Wendy Nehring has been the Dean of ETSU College of Nursing for almost nine years. Her research scholarship focus areas include intellectual and developmental disabilities as well as high-fidelity simulation in nursing education. She has achieved international recognition for both areas. In her free time, she enjoys attending arts events, eating fine food and traveling.
Before she became a professor, she was a nurse. Her favorite part about nursing was the patients she worked with, her fellow nurses and the places she has been able to go because of her scholarship.
“Each part of my journey has had special memories and experiences; nursing for me has been a blessing and a very good field to go into,” Nehring said.
When she became a professor, her area of teaching was in growth and development pediatrics and chronic conditions.
“I have been in education for over 30 years and have enjoyed my career very much,” Nehring said.
As a professor, she adopted the philosophy of her mentor and advisor in her master’s program.
“She talked to me early in my program; we were talking about my research, and she said it was her job to make me more than she was,” Nehring said.
Nehring explains that this means it is her responsibility to prepare her students to the best of her ability so that they can achieve more than she did in the medical field.
“We need to see the future and these students today are the future and will care for people in the future. We want them to be the best prepared and go beyond and achieve more,” Nehring said.
This is the philosophy that has made ETSU’s online nursing program jump from ranking No. 61 in the nation last year to ranking No. 28 this year.
One of the advances that ETSU’s online nursing program has made over the years is an increase of recognition of faculty research.
When Nehring welcomes students into the nursing program, she tells them that they can do anything they want to do in nursing. They can bring their passions and hobbies into nursing and make it what they want it to be.
Nehring’s advice for everyone is for everybody to follow their dreams, and know that it’s going to take hard work, but be willing to put in the work because it will pay off in the end.
