Center of Excellence in Nursing Education
The NLN Centers of Excellence in Nursing Education program is designed to recognize schools of nursing that have achieved a level of excellence in one or more of three designated areas. This recognition is designed to distinguish those schools that: demonstrate sustained, evidence-based, and substantive innovation in the identified area; conduct ongoing research to document the effectiveness of such innovation; set high standards for themselves; and are committed to continuous quality improvement. Such recognition indicates a commitment by the organization as a whole to pursue and sustain excellence in a selected area.
Duke University School of Nursing holds the unique position of being designated as a Center of Excellence (COE) in Nursing Education in three categories:
- Creating Environments that Promote the Pedagogical Expertise of Faculty (2022-2027)
- Creating Environments that Enhance Student Learning and Professional Development (2024-2029)
- Advancing the Science of Nursing Education (2021-2026).
Duke is one of only a handful of schools in the United States to currently hold designation in all three categories of distinction. In an important collaborative effort between our nurse educators, academic partners, and Duke University Health System (DUHS), the health system holds the unique position of being the first health care organization in North Carolina to receive the COE in Nursing Education for Creating Workplace Environments That Promote the Academic Progression of Nurses (2021-2026).
“ This honor means that we are committed to students learning in an optimal environment and to faculty being the best-prepared teachers they can be. We want all students, whether they are enrolled in or thinking about enrolling in the School, to know that this is a place where we are focused on their education in order for them to become the clinicians, scholars, and leaders that are needed today and in the future.”
~ Dr. Terry Valiga, Professor Emerita
This prestigious honor is based on the School’s continuous efforts to improve curriculum and teaching practices as well as keep students at the center of our teaching mission. Dr. Terry Valiga, professor emerita and the founding director of the Duke University School of Nursing Institute for Educational Excellence, explains the implications of these awards for our students and faculty: “This honor means that we are committed to students learning in an optimal environment and to faculty being the best-prepared teachers they can be. We want all students, whether they are enrolled in or thinking about enrolling in the School, to know that this is a place where we are focused on their education in order for them to become the clinicians, scholars and leaders that are needed today and in the future. As a school that is nationally noted for its work in research, clinical excellence and community initiatives, being named a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education is proof that an institution can be outstanding in multiple ways. No star needs to shine more than the others; we are all within the same constellation.”
NLN Certification Star Award
In 2024, the Duke University School of Nursing was honored with the Peg E. Daw NLN Certification Star Award, a national recognition that celebrates the pursuit of excellence and advancement in nurse educator certification. This prestigious award affirms Duke’s commitment to fostering a culture of pedagogical distinction, where faculty are supported in achieving certification and modeling the highest standards of teaching excellence. As a School that leads in educational innovation, this recognition underscores our dedication to preparing nurse educators who transform nursing education and elevate the profession.
Academy of Nursing Education Fellows
The National League for Nursing (NLN) Academy of Nursing Education fosters excellence in nursing education by recognizing and capitalizing on the wisdom of outstanding individuals in and outside the profession who have contributed to nursing education in sustained and significant ways. Individuals inducted as Academy Fellows have provided evidence of their enduring and substantial contributions to nursing education in one of the following areas: teaching/learning innovations, faculty development, research in nursing education, leadership in nursing education, public policy related to nursing education or collaborative partnerships (education/practice/community). The Duke University School of Nursing faculty who have been honored by being inducted into the NLN’s Academy of Nursing Education are as follows:
- Marilyn Oermann, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN
- Jennie De Gagne, PhD, DNP, RN, NPD-BC, CNE, ANEF, FAAN
- Michael Relf, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN
- Valerie Sabol, PhD, MBA, ACNP, GNP, CHSE, CNE, ANEF, FAANP, FAAN
- Anne L. Derouin, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC, PMHS, FAANP, ANEF
- Nicole (Nikki) Petsas Blodgett, PhD, RN, CHSE
- Virginia (Chris) Simmons, DNP, CRNA, CHSE-A, FAANA, FAAN
Certified Nurse Educators and Clinical Learning (CNE and CNEcl)
The Nurse Educator Certification program is offered by the National League for Nursing. This program, in existence since 2005, was designed to serve as a mark of professionalism, establish nursing education as a specialty area of practice and create a means for faculty to demonstrate their expertise in this role. Certification as a nurse educator communicates to students, peers and the academic and health care communities that the highest standards of excellence are being met and that the individual who holds such distinction is a leader and a role model.
At the 10th anniversary mark of the CNE program, there were more than 5,400 nurse faculty in the United States who had earned that credential. The Duke University School of Nursing is proud that the following faculty and staff hold this certification, which acknowledges their specialized knowledge, skills and abilities as teachers and their commitment to excellence in nursing education and to advancing the science of nursing education.
NLN Certified Academic Nurse Educators
- Tracey Yap, PhD, RN, CNE, WCC, FGSA, FAAN
- Adrienne Small, DNP, FNP-C, CNE, CHSE
- Ragan Johnson, DNP, FNP-BC, CNE, FAANP
- Nicole (Nikki) Petsas Blodgett, PhD, RN, CHSE
- Schenita Randolph, PhD, MPH, RN, CNE
- Shari Rushton, DNP, MS, RN, CCM, CNE
- Michael Relf, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN
- Pamela Edwards, EdD, MSN, RN-BC, CNE
- Jennie De Gagne, PhD, DNP, RN, NPD-BC, CNE, ANEF, FAAN
- Jill Brennan-Cook, DNP, RN, GERO-BC, CNE
- Deirdre Thornlow, PhD, RN, CPHQ, CNE
- Valerie Sabol, PhD, MBA, ACNP, GNP, CHSE, CNE, ANEF, FAANP, FAAN
- Maryellen Kelly, DNP, CPNP, MHSc
- Stephanie Gedzyk-Nieman, DNP, MSN, RNC-MNN, CNE
- Becky Carson, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC/AC
- Emily Funk, DNP, CRNA
- Hanzhang Xu, PhD, RN, FAAN
- Jacquelyn M McMillian-Bohler, PhD, CNM, CNE
- Derrick Glymph, PhD, DNAP, CRNA, CHSE, CNE, COL., USAR, FAANA, FAAN
- Sarah Grenon, DNP
- Heather Lachiewicz, MSN
- Lemuel Scott, DNP, APRN, PMHNP, CNE
- Janet Campbell, DNP
- Sarah Cottingham
- Sandy James
- Gillian Jackson, DNP, RN, A-GNP, CCRN
- Denise Wolfe, DNP
- Regina Judge
- Jennifer Parsons, MSN
- Desi Newberry, DNP, NNP-BC
- Lacrecia Mebans Bell, MSN, RN, CNE
NLN Certified Academic Clinical Nurse Educators
- Malissa Sampson- Williams, MSN, RN, CNEcl
- Jenny Holloway, MSN
- Emily Albergotti
- Samantha White, BSN
- Sarah Troiano, BSN
- Mary Beth Haire, DNP
- Jasmine Jeffers, MSN
- Marquita Lyons-Smith, MSN
Certified Health Simulation Educators (CHSE)
The Duke University School of Nursing supports faculty in advancing healthcare simulation education through professional development opportunities such as the Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator® (CHSE®) program, offered by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. This industry-recognized certification equips educators with specialized knowledge and skills to design and facilitate high-impact simulation experiences across diverse clinical settings. By encouraging faculty to pursue CHSE® certification, Duke fosters excellence in teaching, promotes innovation in simulation-based learning, and strengthens patient safety through evidence-based educational practices. This commitment reflects Duke’s dedication to preparing nurse educators who lead with expertise and elevate the standards of healthcare education. Click here to see the faculty leaders in healthcare simulation who possess the knowledge, skills, abilities, and commitment desired to deliver quality healthcare simulation activities.