Dr. Valerie Wright DNP, RN, CNE, CHSE, FNAP
Assistant Professor
Office
MNSC Mcn Simulation Center 125
Office Phone
Email
- About
- Education
- Awards & Honors
- Selected Research
Biography
I have had the privilege of working at the bedside as well as teaching our next generation of nurses. I love both and am very honored to be a part of this great profession of nurses!
Current Courses
NUR 560.001 Advanced Nursing Practice Experience
NUR 327.001 Leadership Dimensions Of Nursing
NUR 327.003 Leadership Dimensions Of Nursing
NUR 539.001 Scholarly Project Design
NUR 550.001 Clinical Residency I
NUR 327.001 Leadership Dimensions Of Nursing
NUR 327.004 Leadership Dimensions Of Nursing Clinicals
NUR 317.008 Nursing Care Of Children Clinicals
NUR 329.008 Public Health Nursing: Prelicensure Clinicals
Teaching Interests & Areas
Leadership, Neonatal Intensive Care, Yoga, Nutrition, Overall Wellness, Self-Care, Obstetrics, and Pediatrics (school nursing)
Research Interests & Areas
Interprofessional Education, Rural Health Risk Reduction, Gamification in Academia, Simulation
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Educational Leadership
Grand Canyon University
MSN Nursing Education
Millikin University
BSN Nursing
Mennonite College of Nursing
Other General Studies (Prerequisite studies for BSN)
Parkland Community College
Outstanding College Teacher Award
Mennonite College of Nursing
2026
Distinguished Scholar Fellow
Nursing Academy of the National Academies of Practice
2026
Outstanding Faculty Advisor
Illinois State University
2025
AgriSafe Nurse Scholar Farm Credit Illinois Scholarship Award
AgriSafe Network
2025
Kathleen A. Hogan Teaching Excellence Award Nominee
Mennonite College of Nursing
2025
Good Neighbor Award
State Farm
2025
1st Place 2024 AJN Book of the Year Award (Child Health Category)
American Journal of Nursing
2024
WCIA/Nexstar Remarkable Woman of the Year Nominee
WCIA/Nexstar
2024
Kathleen A. Hogan Teaching Excellence Award Nominee
Mennonite College of Nursing
2024
Nearpod’s Educator of the Year Nominee
Nearpod
2024
Millikin Alumnus of the Year
Millikin University
2023
AACN Excellence and Innovation Teaching Award Nominee
American Association of Colleges of Nursing
2023
Kathleen A. Hogan Teaching Excellence Award Nominee
Mennonite College of Nursing
2023
Diversity and Inclusion Training Recognition Award
CTLT at ISU
2021
RISE to the COVID Challenge Recognition Award
CTLT at ISU
2020
40 Under 40 Emerging Nurse Leader Award
American Nurses Association, Illinois
2015
1st place Professional Poster Winner
1 st Annual Evidence Based Practice Nursing Conference, Carle Hospital
2009
Professional Practice Award for Excellence
Carle Foundation Hospital
2007
Nurse Exemplar Award
Carle Foundation Hospital
2006
Professional Practice Award for Excellence
Carle Foundation Hospital
2006
Professional Practice Award for Excellence
Carle Foundation Hospital
2002
Grants and Contracts
From Cards to Code: A Pilot Evaluation of the Digital COLLABORATE Interprofessional Education Game
Dan Cox, Valerie Wright.
Instructional Innovation Grant Application. May 17 2026 - June 12 2026
Home-Based Cardiovascular Monitoring and Physical Activity Tracking in Rural Participants: A Feasibility Study
Valerie Wright.
Gibson Area Hospital and Health Services. 2026 - 2027
Rural Health Initiative at MCN
Valerie Wright.
Compeer Bank. 2026 - 2028
AgriSafe Nurse Scholar Program
Valerie Wright.
Farm Credit Illinois. 2025 - 2025
Rural Health AgriWellness Event for Farmers
Valerie Wright.
Gibson Area Hospital and Health Services. 2025 - 2025
An interprofessional education simulation evaluation of learning outcomes.
Susan Watkins, Patricia Pence, Judy Neubrander, Valerie Wright.
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning URG. October 19 2022 - 2023
Center for Teaching and Learning Teaching Innovation Grant for An Interprofessional Education Simulation Evaluation of Learning Outcomes
Valerie Wright.
Illinois State University. 2022 - 2023
Center for Teaching and Learning Teaching Innovation Grant received for Evaluation of The Innovative Card Game Collaborate: Learning IPE One Hand at A Time.
Susan Watkins, Valerie Wright, Patricia Pence, Judy Neubrander.
ISU. October 1 2022
Ford Ridge Wind Community Grant
Valerie Wright.
Apex Energy. September 1 2021 - September 1 2021
Ford Ridge Wind Community Grant
Valerie Wright.
Apex Energy. January 15 2021 - January 15 2021
Teaching Innovations Grant Application
Valerie Wright, Susan Watkins, Antony Ricardo Joseph.
ISU. June 2021
Ford Ridge Wind Community Grant
Valerie Wright.
Apex Clean Energy. October 2020 - October 2020
Nursing’s Implementation of Computer-based ExamSoft (NICE)
Melissa Jarvill, Valentina Fillman, Chris Morgan, Rebecca LaMont, Valerie Wright, Desha Cobb.
Illinois State University Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology. - May 2019
Seed funding received from the Office of Research at Illinois State University for COLLABORATE digital game design
Valerie Wright.
Office of Research at Illinois State University. - June 2026
Start-up Funding for Research
Valerie Wright.
Illinois State University. - June 2027
Start-up Funding for Research
Valerie Wright.
Illinois State University. - June 2026
Start-up Funding for Research
Valerie Wright.
Illinois State University. - June 2025
Intellectual Property
COLLABORATE: Learning IPE One Hand at a Time
Valerie Wright, Ashley Bollhorst, Matt Rutherford.
2021
Book, Authored
NICU Nursing Stories: A Day in the Life of a NICU Nurse
Valerie M Wright.
(2023), 234, Cognella
Journal Article
The “Art” of Ethics: A Creative Strategy for Teaching Ethical Principles
Valerie M Wright.
Nurse Educator, 51 (1), e28, (2026), doi.org/10.1097/NNE.0000000000001994
The Power of a Single Question for Real-Time Instructor Feedback
Valerie M Wright.
Nurse Educator, 51 (4), e305, (2026), 10.1097/NNE.0000000000002164
The impact of simulation-enhanced interprofessional education on student knowledge and satisfaction: A multivariate analysis across fields of study
Valerie Wright, Antony Ricardo Joseph, Patricia L Pence, Susan Watkins.
Nurse Education Today, 158, 106952, (2026)
From Small-Scale to Full Program Integration: Partnering with Fire Departments for Mass Casualty Training
Valerie M Wright, Carolina Ford.
Nurse Educator, 50 (6), 427-428, (2025), doi.org/10.1097/NNE.0000000000001949
Herding Cats: Reflections on Designing and Implementing an Interprofessional Education Simulation.
Valerie Wright, Antony Ricardo Joseph.
Simulation in healthcare : journal of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare, 20 (5), 347-348, (2025), 10.1097/SIH.0000000000000853
Promoting Inclusion Through Diverse Simulation Equipment.
Patricia Pence, Valerie Wright, MyoungJin Kim, Kileigh Guido.
Nurse Educator, 50 (4), E246–E247, (2025)
The impact of simulation-enhanced interprofessional education on student knowledge and satisfaction: A multivariate analysis across fields of study.
Valerie Wright, Antony Ricardo Joseph, Patricia Pence, Susan Watkins.
Nurse education today, 158, 106952, (2025), 10.1016/j.nedt.2025.106952
U.S. graduate nurses' transition into practice: Perspectives on simulation-based education and cultural awareness in caring for diverse patients.
Patricia Pence, Valerie M. Wright.
Nurse Education in Practice, 87, 104477, (2025)
Evaluation of the Performance of a Card Game to Introduce Students to Interprofessional Collaboration: A Randomized 2-Group Comparison Study.
Antony Ricardo Joseph, Valerie Wright, Susan Watkins, S E Goddard, D D Mast.
Nurse educator, 49 (4), 206-211, (2024), 10.1097/NNE.0000000000001594
The Effect of Interprofessional Education on Student Readiness for Collaborative Practice
Susan Watkins, Antony R. Joseph, Valerie Wright, Stacy Goddard, Judy Neubrander.
Journal of Nursing Education, 63 (5), 304-311, (2024), 10.3928/01484834-20240305-05
The Effect of Interprofessional Education on Student Readiness for Collaborative Practice.
Susan Watkins, Antony Ricardo Joseph, Valerie Wright, S Goddard, Judy Neubrander.
The Journal of Nursing Education, 63 (5), 304-311, (2024), 10.3928/01484834-20240305-05
Simulated Telenursing Encounters With Standardized Participant Feedback for Prelicensure Nursing Students
Susan Marie Watkins, Melissa Jarvill, Valerie Wright.
Nurse Educator, 47 (2), 125-126, (2022), 10.1097/nne.0000000000001100
Why Is End-of-Life Care Delivery Sporadic?
Valerie Wright, Marilyn A. Prasun, Cheryl Hilgenberg.
Advances in Neonatal Care, 11 (1), 29-36, (2011), 10.1097/anc.0b013e3182085642
Other
COLLABORATE: Learning IPE One Hand at a Time
Valerie Wright, Ashley Bollhorst, Matt Rutherford.
Self Published at ISU, (2021)
Why Is End-of- Life Care Delivery Sporadic? A Quantitative Look at the Barriers to and Facilitators of Providing End-of- Life Care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Valerie Wright, Marilyn A Prasun, Cheryl Hilgenburg.
Advances in Neonatal Care, 11 (1), 8, (2011)
Presentations
The Power of a Single Question for Real-Time Instructor Feedback
Valerie Wright.
Nurse Educator Video Gallery, Online, September 16, 2026
Game-Based Innovation for Advancing Interprofessional Collaboration in Nursing Education
Valerie Wright.
MNRS 50th Annual Research Conference, St. Louis, MO, March 31, 2026
Innovating Disaster Education through Simulation Partnerships
Valerie Wright, Carolina Ford.
MNRS 50th Annual Research Conference, St. Louis, MO, March 31, 2026
Design, Research, and Interactive Gameplay of the IPE Game COLLABORATE
Valerie Wright.
National Academies of Practice 2026 Annual Meeting & Forum, Indianapolis, IN, March 13, 2026
The “Art” of Ethics: A Creative Strategy for Teaching Ethical Principles
Valerie Wright.
Nurse Educator Video Gallery, online, January 13, 2026
Transforming Rural Health: Nursing Students Confront Diabetes Risk
Valerie Wright, Sarah Immordino.
Image of Research at ISU, Online, November 14, 2025
The COLLABORATE Card Game: Innovation and Research Insights
Valerie Wright.
MNRS Nursing Education Quarterly RIIG Meeting, online, July 27, 2025
A qualitative exploration of diverse simulation learning experiences for graduate nurses.
Valerie Wright, Patricia Pence, MyoungJin Kim, Kileigh Guido.
49th MNRS Annual Research Conference, Indianapolis, IN, March 27, 2025
Supporting diverse simulation learning experiences for undergraduate nursing students.
Patricia Pence, Valerie Wright.
International Meeting on Simulation in Healthcare 2025., Orlando, FL, January 11, 2025
Interprofessional education for the advancement of exercise science and improvement in health outcomes.
Susan Watkins, Valerie Wright, Antony Ricardo Joseph, Judy Neubrander.
National Association for Kinesiology in Higher Education Annual Conference, San Juan Puerto Rico, January 7, 2025
Evaluation of the Performance of a Card Game to Introduce Students to Interprofessional Collaboration: A Randomized 2-group Comparison Study Using Parametric and Nonparametric Statistics
Valerie Wright.
Nurse Educator Video Gallery, online, June 3, 2024
How Does Playful Learning Impact Interprofessional Education? Learn the Latest Research and Try Your “Hand” at the Card Game COLLABORATE
Valerie Wright.
Lincoln Legacy Teaching and Learning Community 2024, Urbana, IL, May 20, 2024
Evaluation of the Performance of a Card Game to Introduce Students to Interprofessional Collaboration: A Randomized 2-group Comparison Study Using Parametric and Nonparametric Statistics
Valerie Wright, Antony Ricardo Joseph, Susan Watkins, Stacy Goddard, Dan Mast.
American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing, 2024 Annual Conference, Chicago, IL, April 3, 2024
Evaluation of the Performance of a Card Game to Introduce Students to Interprofessional Collaboration: Analysis and Suggested Pedagogy
Valerie Wright, Antony Ricardo Joseph, Susan Watkins, Stacy Goddard, Dan Mast.
Mennonite College of Nursing and XI Pi – Research, Evidence-based, and Innovation Symposium, Normal, IL, March 28, 2024
Leadership Panel Presentation
Valerie Wright.
Illinois Ambulatory Nurse Practice Consortium, Normal, November 9, 2023
COLLABORATE: Learning IPE One Hand at a Time
Valerie Wright.
Illinois State University Mennonite College of Nursing Ambulatory Care Symposium, Normal, June 10, 2022
COLLABORATE: Learning IPE One Hand at a Time
Valerie Wright, Ashley Bollhorst.
FSI Conference, Champaign, Illinois, May 17, 2022
Self-Care PROUD Event
Valerie Wright.
Self-Care PROUD Event, online, February 8, 2022
Adding Primary Care to Your Course-Didactic Course
Susan Watkins, Valerie Wright.
Adding Primary Care to Your Course-Didactic Course, Normal, March, 2021
Nursing Interprofessional Education Simulation Learning Outcomes Study
Susan M Watkins, Antony Ricardo Joseph, Judy Neubrander, Valerie Wright, Stacy Goddard, Michelle Woodburn.
2021 Midwest Nursing Research Society (MNRS) Annual Research Conference, Online, March 25, 2021
Interprofessional education simulation learning outcomes study.
Susan Watkins, Antony Ricardo Joseph, Valerie Wright, Stacy Goddard, Judy Neubrander, Michelle Woodburn.
Midwest Nursing Research Society Annual Research Conference Poster Presentation, Illinois, March 24, 2021
COLLABORATE: Learning IPE One Hand at a Time
Valerie Wright, Ashley Bollhorst, Matthew Rutherford.
Annual Scholarship Symposium: Research, Evidence-based Practice, and Innovation, Online, March 18, 2021
Nursing Interprofessional Education Simulation Learning Outcomes Study
Susan Watkins, Antony Ricardo Joseph, Valerie Wright, Judy Neubrander, Michelle Woodburn, Stacy Goddard.
MCN Virtual Research Symposium 2021, Bloomington, March 18, 2021
Self-Care Peer Support Group Facilitator
Valerie Wright.
Self-Care Peer Support Group, online, March 17, 2021
COLLABORATE: Learning IPE One Hand At A Time
Valerie M Wright.
References: Bristol, T. (2020). Next Generation NCLEX (NGN): Applications to the Educational Settings. NCLEX Conference, (pp. 1-39). (Virtual). Dickison, P., Kaerling, K., & Lasater, K. (2019). Integrating the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Clinical Judgement Model Into Nursing Educational Framework. Journal of Nursing Education, 58(2). doi:10.3928/01484834-20190122-03 NCSBN. (2020). http://ncbn.org. Retrieved from NCSBN Clinical Judgement Measurement Model: https://www.ncsbn.org/14798.htm, onine, February 19, 2021