Her Story
About Shari
I've dedicated 24 years to the nursing profession, beginning my journey after graduating from Rush University with my bachelor's degree in 2001. I spent the early part of my career as an OB and L&D nurse, which remains my specialty and passion to this day. About 15 years ago, I transitioned into nursing education, where I've found my true calling in teaching theory and didactic classroom instruction. I've had the opportunity to work with three different nursing schools over the years, and I've learned that integrity is at the core of everything I do - helping students find where they belong and where they can thrive. Beyond my classroom work, I provide individualized private tutoring for students preparing for their NCLEX board exams, working with them during those critical moments when they're losing their mind before the test. I also earned my certification as a CLNC (Certified Legal Nurse Consultant) about 15 years ago, combining legal and nursing expertise in a way that many people don't realize is possible. My teaching philosophy centers on critical thinking as the foundation of everything - you can know everything about a topic, but if you're not utilizing critical thinking, it's useless. I focus on helping students become strong patient advocates and showing them that they can do hard things, even when the intimidation of nursing programs makes them doubt themselves. I give 110% to one institution at a time rather than spreading myself thin across multiple facilities, because that's the only way I can truly make an impact.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Shari
01What do you attribute your success to?
I feel like my experience, in general, overall, just the experience that I hold as a regular nurse, and also the different educational platforms - I tend to rely more on my own knowledge base, which is much more effective. I've seen the way, like, just tutoring people, I see that that's definitely more influential and has much more of a profound effect on students. I think the validation piece is important too, because nursing instructors don't necessarily get the credit they actually deserve. You really do take on not only the role of a nurse, but also as an educator. It's about expanding your knowledge and sharing that knowledge and helping students achieve what they don't see as achievable.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I've ever received in my career came from one of my old deans. He told me that critical thinking is the foundation of everything. You can know everything about a certain topic, but if you're not utilizing that critical thinking, it's useless. That really stuck with me and has shaped how I approach teaching and nursing education.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell them to do their best to elaborate and enhance their ability to be a patient advocate. Advocacy, patient advocacy, I would say is crucial. I'd also tell them not to let the intimidation of the nursing program, or the curriculum, or the classes intimidate them - they can do hard things. We all can, you know, and if they truly give it 100%, it is possible. I feel like a lot of students doubt themselves, but if they understood that and committed from day one, it would make their life so much easier.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I think the biggest challenge would be getting students to not let the intimidation of the nursing program, or the curriculum, or the classes intimidate them. A lot of students doubt themselves, and helping them understand that they can do hard things is crucial. I've worked for three different programs, and they all run a little different, but the common thread is helping students see that if they truly give it 100%, success is possible. The opportunity I see is in providing ongoing tutoring and preparation from day one, rather than students coming to me at hard times saying 'Oh my god, I have my boards in a week, I need you to tutor me.' If they understood that ongoing support from the beginning would make their life so much easier, that would be transformative.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Probably just integrity in itself. I've experienced - I think just in the past 15 years, I've worked for three different schools, and really, kind of overall, noticing the difference in people's integrity, and kind of where they belong, and helping them find that, and just kind of navigating integrity at its core to be able to identify where they can specialize, or where they can thrive. That's what matters most to me.
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