Maureen Hermann

Biography

Dr. Maureen Hermann earned her BSN (1995) and MSN (2011) from Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing in Peoria, IL. Her Master’s research focused on the learning and social needs of the English Language Learner, and developing the Language Partners Program and the published Diversity and Inclusion Plan at Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing. In 2016, Dr. Hermann earned a DNP with an emphasis in leadership from Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing in Peoria, IL. Her Capstone project, Cultural Competency of the Faculty Nurse Educator, was published in 2016. Dr. Hermann has worked in nursing education at Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing for over 15 years. In January 2018, Dr. Hermann joined the Bradley University Department of Nursing Faculty as a part time instructor. In August 2019, she joined the faculty as a full time Assistant Professor in Nursing.

Hobbies

I like to laugh. I like to have fun. I like to do things that make others happy. Caring is a priority for me in all I do. I like impulsive small fun trips – even to go get a cup of coffee with a friend. I love to paint and draw, and am going to try sewing soon.

I have the most amazing son (Patrick), who I adore. Proudest mom ever. I also have 3 dogs – who each claimed the title of “Office Assistant” during the pandemic. I am blessed with a beautiful life.

Teaching

I have been blessed to work in the undergraduate and graduate programs. In the undergraduate program, I have developed and implemented our Fundamentals of Nursing Theory and Health Assessment courses. It is an absolute delight to work with the sophomore students as they start their journey in professional nursing. I incorporate and implement team based and active learning strategies in the classroom. I find it is essential for each and every student to embrace their confidence, and pride in their work. At this level, the students are truly excited for class, and the opportunity to build lifelong friendships with their peers. The knowledge, application, and critical thinking at the sophomore level is essential, as nurse is based upon these concepts throughout their program.

Then, I am blessed even more. I have had the opportunity to work with our graduate ethics, health promotion, leadership, and the DNP seminar courses. It is wonderful to watch and be part of our nursing professionals become leaders, and represent our profession in the most amazing way. The opportunity to be part of the seminar courses, where graduate students are excited to implement a change – and make a positive difference for the community, is an absolute blessing.

As an instructor, being part of each student’s journey, whether undergraduate or graduate, is an honor. When one truly cares for another, and does every attempt to make the world a better place as a professional nurse, I cannot help but smile with pride for our students. I truly have the best of both worlds.

My teaching philosophy…. As a nursing faculty, successfully educating the rising group of nurses is critical to our sustainability of a profession. Educators need to use innovation in teaching and learning styles to assist our students in critical thinking. It is also essential that nurses are considerate, kind, caring, and embrace the need for dignity for all they encounter. I once heard a saying – “In a world where you can be anything, always be kind.” I truly attempt this in my every encounter, with hopes that students (and others) will follow in the same steps.

Scholarship

Presentations

Cultural Competence of the Faculty Nurse Educator, OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, College of Nursing Research Day, Peoria, IL., November 2015.

Cultural Awareness of the Academic Nurse Educator for the National League for Nursing/2016 NLN Education Summit/Orlando, FL, September 2016.

Cultural Awareness of the Academic Nurse Educator for the American Association of Colleges of Nursing/2016 Faculty Development Conference/Anaheim, CA, November 2016.

Cultural Awareness of the Academic Nurse Educator for National Nursing Ethics Conference/UCLA /Los Angeles, CA., March 2017.

Cultural Awareness of the Faculty Nurse Educator at the 44^th Biennial Sigma Theta Tau Convention, Indianapolis, IN., October, 2017.

Accepted for Fall 2022:

Using a Bilingual Nursing Student Study Group to Identify Support for Academic Success at the 2022 NLN Education Summit, Las Vegas, NV, 2022.

Publications

Cultural Self-Awareness of the Academic Nursing Educator published in the Virginia Henderson Global Nursing e-Repository, April 2018.

Contributor on chapter 9:  Cultural Competence in Potter/Perry/Stockert/Hall:  Fundaments of Nursing, 10/e, ISBN:  978-0-323-87772-1, Published in March of 2020.

Cultural Reviewer on all chapters for Stanhope/Lancaster:  Foundations for Population Health in Community/Public Health Nursing, 6/e, ISBN:  978-0-323-77688-2, Published: November 2021. 

Hermann, M. (2021). The COVID-19 Caring Project. [Letter to the Editor]. Nursing Made Incredibly Easy! July/August 2021, 19(4), p. 4, Retrieved from https://journals.lww.com/nursingmadeincrediblyeasy/Fulltext/2021/07000/The_COVID_19_Caring_Project.1.aspx

Grugan, A. & Hermann, M. (2021).  In Kishor Vaidya (Ed.) How to Be Funny When Teaching Nursing… (Or at Least How to TRY, Melbourne, AU: “Teach Nursing with a Sense of Humor:  Why (and how to) Be a funnier and More Effective Nursing Educator and Laugh All the Way to Your Classroom.”  Peer Reviewed and Accepted August 2021.

Bradley University Honors Program Students

I love working in research with our senior undergraduate honors students. The dedication of implementing evidence-based practice is a discipline all nurses must embrace as being part of a positive change and improved patient outcomes.

Incivility in Nursing Education: A Comprehensive Literature Review (2020-2021)

• Poster Presentation at the Midwest Nursing Research Society, Spring 2021
• Poster Presentation at the Bradley University Student Scholarship Expo, Spring 2021

Breast Cancer Disparities Among Black Women: A Comprehensive Literature Review (2021-2022)

• Accepted for a Poster Presentation at the Midwest Nursing Research Society, Spring 2022

Research in progress:

• Using a Bilingual Nursing Student Study Group to Identify Support for Academic Success (Department of Nursing Collaboration)
• Communication and Having Critical Conversations (Interdisciplinary Bradley University team)

Additional Student Collaboration in Research:

In the fall of 2020, the sophomore nursing students had been transitioned to a fully online environment. During this time, the students and I had a plan to bring a little more kindness into the world during a pandemic. This was called The Covid Caring Project, and it was published to a nursing journal.

This past fall, 2021, the students were back in the classroom; however, they shared that they, and those their cared for, were still having feelings of loss of love and belonging. We did a project throughout the semester, and this work has been submitted for publication. It is entitled: Positively Contagious: Implementation of Caring Behaviors in a COVID Era

Service

University

• Center for Teaching Excellence and Learning Advisory Board
• Co-Chair of the New Faculty Mentorship Committee 
• Presented at the EHS Spring Forum:  New Faculty mentorship Committee

Department

• Co-coordinator of the Bradley Nursing Student Association (2019-present day)
• Undergraduate Nursing Curriculum Committee
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee
• Whitecoat Ceremony Committee
• Level 1 Committee

I have given many tours and networking events for our college with pride.

I have also been on several faculty and administrative search committees for our university.
Dual membership for Sigma Theta Tau, Epsilon Epsilon Chapter (Bradley University) and Sigma Theta Tau, Tau Omicron Chapter (Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing)

Mentorship

• DNP Student Mentor (2019-2020) – Scholarly Project:  Promoting Resilience in Staff Affected by Covid (Bradley University)
• MSN Nurse Education Student Mentor (2022-present day) – Topic TBD (Western Governors University)

Licensures and Certifications

• CPR certification, Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI)