Nursing Scholarly Fireside Podcast

Podcast Episode Summary In this episode, Carlos Serrano shares his journey into nursing—a path shaped by empathy, self-doubt, and the steady influence of mentors who helped him see his potential. From pediatric intensive care to primary care and higher education, Carlos reflects on how embracing scholarship and research transformed his practice and identity as a nurse. His story highlights the pow...

Podcast Episode Summary Timothy Hamn reflects on his career in nursing and on nursing scholarship. Beginning in medical-surgical nursing and later transitioning to home health, Timothy developed a passion for wound care that led him to become a nurse practitioner, completing his advanced training in an accelerated 16-month program while working full-time. He emphasizes bridging research and practi...

Podcast Episode Summary Adelaide Durkin reflects on her journey from Brazil to a more than 30‑year career in nursing and nursing education. She discusses how her diverse clinical background informs her teaching and scholarship, addresses common barriers nurses face when engaging in research, and emphasizes collaboration, persistence, and integrity. Dr. Durkin also shares thoughtful perspectives on...

Podcast Episode Summary Dr. Lyndsay Wright shares her journey from working as a CNA to becoming a bedside neurology nurse and ultimately an assistant professor of nursing with a focus on lifestyle medicine. She reflects on how her passion for teaching, prevention, and chronic disease management shaped her academic and clinical path. Dr. Wright highlights the critical role of scholarship and eviden...

Podcast Episode Summary Dr. Kimberly Dunker shares her journey from bedside nurse to nationally respected nursing educator and scholar. She reflects on how her family’s legacy in nursing inspired her early career, her deep passion for acute and critical care practice, and the pivotal moments that drew her into education and research. Dr. Dunker highlights the role of mentorship, collaboration, and...

Podcast Episode Summary Dr. Ronald Vance reflects on more than three decades of nursing practice and education, tracing his journey from a high school nursing assistant to a leader in undergraduate and graduate nursing education. He shares how embracing AI-enabled teaching strategies and experiential, interprofessional learning has transformed student engagement, professional identity, and clinica...

Podcast Episode Summary Dr. Christopher Smith shares his deeply personal journey into nursing, reflecting on a challenging upbringing, early academic struggles, and the moments that ultimately led him to discover a passion for science and patient care. Drawing from a wide range of clinical experiences—including acute care, private practice, and perioperative nursing—Dr. Smith highlights how schola...

Episode Summary In this episode of the Nursing Scholarly Fireside Podcast, Andrew J. Richards reflects on his journey from bedside nurse to nurse scholar, exploring how his understanding of scholarship evolved over the course of his career. Interviewed by his son, Flynn, Richards discusses why scholarship matters not only for nursing educators but also for nurses in practice, emphasizing curiosity...

Dr. Carolyn J. Godfrey is a professor of nursing at St. Louis Community College at Forest Park (MO), where she has spent the past 21 years teaching maternal–newborn nursing. With a career that began in labor and delivery, she went on to earn her PhD in Nursing Education and has since been recognized with awards such as Teacher of the Year, the Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award, and the March of...

Joseph Wright, MSN, RN, CMSRN, is a nurse educator at Tulsa Community College. He helped establish the first official American Association for Men in Nursing chapter in Oklahoma and encourages his students to engage in scholarship and advocacy. 

Jeffrey Williams, DNP, APRN, CCNS, CCRN, CNE, has been an RN for 32 years and an APRN for 24 years. He teaches in the undergraduate nursing program and the DNP program at Texas Woman's University, in Dallas, Texas. 

Alphonzo Baker Sr, DNP, MSN, RN, PAPA, FASPAN, is an experienced nurse leader with over 27 years of experience in psychiatry, critical care, surgical, and peri-anesthesia nursing. He is the current president of the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses. In 2024, he was inducted as a Fellow of the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses (FASPAN).

Dr. Chris Martin, PhD, MSN, RN, is an assistant clinical professor and teaches pharmacology and professional practices courses again in the undergraduate nursing program at Auburn University.  Mr. Clay Young, MSN, RN, FNP-C, is an assistant clinical professor and teaches primarily senior-level nursing courses, including critical care and leadership, at Auburn University. 

Chad O'Lynn, PhD, RN, ANEF, is the Director of Institutional Assessment and Accreditation at Chamberlain College of Nursing.  His nursing career spans nearly four decades. He has worked in various adult health clinical roles and settings, including the past 25 years in nursing education. His research has explored rural nursing and the Dedicated Education Unit but has focused primarily on the exper...

Mark Hand, PhD, RN, CNE, is a clinical professor at East Carolina University. He received the 2023 NC Nurses Association Education Nurse of the Year. He has published in multiple nursing journals and presented at several local, national, and international nursing conferences. His research interests include LGBTQ+ health education, men as nursing faculty, and nursing student success. He is the curr...

Normajean Colby, PhD, RN, CNE, CPN, is certified as pediatric nurse and a nurse educator. She has held various leadership positions in multiple professional organizations, including the Eta Beta Chapter of STTI. She currently is a full-time nurse educator at Widener University in Philadelphia, PA, teaching undergraduate and graduate students. Her research and teaching interests include interprofes...

Steven Palazzo, PhD, MN, RN, CNE, ANEF, is a Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) with over 20 years of nursing experience. He enjoys all things curricula, including developing, implementing, and evaluating new programs. His career has led him to practice critical care, teach in nursing education, and conduct multiple research studies. In 2023, Dr. Palazzo was admitted as a fellow into the Academy of Nu...

Joy Kieffer, PhD, RN, CCTN, NEA-BC, is a clinical education specialist at Carteret Health Care, in North Carolina. She has worked in intensive care, specializing in organ transplant care, and as an administrator in academic and clinical nursing. She has taught in undergraduate and graduate education and shared her expertise on research at conventions and symposiums. Her passion is helping the next...

Stephanie Gedzyk-Nieman, DNP, RNC-MNN, is the interim assistant dean of the ABSN program at the Duke University School of Nursing. She is certified in maternal-newborn nursing and maintains a clinical practice. She is a faculty advisor to the Duke Chapter of the American Association of Men in Nursing. Her scholarly work focuses on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in nursing education an...

Vernon Langford, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, is a home-based primary care family nurse practitioner in Florida. He is a long-standing member of Sigma who encourages future nursing leaders and promotes scholarship. He works to increase diversity and inclusion within the nursing profession. He lectures at conferences nationwide about high-quality nursing care, burnout, self-care, evidence-based guidelines, AP...

Welcome to the Nursing Scholarly Fireside Podcast! The purpose of this podcast is to share conversations I’ve had with fellow nursing colleagues on their experiences engaging in scholarship. I hope these conversations inspire you to engage in scholarly activities and incorporate scholarship into your professional practice.