Teaching tomorrow’s nurses: Insights from three RN to BSN faculty

One of the key differentiators of The Ohio State University’s online RN to BSN program is our exceptional faculty. We recently spoke with three of our distinguished instructors in the program – Ann Deerhake, DNP, RN, CNL, CCRN, Brian Smith, DNP, RN, EdD, and Jill Volkerding, DNP, RN, CNL, CNE – to learn more about their experiences and share their insights with you. Keep reading to discover what brought these educators to Ohio State, what inspires their teaching, and how they build meaningful connections with students in an online environment.

Ann Deerhake, DNP, RN, CNL, CCRN: As a child, I was not one of those people who knew what I wanted to do my whole life, and I graduated high school still unsure of my career path. One husband and one child later, in 1985 I started working as a unit secretary in the Coronary Care Unit in a Lima, Ohio community hospital and fell in love with nursing! After my second child was born, I attended an associate’s degree nursing program, graduating in 1992. I worked at that same community hospital for more than 30 years, eventually leaving to become a travel nurse in warmer weather!

Brian Smith, DNP, RN, EdD: In 1985, I was deciding what profession I wanted to pursue. Studying the trends and forecasts at that time, I read that there was a major nursing shortage in the United States that was only going to get worse. The data convinced me to go to nursing school, although there were very few men in nursing in 1985. Out of one hundred students in my graduating class, I was the only male. As I progressed in my profession, I continued to pursue an advanced nursing degree. I have worked in every facet of the nursing profession. I started as a volunteer, worked as a nursing assistant while in college, and even worked for 25 years with the National Counsel Licensure Examination (NCLEX). I have been an LPN, then an associate degree RN, and on to a BSN. I eventually attained a master’s degree with an emphasis on education, and finally a doctorate.

Jill Volkerding, DNP, RN, CNL, CNE: I started working as an associate degree-prepared RN and it was strongly encouraged for us to go back and obtain a BSN. I chose to go to OSU for my RN to BSN degree. Through that program, we had a leadership course with a required preceptorship. I was lucky enough to be paired with a nurse educator. She was a wonderful preceptor and mentor and helped me to choose nursing education for my career. This was an area of nursing I had never considered in the past. This degree really led me to choose this pathway and enhance my education. I love what I do and feel blessed to have had the push to go back to school.

AD: In 2011, two years after I graduated with my master’s degree from Ohio State, I was approached by one of my graduate instructors to teach two online graduate courses. At that time, I still lived in Lima, so this was a perfect opportunity to try my hand at university teaching. I continued to work full-time as a critical care Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL), adding this online teaching position to my busy schedule. I discovered that I enjoyed the flexibility and autonomy of online teaching immensely.

BS: I have had a love for Ohio State since I was very young and I have wanted to work at OSU for many years. I can still recall being a toddler sitting on my Dad’s lap watching the Buckeyes on TV, so being a Buckeye seems to be in my DNA. After I attained my doctoral degree, I applied for a teaching position. I have a great sense of pride and joy being a part of the College of Nursing. I strive every day to do my part to make this school the best nursing school in the country. I will not be satisfied until the RN to BSN program is ranked #1 in the country.

JV: I started working at Ohio State prior to receiving my nursing degree. Ohio State helped me to continue my schooling as an ADN. I never considered working anywhere else. I loved that Ohio State was a state hospital where we never turned patients away. As an educator, I see that the program puts students first. I am passionate about educating the future generation of nurses and I appreciate how we focus on centering our students.

AD: I have been teaching in the RN to BSN program since 2016 and have taught various courses over the years. Currently, I routinely teach Foundations and Contemporary Issues in Nursing, Failure to Rescue, and Palliative and End-of-Life Care.

BS: I will be starting my fourth year at Ohio State this fall. I am privileged to be the course lead in the Palliative Care and End of Life program, as well as one of the clinical educators in the Community Health course, and one of the didactic educators in the Professional Nursing Concepts course.

JV: I have been teaching in the RN to BSN program regularly for about five years, but I have taught occasional RN to BSN courses before that. Through this time, I have taught a variety of classes, most recently NA 4600 Interprofessional Communication.

AD: I am a big fan of the student population! For years, I taught nurses at the hospital bedside, and, in many ways, teaching RNs online is very similar. The experiences and ideas my students bring to the table make these courses very engaging for both my students and me.

BS: The most rewarding aspect of teaching in an RN to BSN program is the opportunity to shape the future of nursing and speak directly to the next generation of health care professionals. I do not take that responsibility lightly. I can also relate to my students’ aspirations and goals. That fosters a strong connection and a shared commitment to the nursing profession.

JV: The students. I love working with all of my students, hearing their stories about work and getting into their careers. I love watching them grow through the program, even just in individual courses.

AD: This can be tough, given that all of the courses in the RN to BSN program are asynchronous online. I have learned that I must be as clear as possible by using thorough directions; as present as possible via email and course announcements; and most importantly, I must be intentional by giving timely, thorough feedback. Whether this is via print, audio or video, this is my opportunity to share my experiences and teach my students accordingly. The best part is, I learn as much from them as they do from me. A total win-win!

BS: I have learned that teaching and engaging with online students requires establishing a consistent presence. I must be actively present in online forums and respond promptly to questions. Students want engagement and to know that teachers care about them. Students must also be challenged. If educators cannot challenge students intellectually, then the students cannot increase their critical thinking. Studies have shown that nursing students across the country often perform the lowest on critical thinking test questions. It is also important for educators to present online material in a very organized and concise manner. The topics must be current and evidence-based. Purposeful learning experiences can ultimately translate into a more fulfilling and successful career and income. Essentially, meaningful learning leads to meaningful earning.

JV: I try to make myself as available as possible. I know my students are busy with work, school and often families. I answer emails quickly and make it a point to provide quick feedback on assignments. Many assignments build on each other and it is important to have instructor feedback before starting on the next assignment.

AD: Wow, there are so many! Ohio State RN to BSN students attend the program from locations throughout the country and the world, from Alaska to New Jersey, UK to Japan, and many states and countries in between. Also, these students are balancing school and adult life by working as RNs, getting married, having children, and caring for family. The most memorable moments come from watching students succeed despite these challenges, allowing thoughts and feelings from my own educational endeavors to surface. This happens all the time – success stories are plentiful in the RN to BSN program!

BS: I received an email last year from a young woman. She explained in her email that she was reaching out to me, hoping I was the “Brian Smith” she was looking for. She stated that in 2003, I was her clinical instructor. As a student, she was struggling emotionally and was very close to quitting nursing school altogether. In her email, she recalled that one day, I took her aside and offered support and encouragement. She said that because of that moment in time, she was able to find the courage to continue and graduate. She went on to say that she worked at the James at OSU, continued her studies as an NP, and went on to attain her PhD.

JV: I am at the end of my thirteenth year of teaching. I have had the honor to work with many different students. One of my favorite things about students is to see their passion for nursing. When a student first gets the opportunity to draw blood or place an IV for example, they are super excited. Sometimes as a seasoned nurse you can forget how amazing your role of a nurse is. Students help you to remember that passion.

AD: I have to toot the horn of OSU nursing faculty here! There are many completely online RN to BSN programs out there, but none have faculty who are as dedicated, knowledgeable, and supportive as Ohio State. I think this is the result of faculty being nurses first and educators second. While most of the RN to BSN faculty possess a doctorate, they have worked or currently work at the bedside; they get it. Their goal is to teach students theory along with application to practice. Additionally, many are experts in the courses they teach, providing students with unique learning opportunities. Perhaps, though, the most important component of the Ohio State RN to BSN program is our wellness focus. We believe it is critical to teach working nurses wellness strategies that encourage self-care of mind, body, and soul.

BS: Ohio State stands out in its innovative approach to nursing education. Educators here embrace the use of virtual reality as well as “live actor” simulations, rarely seen in other nursing programs. The rich history of Ohio State also includes a strong research focus. Ohio State also has diverse pathways to achieve a nursing degree. The vast amount of expertise in the nursing staff is very impressive. Nursing students have multiple opportunities to work with many experienced doctoral and master-prepared nursing educators.

JV: I think there are two things that make us really stand apart: the faculty and the advising team. I have degrees from four different colleges/universities and none of them had the personal interaction like OSU. Faculty truly care about the students and their success. The advising team is nothing short of amazing. They have so much knowledge to guide students in many areas and are always willing to help. I never hesitate to refer a student to the advising team.

AD: I think the biggest trend we are seeing in nursing today is increased advocacy for the nursing profession and a focus on interprofessional communication and collaboration. The COVID pandemic brought nursing to the forefront of health care, a place we have always been, but did not acknowledge. Via interprofessional education, nurses have begun to understand that disciplinary and generational differences allow them to embrace and be proud of the uniqueness of their nursing role. One of the coolest things about Ohio State’s RN to BSN program is that we don’t require books. Instead, we use open-source resources for all of our courses. It is challenging for faculty to keep up with constantly changing healthcare trends, but we work hard to do so to provide our students with the most current and relevant education.

BS: Without a doubt, we are going to see an upward shift toward advancing technology and innovation, such as artificial Intelligence (AI). I am currently working with colleagues at Ohio State in VR and immersive simulations. In my Palliative and End of Life course, I have had a lot of discussions with our program director and the VR team at OSU about embedding more innovative technology into the online course. Our goal with VR is to allow nursing students to experience realistic clinical scenarios in a safe, controlled environment.

JV: Throughout my career I have seen nurses move into many different types of positions. When I became a nurse, it seemed everyone was trained for the acute care hospital setting. Now we see many more positions including those in primary care. I believe our curriculum is well rounded with skills that can help our students thrive in any position they take.

AD: Communication, communication, communication!! I always tell my students that they can be the most skilled nurses in the world, but without communication, these wonderful skills would never reach their patients. Learning how to communicate clearly and effectively is a basic requirement in the online education environment; simply taking a course teaches students to communicate with clarity. The RN to BSN courses at Ohio State have written, audio, and video assignments, allowing students to explore and become well-versed in a variety of communication modalities.

BS: This is a question that I ask myself more than any other as an educator. In my 40 years in the nursing profession, I have found that communication skills are vital for nurses to possess. We can teach communication skills by challenging students to constantly strive to improve. Educators have to teach beyond the textbook and add their experiences to teach communication and soft skills.

JV: Our students are already trained with basic nursing skills, so our program goes above and beyond these skills. As a leader in evidence-based practice we have an EBP course, but learning EBP does not stop there. We thread the key pieces of EBP throughout other courses and help the student apply the concepts. As instructors, we role model these skills and discuss real life scenarios where students can use these skills.

AD: I never dreamed that I would teach for The Ohio State University within the College of Nursing, or even step foot into Wexner Medical Center as a clinical instructor. Getting my associate’s degree in nursing and working in critical care were where I started my journey; who knew I would end up here? It is amazing what we can do in nursing if we are open to change and always ready to learn. The sky really is the limit!

BS: I want to tell students the secret to getting through nursing school: there is no secret. You must get up every day and go to work. Having a strong work ethic is what you need. I want to encourage you to write down your dreams. When you schedule your dreams, they are not dreams anymore. They become goals. Goals become expectations. Expectations become routine. Routine becomes a way of life. You cannot have a million-dollar dream with a dollar ninety-five work ethic.

JV: Take time to get to know your instructors. We are there for our students and we want to help. I provide my cell number and email for students to be able to reach me easily. I want them to ask questions. Sometimes I know it can be intimidating to reach out to an instructor, but we love hearing from our students, and I never mind answering a question.