Brief Bio

Valerie Howard, EdD, MSN, RN, joined Duke in 2018. Dr. Howard has over 21 years of experience in higher education, with the past eleven years dedicated to researching, developing, implementing and evaluating innovative teaching methods and leadership and team building experiences across the curriculum. Dr. Howard served as Dean at Robert Morris University’s (RMU) School of Nursing and Health Sciences (SNHS) in Pittsburgh, PA, where she was also the University Professor of Nursing. Her accomplishments as Dean included improved certification exam pass rates, increased enrollment, execution of contracts with healthcare organizations to support clinical education of nurses, successful accreditation efforts for nursing and health sciences programs, improved marketing efforts and the development of innovative and collaborative majors Prior to position as Dean, she served RMU in various leadership roles including Director of Development and Assistant Dean for External Affairs, Academic Department Head and Academic Integrity Council Chair. While serving in these roles, she helped to raise over $8,000,000 in both research and non-research funding working in tandem with the RMU Advancement Team, Office of the President, Office of Research and Grants and SNHS administrative team to support programmatic and simulation initiatives, improve the campus experience and construct a new building for the SNHS, Scaife Hall. Dr. Howard created the Society for Simulation in Healthcare accredited RMU Regional Research and Innovation in Simulation Education (RISE) Center and served as its founding director. She was president of the International Nursing Association of Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL) from 2011 to 2013 and received the INACSL Excellence Award in Research in 2010. Dr. Howard worked with a team to develop the inaugural Elsevier Simulation Learning System, a curricular support system to assist with implementation of simulation experiences that is now being used at over 400 schools of nursing. She also developed the STRIVE Model ©Howard 2010 to guide educators in designing and planning simulation programs at their respective institutions. She created the RMU Leadership in Simulation Instruction and Management Certificate Program to prepare faculty to implement simulation in their curricula. In alignment with the IOM Recommendations, Dr. Howard implemented, evaluated and sustained the Dedicated Education Unit Model for educating nurses in the Pittsburgh region, and she is currently working with the PA Action Coalition to provide board training in support of the national Nurses on Boards initiatives. Dr. Howard earned her EdD in Higher Education Administration and MSN (Nursing Education) from the University of Pittsburgh and her BSN from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Academic Program Affiliations

Education

Awards and Honors

• 2014 Executive Leadership Fellow, Wharton AACN

• 2010 Excellence Award in Research, International Nursing Association of Clinical Simulation and Learning

• 2009 Master Trainer, TeamSTEPPS

• 2008 Nurse Educator Awardee, Cameo of Caring

• 1988 Inductee, Sigma Theta Tau

Areas of Expertise

Areas of Interest

• Simulation
• Leadership Development
• Nursing Education
• Nursing Administration
• Adult Emergency and Critical Care Nursing

Representative Publications

• 2015 -- Mihaljevic, S., & Howard, V. Incorporating interprofessional evidence-based sepsis simulation education for certified nursing assistants (CNAs) and licensed care providers within long-term care settings for process and quality improvement Critical Care Nursing Quarterly. 2015; 39(1); 24-33

• 2014 -- O'Donnell, J., Decker, S., Howard, V., Levett-Jones, T., & Miller, C. NLN/Jeffries simulation framework state of the science project: Simulation learning outcomes Clinical Simulation in Nursing. 2014; 10(7); 373-382

• 2013 -- Kameg, K., Englert, N., Howard, V. & Perozzi, K. Fusion of psychiatric and medical high fidelity patient simulation scenarios: Effect on nursing student knowledge, retention of knowledge, and perception Issues in Mental Health Nursing. 2013; 34(12); 892-900

• 2011 -- Howard, V., Englert, N., Kameg, K., & Perozzi, K. Integration of simulation across the undergraduate curriculum: student and faculty perspectives. Clinical Simulation in Nursing. 2011; 7 1-10

• 2011 -- Larson, M, Nourse M.E, Howard, V. & Ross D. Health literacy, clear communication prompting, and clinicians’ self-reported responses Federal Practitioner. 2011; 28(8); 10-15

• 2011 -- Dobbin, K., & Howard, V. Listen closely to detect health care associated pneumonia Nursing 2011. 2011; 41(7); 9-62

• 2011 -- The INASCL Board of Directors Standards of best practice: Simulation Clinical Simulation in Nursing Supplement Issue. 2011; 7(4s); s3-s7

• 2011 -- Eppich, W., Howard, V., Vozenilek, J., & Curran, I. Simulation-based team training in healthcare Simulation in Healthcare. 2011; 6(7); 14-19

• 2010 -- Kameg. K., Howard, V., Clochesy, J., Mitchell, A.M., & Suresky, J. Impact of high fidelity human simulation on self-efficacy of communication skills Issues in Mental Health Nursing. 2010; 31 315-323

• 2010 -- Howard, V., Ross, C., Mitchell, A. M., & Nelson, G. Human patient simulators and interactive case studies—A comparative analysis of learning outcomes and student perceptions Computers, Informatics, and Nursing (CIN). 2010; 28(1); 42-48

• 2009 -- Dobbin, K., & Howard, V. Understanding empyema Nursing 2009. 2009; 39(6);

• 2009 -- Kameg, K., Mitchell, A. M., Clochesy, J., Howard, V., & Suresky, J. Communication and human patient simulation in psychiatric nursing Issues in Mental Health Nursing. 2009; 30(8); 503-508

• 2008 -- Zalice, K., Perozzi, K., & Howard, V. Methamphetamine abuse, pregnancy, and treatment considerations American Journal for Nurse Practitioners. 2008; 7(9); 26

• 2008 -- Zellers, D., Howard, V., & Barcic, M Faculty mentoring programs: Re-envisioning rather than reinventing the wheel. Review of Educational Research. 2008; 78(3); 552-588

• 2007 -- Perozzi, K., Zalice, K., & Howard, V. HSV: What you need to know to care for your pregnant patient American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing. 2007; 32 345-351

• 2004 -- Howard, V., & Tasota, F. How to spell relief for the nursing shortage: S-T-U-D-E-N-T-S Nursing 2004. 2004; 34(9);

• 2001 -- Howard, V., & Tasota, F. Assessing for Rhabdomyolysis Nursing 2001. 2001; 31(9); 70

Grant Funding (selected)