01
Why did you choose a career in nursing?
Growing up, I always had an interest in science, but I was also very interested in the humanities. I think nursing combines those two things perfectly. It’s a wonderful career for people who want to understand the science behind caring for patients.

02
What do you enjoy most about teaching nursing students?
It’s such a thrill to see them understand what you’re trying to teach them. We have such bright students at the School of Nursing, but there’s also a great variety of students at different levels of preparedness, so that can be a challenge.

03
You have won a number of awards over the years for teaching excellence. What do you think makes an effective teacher?
The thing that matters most is passion. You have to care passionately about teaching and learning. You also have to learn from your mistakes. I know I have! You have to be unafraid to try new things, especially when you’re in a field like medicine that changes every single day. I also think it’s important that you have to be comfortable with your students and care for them. I’ve come across a number of teachers who aren’t at ease around their students, and it’s really hard to be an effective teacher under those circumstances.

04
How different is the learning experience for nursing and medical students today, as opposed to 35 years ago when you started teaching?
Obviously the biggest change has been the explosion of technology and the expansion of knowledge we have about medicine and patient care. There is so much more for students to learn. Nursing and medical students can’t possibly absorb everything that’s out there for them to know, so it’s critical that they learn where to go when they do need more knowledge about something. I think students today also have to recognize that their patients are going to be much more knowledgeable than they used to be and that they will have higher expectations for their diagnosis and treatment.

05
As a teacher, how do you keep up with rapidly evolving technology and breakthroughs in health care?
Fortunately, KU Medical Center offers great training and workshops for their instructors. When you’re teaching in this field, it is critical that you take advantage of that kind of continuing education. My pathophysiology class changes every semester because of all the changes in molecular biology and other sciences.

06
What do you think graduate schools could do better when it comes to preparing students for a career in health care?
It used to be that medical and nursing students would just take a lot of different classes that didn’t have much of a relationship to each other. Now, most nursing and medical schools, including KU Medical Center, are using an interdisciplinary approach to education. We’re starting to do a better job of integrating classes so students learn about entire systems in the human body. I think we’re also starting to take a more global approach to health care. Our nursing students are learning about worldwide health problems, not just those close to home.

07
You went to nursing school at KU and have worked and taught at KU Medical Center for virtually your entire career. What has kept you here?
I think we’ve always had great leadership at the School of Nursing and at the Medical Center, which is so important. And there are always new challenges, which help keep the job exciting. I have had other opportunities, but I feel very fortunate to be here.

08
Recent news reports indicate that nursing care in America’s hospitals has reached a critical shortage – the worst in 50 years, with more than 120,000 open positions for registered nurses nationwide. What can be done to alleviate this shortage?
Obviously, we need to increase the number of students entering nursing schools. But in order to do that, we first need to increase the faculty at nursing schools. Many of our faculty are nearing retirement age, and it can be challenging to recruit enough instructors to replace them. The financial rewards for nursing educators are not as great as those for clinical nurses, so that’s an uphill challenge.

09
What do you think of the way that doctors and nurses are portrayed on television medical shows such as Grey’s Anatomy and ER? Or do you even watch those kinds of programs?
I do watch those shows, and I often have to ask myself where the nurses are. Even when there are major characters who are nurses, they are often portrayed as people who chose the nursing profession because they couldn’t get into medical school. Television writers need to know that students go to nursing school because they want to become nurses. But it’s still fun to watch those programs, and I sometimes use them as a learning tool in my classes.

10
What do you do to relax?
I love to read for pleasure and really enjoy medical mysteries. I also like walking and spending time outdoors. I love antique shopping and refinishing antiques. I’m also fortunate that my two young granddaughters live nearby, so I try to spend as much time with them as possible. +