During my 30+ year nursing career, my personal and professional outlook has grown with each experience and personal encounter with patients and students. Both my years of practice from the bedside to the classroom, as well as my education that led to a doctor of nursing practice degree from Samford University have helped to enhance my understanding and skill in meeting others where they are. Whether it's a critically ill patient, disgruntled family member, or student who is struggling, my first goal is to understand where the individual is coming from and meet them at that point with strategies and solutions that will work for them specifically.

I was a full time faculty for 16 years, while also serving as student advisor, clinical leader, and student nurse organization advisor. I particularly love to work with students who are having a hard time understanding the material. My experience has shown that unless one understands the concepts, that person may resort to memorization to pass an exam, but because rote memorization is most often temporary, the student is unable to retrieve that information once the exam is over. In subjects that precede and are included in nursing programs, it is imperative to bring the information forward as you continue in the program. My strategies to promote this understanding vary greatly, depending on the student's situation, resources, and learning style. I believe the key to success is finding out what tools and resources work for YOU and securing those resources for life-long learning.