In this episode of Nursing EDge Unscripted, Dr. Kellie Bryant speaks with Dr. Paul Smith about nursing leadership, advocacy, and negotiation from a dean’s perspective. Dr. Smith shares strategies for advocating for faculty resources, including using data, aligning requests with institutional priorities, and clearly demonstrating impact on student success and workforce outcomes. The conversation highlights the challenges of recruiting and retaining nursing faculty, especially amid salary disparities and evolving educational demands. Dr. Smith emphasizes the importance of collaboration, relationship-building, and persistence in effective negotiation, noting that it is an ongoing process rather than a single event. The episode also underscores the need for innovative approaches to student support, inclusive excellence, and preparing the next generation of nurses in a rapidly changing educational landscape.

Dedicated to excellence in nursing, the National League for Nursing is the leading organization for nurse faculty and leaders in nursing education. Find past episodes of the NLN Nursing EDge podcast online. Get instant updates by following the NLN on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube. For more information, visit NLN.org.

This episode of Nursing EDge Unscripted explores the urgent Black maternal health crisis, highlighting stark disparities in outcomes and the systemic factors that contribute to them. Host Dr. Kellie Bryant is joined by Dr. Kandis McLean and Dr. Marie Wilson, who share their work in simulation, clinical practice, and community health to address inequities in maternal care. The conversation examines how bias, social determinants of health, and gaps in provider education impact the quality of care Black women receive. The guests emphasize the critical role of nursing education in preparing future clinicians to recognize disparities, provide culturally responsive care, and advocate for patients. Through practical strategies and real-world insights, the episode underscores how nurse educators can help drive meaningful change and improve maternal health outcomes.

Learn more about Black maternal disparities:

• Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN). www.AWHONN.org
• National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH). www.NPWH.org

Dedicated to excellence in nursing, the National League for Nursing is the leading organization for nurse faculty and leaders in nursing education. Find past episodes of the NLN Nursing EDge podcast online. Get instant updates by following the NLN on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube. For more information, visit NLN.org.

In this episode of NLN Nursing EDge Unscripted, the conversation centers on the impact of interprofessional education (IPE) in preparing health professions students for collaborative, team-based care. Guests Katie Branch and Ashley Parikh share how the University of Texas Medical Branch has developed a robust, structured IPE program that includes a seven-activity core curriculum required across five schools. Students complete a selection of interactive learning experiences prior to graduation, with additional opportunities such as an annual symposium and a scholars program that extend learning beyond the core requirements. The discussion clarifies what interprofessional education is—and what it is not—emphasizing intentional collaboration, role clarity, communication, and shared accountability for patient outcomes. Throughout the episode, the guests highlight how thoughtfully designed IPE strengthens patient safety, improves quality of care, and fosters a culture of collaboration across disciplines.

Learn more about the University of Texas Medical Branch Office of Interprofessional Education and Practice: https://www.utmb.edu/ipep

Dedicated to excellence in nursing, the National League for Nursing is the leading organization for nurse faculty and leaders in nursing education. Find past episodes of the NLN Nursing EDge podcast online. Get instant updates by following the NLN on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube. For more information, visit NLN.org.

In this episode of Nursing Edge Unscripted, hosted by Steven Palazzo, Dr. Beth Ann Swan and colleagues discuss their article, Integrating Artificial Intelligence Technology Into Simulation for Pre- and Postlicensure Nursing Students, and explore how AI is reshaping simulation-based nursing education. The conversation highlights practical applications of artificial intelligence in both undergraduate and advanced nursing programs, including the use of AI to enhance clinical decision-making, personalize learning experiences, and create more adaptive simulation scenarios. The guests explain how AI tools can support faculty by streamlining scenario development, providing real-time feedback, and generating data to inform debriefing and assessment. They also address challenges such as ethical considerations, data privacy, faculty readiness, and the importance of maintaining sound pedagogical principles when adopting emerging technologies. Overall, the episode emphasizes that thoughtful integration of AI into simulation can strengthen student engagement, clinical reasoning, and preparation for contemporary practice across the nursing education continuum.

Swan, B. A., Giordano, N. A., Febres-Cordero, S., Fugate, K., & Steiger, L. (2026). Integrating Artificial Intelligence Technology Into Simulation for Pre- and Postlicensure Nursing Students. Nursing education perspectives, 47(2), 129–130. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NEP.0000000000001397

Dedicated to excellence in nursing, the National League for Nursing is the leading organization for nurse faculty and leaders in nursing education. Find past episodes of the NLN Nursing EDge podcast online. Get instant updates by following the NLN on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube. For more information, visit NLN.org.

In this episode of Nursing EDge Unscripted, host Dr. Kellie Bryant explores the Homegrown Solutions initiative with guests Dr. Rebekah Day and Dr. Robyn MacSorley. The conversation highlights how HomeGrown Solutions serves as a centralized platform for sharing innovative, low-cost simulation ideas developed by nurse educators and simulationists. Drs. Day and MacSorley discuss the importance of community-driven solutions, particularly for programs with limited resources or access to commercial simulation products. They also describe how the initiative promotes collaboration, creativity, and recognition of grassroots innovations that emerge from real-world educational challenges. Throughout the episode, listeners are encouraged to contribute their own ideas and engage with the simulation community to advance nursing education together.

Explore HomeGrown Solutions: https://www.nln.org/homegrown.

Interested in submitting your own low-cost simulation innovation? HomeGrown Solutions applications are accepted three times per year, with deadlines on March 1, July 1, and November 1. Learn more and submit your solution here:
https://www.nln.org/education/education/sirc/sirc/sirc-homegrown-solutions/how-to-submit-your-homegrown-solution.

Dedicated to excellence in nursing, the National League for Nursing is the leading organization for nurse faculty and leaders in nursing education. Find past episodes of the NLN Nursing EDge podcast online. Get instant updates by following the NLN on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube. For more information, visit NLN.org.

In this episode of NLN Nursing EDge Unscripted, hosts Drs. Kellie Bryant and Raquel Bertiz are joined by Dr. Rose Rossi and Dr. Stephanie Jeffers to explore leadership and innovation in nursing education. The conversation centers on competency-based education (CBE) as a framework for rethinking and redesigning clinical education in undergraduate nursing programs. Drs. Rossi and Jeffers discuss how clinical competencies are defined, assessed, and aligned with program outcomes to better support student readiness for practice. They highlight the role of academic leadership, faculty collaboration, and data-informed decision-making in advancing competency-based approaches. Together, the discussion offers practical insights for nurse educators seeking to modernize clinical education while maintaining quality, consistency, and meaningful outcomes.

For additional insights on Widener University’s approach to competency-based clinical education, visit Dr. Stephanie Jeffers’ faculty page on the Widener University website, where her contact information is available: https://www.widener.edu/about/faculty-directory/stephanie-jeffers.

Dedicated to excellence in nursing, the National League for Nursing is the leading organization for nurse faculty and leaders in nursing education. Find past episodes of the NLN Nursing EDge podcast online. Get instant updates by following the NLN on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube. For more information, visit NLN.org.

This episode of Nursing EDge Unscripted explores how nursing education can better prepare students to care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Dr. Suzanne Smeltzer and Ms. Colleen Meakim discuss the significant gaps in nursing curricula and emphasize the importance of integrating IDD content throughout undergraduate and graduate programs. They highlight practical tools such as the IDD Toolkit and ACE scenarios, which offer faculty guidance and simulation resources to enhance student learning. The conversation also addresses ableism in healthcare and the need for person-centered care that respects the lived experiences of individuals with IDD. Finally, the guests advocate for universal design and inclusive practices to support both patients and nursing students with disabilities.

Additional Resources

Advancing Care Excellence for Persons with Disabilities

Intellectual and Developmental Disability: A Toolkit to Enhance Education of Health Care Professionals to Provide Quality Health Care to Persons with IDD

Inclusion of Disability in Nursing Education: Rationale and Guidelines

ACE.D Unfolding Cases: Mary Lou & Rob Brady and Patrick and Gloria Lake

ACE.D Teaching Strategies on Communication and Care Management for People with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disability: Sandy Case Study and Jason Case Study

Smeltzer, S. C., Dolen, M. A., Robinson-Smith, G., & Zimmerman, V. (2005). Integration of disability-related content in nursing curricula. Nursing education perspectives, 26(4), 210–216.

Dedicated to excellence in nursing, the National League for Nursing is the leading organization for nurse faculty and leaders in nursing education. Find past episodes of the NLN Nursing EDge podcast online. Get instant updates by following the NLN on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube. For more information, visit NLN.org.

In this milestone 150th episode of Nursing EDge Unscripted, hosts Dr. Kellie Bryant and Dr. Raquel Bertiz welcome internationally recognized simulation pioneer Dr. Suzie Kardong-Edgren. Dr. Kardong-Edgren reflects on the early days of nursing simulation, from unpacking the first manikins to shaping standards and research that transformed nursing education. She shares lessons learned from early challenges and emphasizes the importance of mentorship, innovation, and perseverance in advancing simulation practice. The conversation explores her vision for competency-based, learner-centered education and the need to retain nursing’s humanistic focus on caring and spirituality. Listeners gain insight into Dr. Kardong-Edgren’s enduring impact as a trailblazer who continues to inspire educators to challenge convention and lead with purpose.

Dedicated to excellence in nursing, the National League for Nursing is the leading organization for nurse faculty and leaders in nursing education. Find past episodes of the NLN Nursing EDge podcast online. Get instant updates by following the NLN on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube. For more information, visit NLN.org.