Susan Ashford, PhD, APRN, FNP-BC
Assistant Professor
E-mail: sashford@westga.edu
Phone Extension: 678-839-5643
Office: Education Annex, #277
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Teaching Philosophy:
My teaching philosophy is a work in progress as I continue to grow as an educator and scholar on this journey through life. Certain beliefs that I hold include: each student in my class is there because of a desire and capacity to learn; that learning is a shared responsibility; and that I am responsible for creating an environment conducive to learning whether it is face-to-face or web-based. I see my role as a facilitator of learning so I use a variety of teaching strategies including lecture, classroom discussion, critical thinking exercises, article critiques, group activities, student experiences, formal and informal writing assignments and poster presentations. Games which challenge thinking skills are not only useful but add fun, particularly when the subject is dense. I also find that humor can be an effective adjunct in the learning process. Each student shares responsibility for the learning process by being prepared, by contributing to the class discussion, and by asking questions.
Courses Taught:
- NURS 3222, Research & Evidence-Based Nursing Practice
- NURS 4345, Community Health Clinical
- NURS 4523 - Translating Research to Practice
- NURS 6601 - Role of Nurse as Leader/Manager
- NURS 6602 - Problem Solving / Health Systems Leadership
- NURS 6887 - Health Systems Leadership Practicum
Education:
Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing – Emory University
Certificate in Women’s Studies
Master of Nursing – Emory University
Bachelor of Science in Nursing – Medical College of Georgia
Diploma – Grady Memorial Hospital School of Nursing
Areas of Expertise or Professional Interests:
Women’s Health Issues – Particularly Primary Care, GYN, and Mid-life
Behavioral Decision-Making Theory
Expectancy Value Theories of Health Behavior
Distance Education
Advanced Practice Nursing
Research
Professional Memberships and Certifications:
American Nurses Association Georgia Nurses Association
Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, Alpha Epsilon Chapter National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health Southern Nursing Research Society American Society of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology
Personal Interests:
Family and Friends, Watching Movies
The most unique thing about our programs is…
they provide a caring, supportive, personal environment for learning.
