About
Who is Cathy J. Thompson, AKA Nursing Education Expert?
Welcome to my website! This page will give you a brief intro about me and my qualifications as a nursing education expert.
“I am a Master Teacher who mentors and coaches nurses and nursing students so they can confidently change nursing practice to provide excellent, evidence- and theory-based care to patients and their families.”
I started the Nursing Education Expert Website in 2013. My purpose is to help explain concepts that nurses and nursing students often find challenging, discuss issues of interest to nurses, and generally, help guide nurses to a satisfying and successful nursing career.
Qualifications: I am a doctorally-prepared nurse (PhD, RN) currently certified as a Certified Nurse Educator (CNE). I was also a certified Acute and Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist (CCNS). My first certification validated my clinical practice as a Critical Care Nurse (CCRN).
The short version about me: I was an award-winning nurse educator who 
taught in major universities for over 25 years. My teaching areas of expertise included advanced pathophysiology, applied evidence-based practice, CNS/Advanced Practice, nursing education and leadership, and acute and critical care nursing.
- I am the President and CEO of CJT Consulting & Education. I have consulted on evidence-based practice, systems leadership, curriculum development; CNS education and curriculum redesign (especially for CNS programs needing to shift gears from specialty- to population-based programs), and the use of CNSs in the hospital setting.
To work with me, contact me by clicking on the link.
- From 2012-2018, I was the Educator’s Corner column editor for the Clinical Nurse Specialist journal.
- I was the Lead Subject Matter Expert for the first CNS certification practice exam offered by AACN for critical care clinical nurse specialists (CCNS), which was then transitioned to the new credential for adult-gerontology acute care clinical nurse specialists (AG-CNS) in preparing for the ACCNS-AG certification exam. Check it out on the AACN website at ACCNS-AG Certification Review Course Online. Receive this review course free when you apply to take the ACCNS-AG certification exam.
AACN Press Release: ACCNS-AG Review Course, March 11, 2014, “Online course helps clinical nurse specialists prepare for ACCNS-AG certification exam”
- I have received multiple teaching awards and national recognition, such as the first CNS Educator of the Year award from the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS).
- I have helped to mold the future of nursing through local and national leadership in multiple professional nursing and interprofessional organizations, including the Board of Directors for AACN and for the AACN Certification Corporation.
- My research has been focused on research utilization and evidence-based practice (specifically building capacity for EBP at an organizational and individual level), the scholarship of teaching and learning, and (way back!) pain in adults and infants.
- I have presented at national and international conferences and have multiple publications (book chapters, journal articles, monographs, abstracts) relevant to evidence-based practice, nursing education, nursing leadership, and critical care topics.
I have taught in undergraduate and graduate nursing programs for over 25 years:
- Special Visiting Professor for Innovation in Education, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences (2014-2016); Clinical Professor/Associate Chair and then Interim Department Chair, Undergraduate Nursing (2014); Lecturer, Graduate Nursing (2013; 2016-2020); Retired in 2023
- Indiana University School of Nursing in Indianapolis (Adjunct Faculty, 2014)
- The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center, College of Nursing (CU-CON) in Denver/Aurora, Colorado (Tenured Associate Professor; CNS Option Coordinator; 1998-2013)
- Regis University in Denver (Assistant Professor, 1996-1998)
- University of Texas Houston – Health Sciences Center, School of Nursing (Graduate Teaching Assistant, 1991; Instructor of Clinical Nursing; Assistant Professor of Clinical Nursing, 1991-1996)
I hope you enjoy the site and find the content helpful for your academic, clinical, and professional practice.
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Thank you for stopping by!
Please let me know how I can improve this site and if there is specific content I can provide or questions to answer. To get in touch with me, go to my Contact/Feedback page; I look forward to your emails and comments.
Strive for Excellence!
Dr. Cathy Thompson
Last Updated: December 2023
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