Jennifer J. Wasco

DNP, RN
Assistant Professor
Director of Professional Development
Acute & Tertiary Care

Profile

Dr. Wasco embarked on a dynamic career journey that originated in hematology-oncology and expanded into various pivotal roles, including facilitating continuing education for an oncology international nursing organization, spearheading patient engagement, safety, and quality improvement initiatives in healthcare organizations, and eventually transitioning into academia. Her scholarly pursuits include nursing continuing education, faculty leadership, and environmental health and green sustainability practices within nursing.

Currently serving as the Director of Professional Development and Continuing Education at the School of Nursing, Dr. Wasco is deeply committed to advancing nursing’s lifelong learning and faculty leadership. In this role, she undertakes the significant responsibility of educating and developing the professional nursing workforce at local, regional, and national levels while overseeing vital professional development programs for faculty members. Her passion lies in fostering educational excellence tailored to the specific needs of diverse groups within the academic community.

Her academic leadership is exemplified through her extensive service on University-wide committees focused on sustainability and her advocacy for integrating sustainable practices into nursing education. She plays a crucial role in shaping the future of nursing education by championing faculty excellence and embracing innovative teaching methodologies such as simulation.

As a nurse educator, Dr. Wasco is deeply invested in enhancing faculty members' pedagogical skills and technological proficiency, enriching student learning experiences and overall academic outcomes. Her dedication to faculty development nurtures individual professional growth and aligns with institutional goals of promoting academic excellence.

Dr. Wasco's career trajectory reflects a steadfast commitment to advancing nursing education, fostering academic excellence, and promoting continuous professional development. Her multifaceted contributions resonate locally and nationally, underscoring the integral role of ongoing education in shaping the future of nursing.

Scholarly Emphasis

Nursing Education: Professional Role Development, Faculty Role Development, Preceptor Role Development, Nursing Continuing Professional Development (NCPD), Online Learning, Curriculum Design, Pedagogy, Teaching Technology Innovations, Instructional Design, Teaching Excellence

Academic Leadership: Quality Improvement, Systems Thinking, Project Management, Accreditation Standards, Higher-Education Operations, Strategic Planning, Marketing, Recruitment Strategies, Leadership Professional Development

Environmental Health: Sustainable Healthcare, Environmental Stewardship in Nursing

Teaching

Dr. Wasco has been invited to lecture on the climate and the environment with the SoN’s Midwifery program and students enrolled in the Fundamentals of Disaster and Mass Causality Care course. She has mentored Swanson School of Engineering bio-engineering students as they pursue methods to improve materials and processes in healthcare. She is a mentor in the Undergraduate Research Mentorship Program (URMP). In previous positions, she instructed several cohorts of international students in an MSN education program. She has developed a course on the impact of climate change on global health.

Service

In the fall of 2022, Dr. Wasco was nominated to be a member of the Provost’s Ad Hoc Faculty Committee on Sustainability to develop recommendations for a University-wide Sustainability Institute and is a current member of the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation Sustainability Task Force. She is an active member of the School of Health Sciences Faculty Leadership Academy and a member of the 2024 Advisory Committee for the School of Nursing’s Distinguished Alumni Awards.

She is a member of the Association for Nursing Professional Development, Alliance for Nursing Professional Development, National League for Nursing, and Sigma.