Assistant Professor Sharon Bryant, DNP, MSN’99, has been named academic director for the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner specialty at the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, effective May 1. The specialty is currently ranked No. 1 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report in its Best Grad Schools rankings
“Sharon’s extensive experience in clinical practice and work in educating new nurses to care for our aging populations makes her the perfect person to lead the program,” said Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Mavis Schorn, PhD, FACNM, FNAP, FAAN. “She understands the challenges associated with finding high quality clinical placements and the importance of making sure our students receive excellent hands-on training opportunities.”
Bryant has more than 24 years of clinical experience as an acute care NP, the most recent being at VUMC and VWC. She also has previous clinical experience working in both long term acute care and clinic settings in the Nashville area. She was an instructor at VUSN for five years before becoming a faculty member in 2007, and has served on committees and task forces for the school’s simulation lab and to assess and improve clinical placement processes.
She is a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculty and Society of Hospital Medicine.
Bryant succeeds Associate Professor Brian Widmar, PhD’12, FAANP, FCCM, who has been serving as specialty director as well as the school’s assistant dean for advanced nursing practice.