The college welcomed three full-time faculty at the start of the fall 2023 semester.
Meghan Edmondson, Ph.D., RN, CCRN, recently accepted a full-time tenure track faculty position with ֱ State University College of Nursing where she teaches statistics, professional nursing development and assists in the simulation lab. Drawn in by ֱ State’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, Edmondson was impressed by the university’s dedication to ensure all faculty, staff and students feel like they belong here.
“I know what otherness feels like. It was important to me to work somewhere I could be who I am and not worry about hiding my ADHD to be successful,” Edmondson said. “ֱ State has shown me that they value neurodivergent students and neurodiversity research in many ways, and I am so excited to be here!”
From a young age, Edmondson was immersed in the healthcare profession.
“My dad is an obstetrician. Growing up I would occasionally go with him when he got called to the hospital to deliver a baby,” she said. “I saw how the nurses were valued, not just for what they do, but also for what they know.
Prior to her full-time faculty position, Edmondson’s time at the bedside was spent in critical care. “I was drawn to the fast-paced, problem-solving environment with its opportunities to build clinical skills,” she said. “I liked being able to intervene in an emergency and help people recover.”
When she expanded her career into nursing research, Edmondson’s own personal journey with ADHD became the inspiration for her studies on mental health. Through her research, Edmondson hopes to learn more about the effects of exercise on the ADHD brain and self-management of ADHD and ADHD as a barrier to self-management of chronic health conditions.
“The stereotype of hyperactivity and inability to pay attention in class is just the tip of the iceberg. Neurodivergent people also have positive attributes and different skill sets that can make them valuable members of a team in the professional world, but these often get overlooked,” said Edmondson. “Having these experiences has inspired me to improve the academic environment for those who come after me.”
Edmondson hopes her students remember her classroom as an emotionally safe and confidence-building environment. “I want my students to experience a learning environment where it is safe and normal to make mistakes that lead to recognizing their own growth,” she said. “I hope I can help my students build self-efficacy in learning and spark a passion for learning throughout their lifetime.”
In August, ֱ State Stark Campus welcomed Logan Eisenhart MSN APRN FNP-C, as a full-time undergraduate faculty member in the BSN program where he teaches nursing fundamentals at the sophomore level. In his classes, students will learn how to be safe at the bedside, effective communication with other healthcare professionals, how to advocate for patients and the steps to performing a head-to-toe assessment. Eisenhart was inspired to become a nurse after observing the compassionate care the hospice nurses showed his ailing grandmother.
“Assisting in the positive outcome of people’s lives is the best work there is,” said Eisenhart, who has been a nurse for more than five years. “Highlights of my career have included controlling the blood sugar of a frail diabetic, supporting a drug user during their sobriety journey, recognizing and assisting a victim of human trafficking, detecting a brain aneurysm in a patient who was able to have lifesaving surgery and other moments.”
Eisenhart’s passion for educating the nurses of tomorrow initially led to a career in nursing academia. With a year of teaching behind him, Eisenhart’s favorite aspect of the role has been witnessing the ‘light bulb’ moments and observing how his students shine in the simulation lab.
“I chose to apply for a position at ֱ State University because of its strong reputation in the nursing profession,” said Eisenhart. “I hope to provide a solid foundation of basic skills and critical thinking that will help my students be safe and effective nurses for their future patients.”
As a family nurse practitioner, Eisenhart cares deeply about evidence-based care and nursing education. In addition to educating ֱ State nursing students, he is working in the community to provide high-quality primary care across the lifespan in family practice and addiction treatment.
“I love family medicine. Being a primary care provider allows me the opportunity to build long-term relationships and assist in preventing many heath issues before they occur,” said Eisenhart. “I enjoy the intellectual challenges and being able to make a difference in people’s lives. I find great joy in educating not only my students, but also my fellow nurses, patients and their families about health.”
When asked what advice he would share with nursing students or new nurses, Eisenhart highlighted the importance of strong coping skills, self-care and remaining a life-longer learner. Heeding his own advice, Eisenhart is currently a doctoral candidate within ֱ State’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program. Outside of healthcare and academia, Eisenhart can be found unwinding in his backyard oasis lounging in the hot tub, pool or hammock. He also enjoys time spent in nature hiking, mountain and trail biking, kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding.
ֱ State College of Nursing alumna Alisha Lickwar WHNP-BC, MSN ‘17, RN, joins the college as the new Coordinator for the Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner Program. She comes to ֱ State having previously worked at a local hospital for most of her career, in telemetry, mother baby care, the Emergency Room, outpatient gastroenterology and childbirth education. Additionally, she has also taught at two private universities.
“Experiencing the different phases of a woman’s life with them is my favorite part about being a nurse,” said Lickwar. “Sometimes that is holding their hand through labor or pregnancy. It can also be educating them and watching them move through the different phases of their life. As a practicing NP, I get to educate and treat patients as they move through those phases.”
Becoming a nursing faculty member was a long-time dream for Lickwar, who has now been teaching for 16 years. Drawn to ֱ State University because of the great experiences she had as a nursing student, Lickwar desired the opportunity to provide future ֱ State nursing students with similar great experiences.
She teaches advanced health assessment, which teaches students how to assess patients as a nurse practitioner versus as a nurse. She explained students will use these skills in their future careers to diagnose, treat and prescribe medications and treatment plans for patients. Additionally, she teaches all the women’s health courses, which encompass taking care of women throughout their lifespan from adolescence through menopause.
“I am a people person who appreciates being around diverse groups of people and I have always enjoyed providing education to patients and students,” said Lickwar. “I love to see that ‘a-ha’ moment when students really begin to understand what I am teaching. I relish the connections I get to make, as well as observing the varied perspectives from my patients and students.”
Lickwar graduated from ֱ State Ashtabula Campus in 2005 with her associate degree in nursing. She returned to ֱ State graduating in 2015 with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from the Trumbull Campus and in 2017 she earned her Master of Science (MSN) in Nursing Education. Lickwar is currently working on her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree with an anticipated graduation in May 2024.