researching the current
practice and best practice based on a literature synthesis, and implementing and evaluating
change in practice. The "Leadership" Course provides the learner with the tools to
identify and overcome obstacles to change.
What AU resources have been most helpful? The experienced CON faculty, the CON library scientist, and the data management team.
The librarian in the CON, Natalee Reese, was a valuable resource when deeper dives into the literature search proved to be
a challenge. She was always prompt to respond and delivered the needed information
very quickly. The data analytic team was very responsive to acquiring data that was
needed to analyze the clinical questions and responded promptly to changes and additional
data requests. The Center for Nursing Research was also instrumental in the completion of my DNP project. Chelsey Lemons guided
us through the IRB application process and Dr. Thomas Joshua guided my partner and I through coding the data and interpreting the results of the
statistical analysis. Chelsey also helped me build and print my poster to present
at the GA Anesthesia Symposium in Sept 2022.
What do you do for fun (hobbies etc)? Cooking, decorating, reading, entertaining, and playing with my dog.
