RN to BSN Degree Completion Program

received a BSN from Armstrong State College, a MSN from Georgia State University, and a PhD in Nursing from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Her career includes experience as a High Risk OB Clinical Nurse Specialist, a Service Line Director for Maternal Child Services and a Chief Nurse Executive. She is currently the Director of Education for Dignity Health-St. Rose Dominican Hospitals in Nevada. She is also a part-time faculty member in the Ameritech College of Healthcare RN to BSN program, teaching nursing leadership and management. She is a member of AONE, ACHE, Sigma Theta Tau, and serves on the boards of a number of professional organizations and academic programs.

In my experience as a Registered Nurse, I have been in the health care field for over 35 years and knew early on in my career that I would need to continue my educational journey by going back to school to get my BSN in 1991. In 1994, I completed my Masters in Healthcare Administration. I am in a position of administration that requires leadership, mentoring, and scholarly performance. I completed my doctoral degree (PHD in Higher Education Administration) in December 2016. My dissertation outcome was to have nursing students successfully pass the BRN’s NCLEX-RN examination using standardized testing during enrollment. The goal is have have nursing students begin working in the health care arena after graduation. I have served in clinical roles, nursing management positions of patient care, Director of Quality Management, and currently the Director of a Nursing Program of a community college in California. I have taught nursing courses for various nursing programs. I look forward to the instruction of this class.

Ann Spence earned a BSN from Michigan State University and a MSN in Parent Child Nursing from the University of Michigan. A DNP was obtained from Duquesne University. Dr. Spence is an Assistant Professor in Carlow graduate nursing leadership and DNP programs, with primary teaching responsibilities in evidence-based practice, research and leadership courses. Her experience includes positions as a neonatal clinical nurse specialist, quality specialist, and director. She has been responsible for operations in multiple critical care units and oncology and bone marrow transplant units, as well as general medical acute care pediatrics. She has led professional development programs from bedside nurses, initiated a hospital-based nursing bone marrow transplant fellowship program, and has served as a chair for the hospital based central line committee, monitor task force, and Magnet advisor. Dr. Spence was elected as the local chapter president for the Association of Pediatric Hematology Oncology Nurses in 2014 and currently is a member of the awards committee as well as a member of the board for the Society of Pediatric Nurses. Her research interests include medication safety, central line infection prevention, and self-care for nurses.

• Institutional Certificate Licensed Practical Nurse LPN Weber State College, Ogden, UT, 1980
• Associate Degree Nursing, ADN, Weber State College, Ogden, UT, 1989
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing, BSN, University of Phoenix, SLC, UT, 2005
• Master of Science in Nursing, MSN, University of Phoenix, SLC, UT, 2007

• LPN I worked at St. Benedicts Hospital and Shriner Hospital for Crippled Children acute care areas.
• ADN I worked U of U Health Sciences Center, Cottonwood Hospital acute care areas and in Endoscopy at Cottonwood Hospital
• BSN/Management- Assistant Nurse Manager Alta View Acute care, Program director Med/Surgical Nurse Residency, assistant nurse manager Endoscopy Unit Intermountain Medical Nurse Manager Ortho/Neuro acute care unit Intermountain Medical Center, Nurse Manager Intermountain Medical Center Endoscopy, and Nurse Manager Alta View Endoscopy.
• 2007 completed my MSN continued in a Management position.
• Adjunct Nursing faculty Utah Career college, Ameritech College

I am a nurse of 46 years. I started my career caring for patients who had been burned. That is where I found that I had a love of teaching as I precepted many student nurses and new nurses. I began teaching nursing in a diploma program in 1975 and since then, have been able to teach many students and staff in various organizations. I currently work as Associate Director at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio. Living with me is a very spoiled cat (Sophie), and two parakeets (Earl and Lady Jane Grey). I volunteer for a no-kill cat shelter in Columbus when my schedule allows me. I am involved in various church activities and am an avid cyclist.

Catherine Hiler is an Associate Professor of nursing at Jefferson College of Health Sciences (JCHS) in Roanoke Virginia. She earned an Associate in Applied Science Nursing (AAS) from Dabney S Lancaster Community College, a Bachelor of Science Nursing (BSN) from the College of Health Sciences, a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from Jefferson College of Health Sciences and her Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) from Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University.

Her nursing background is critical care where she worked for eleven years prior to accepting an Assistant Professor position at Jefferson College of Health Sciences. She holds CCRN certification. She is a member of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses where she has served on the Beacon review panel, cardiac medicine certification review panel and currently serves as an Ambassador. She held the position of President of the Greater Roanoke Valley Chapter of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses from 2010-2011 and served as a board member from 2011-2012. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau and the Tau Phi Chapter where she serves as a board member. She is a member of the American Nurses Association and the Virginian Nurses Association. She has been a poster presenter at the National Teaching Institute and Critical Care Exposition in 2011, 2012 and 2016. In 2016 her research poster was granted the research award and was presented as a podium presentation. In 2012, she completed a Nursing Research Fellowship at Carilion Clinic which focused on increasing nurse confidence levels to facilitate family presence at the bedside during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Her most recent research encompassed the Impact of Moral Distress on Perceptions of Work Environment and Quality Care.

Her research interests include moral distress among critical care nurses, healthy work environments and innovative pedagogy in Nursing Education.

Publications:

Catherine A. Hiler, Ronald L. Hickman, Jr, Andrew P. Reimer, and Kimberly Wilson CE Article: Predictors of Moral Distress in a US Sample of Critical Care Nurses Am J Crit Care January 2018 27:59-66; doi:10.4037/ajcc2018968