Nancy Reese

Nancy Reese has been a registered nurse since 1996, starting her journey as a certified nurses’ assistant ten years prior. Her nursing practice specialty areas are medical-surgical, specifically neurological nursing and community health. Her teaching practice spans many areas, including nursing ethics, leadership, pathophysiology, pharmacology, health assessment, health policy, evidence-based practice, research, spirituality, and service learning. She has been a nurse educator since 2007 and a nurse educator leader since 2014.

Prof. Reese has published and lectured extensively. Her works have appeared in media as diverse as the nursing textbook “Spiritual Care in Nursing Practice,” various devotional books, newspaper articles, and health promotion newsletter articles. She has presented posters and spoken about parish nursing, theology, dedicated education units in nursing, and higher education at conferences, retreats, and networking events. Her research areas include spiritual distress and nursing students, improving student/faculty relationships, creating clinical relationships through dedicated education units, service-learning, and quality improvement.

Mission and ministry are key to her life. She has acted as a team leader for 27 missions and a team member for two missions worldwide. Conducting portable medical brigades in Honduras is the most frequent service activity, over twenty trips, and she has led teams of ten to 45 people to serve there since 2002.

Local community service is a large part of her life as well. She has provided training and instruction for church caregiving groups, worked with county health department programs, and consulted on mission development. She volunteers with her local village’s Medical Reserve Corps.

Prof. Reese earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice in Leadership and Administration from Concordia University Wisconsin, a Master of Science in Nursing Education from Concordia University Wisconsin, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Concordia University Chicago/West Suburban College of Nursing.

In addition, she has completed certification as a lay minister through Concordia University Wisconsin. She is a certified nurse educator, a member of the Wisconsin Organization of Nurse Leaders, a member of the National League of Nursing, a member of the Psi Lambda and Phi Beta chapters of Sigma, the international nursing honor society, and the Nurses’ Christian Fellowship.

Hear from Prof. Reese: Why nursing?

“Nursing education is not only cognitive and tactile learning but also affective learning. Students learn evidence-based interventions to bring the best health outcomes through complex procedures that are performed in various arenas. But also, nurses experience death, life, hope, despair, triumph, and tragedy – sometimes all in the same day.

“As a nurse educator, I strive to guide students through all three domains with grace. Over 17 years ago, as a graduate student, I started my work formulating a nurse education theory of ‘compassionate nursing education.’ This theory grounded my nursing education and practice in love, kindness, and compassion. Upon entering higher education two years later, I have championed the practice of compassionate nursing education for all nursing students. Over the past 15 years, I have intersected with an estimated 5,000 students in the classroom or clinical areas.

“A joy that I have is to mentor new and seasoned nursing faculty to frame their nursing education and practice in love, compassion, and unconditional positive regard. A key statement that I live by is ‘put the best construction on everything.’

“In addition to compassionate nursing education, it is important to note that nursing practice is a dynamic and ever evolving field that demands flexibility and adaption. As the American Association of Colleges of Nursing states: ‘To ensure that graduates are ready for contemporary practice requires faculty who have an awareness of evolving changes and the understanding of the science of learning and a commitment to adapting curricula, teaching strategies, and student learning assessment to meet these needs. It is paramount to inculcate graduates with the knowledge, skills, and values for embracing change and innovation through career-long learning.’

“The future of nursing is bright because of dedicated nurse educators who foster learning environments that assist students, patients, families, and communities to achieve healthy outcomes. Nurse educators are committed to diversity, equity, excellence, and caring in all that they do. They are the true role models to their students.

“Each day, I find new hope and joy in being a nurse educator. You can find me smiling ear to ear, observing students in the Nursing Learning Labs as they practice their tactile skills. In the classroom, I love to engage nursing students in the evidence as they discover new ways to improve the future of healthcare. The most rewarding, however, is when I go to various clinical sites and directly observe nursing students engaging in their nursing practice. Nursing students hold high the light of hope into the future of nursing. Serving in my role as a nurse educator is a true honor.”

• B.S. — Nursing, Concordia University Chicago/West Suburban College of Nursing
• M.S.N. — Concordia University Wisconsin, Nurse Educator
• D.N.P. — Concordia University Wisconsin, Leadership & Administration

• Pathophysiology
• Pharmacotherapeutics in Nursing
• Foundations in Nursing
• Adult Health I
• Adult Health II
• Mental Health Nursing
• Community Health Nursing
• Pediatric Nursing
• Health Assessment
• Ethics in Nursing
• Evidence Based Practice
• Clinical Synthesis/Role Transition
• Service Learning – Chicago
• Service Learning – National
• Service Learning – Honduras/Belize
• Spiritual Care in Nursing Practice
• Applied Leadership
• Scholarly Synthesis and Health Policy
• DNP I – IV and Advanced Leadership

Spiritual distress in nursing students and improving quality metrics with clinical partners.

• 2024 MLK Legacy Award – Carthage College
• 2023 – Saemann Foundation Grant for Continuation of Interprofessional Education IPE — $5,000
• 2022 – Saemann Foundation Grant for Interprofessional Education (IPE) — $50,000
• 2021 – NACCHO Grant for Medical Reserve Corps – Rebuilding Response Capabilities
• 2020 Nominee — ‘Daisy Award for Faculty’
• 2019 Hero of Nursing Award — American Red Cross
• 2017 Pinnacle Nurse Leader Award — Power of Nursing Leadership
• 2017 National Association of Long-Term Hospitals Innovation Award
• 2016 — City of God Grant for Service Learning Local and International

• Habermeier, N. (2003) Collaboration in spiritual care. In K. Mauk & N. Schmidt (Eds.), Spiritual Care in Nursing Practice. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.

• Reese, N. (2024) “Academic and Practice Partnerships.” Wisconsin Organization of Nurse Leaders — invited.
• Reese, N. (2023) “Dedicated Education Units.” Wisconsin Organization of Nurse Leaders — invited.
• Reese, N. (2023) “Spring Wellness.” St. Peter Lutheran Church Young at Heart Senior Group — invited.
• Reese, N. (2022) “Winter Safety & Home Emergency Preparedness.” Village of Schaumburg Winter Safety Event — invited.
• Reese, N. (2022) “Nursing Evidence and Research: our everyday opportunity!” Spring Phi Beta Induction of Sigma, the International Nursing Honor Society — peer reviewed.
• Reese, N. (2021) “Winter Safety & Home Emergency Preparedness.” Village of Schaumburg Winter Safety Event — invited.
• Reese, N. (2019). “Nursing and Radiography Student Collaboration: Increasing Patient Satisfaction on a Dedicated Education Unit” Sigma International Research Conference — peer reviewed.
• Reese, N. (2018) “A Dedicated Education Unit and Long Term Acute Care Hospital: An Innovative Partnership” AACN Baccalaureate Nursing Education Conference — peer reviewed.