The 2025 Inland Northwest Nurse Educator Conference took place on June 8-9 at the Hemmingson Center on Gonzaga University’s campus. The event, themed Transforming Nurse Education for Tomorrow’s Healthcare Innovations, drew nursing professionals aiming to explore cutting-edge educational strategies.
On Sunday evening, attendees gathered for a networking reception, followed by a welcome address from Dr. Anne Mason, Acting Dean and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, WSU College of Nursing. Dr. Jean Watson, of the Watson Caring Science Institute, delivered the keynote, Recommitting to Nursing’s Disciplinary Core, emphasizing enduring nursing values and the Art and Science of Caring-Healing. This session honored Dr. Thelma Cleveland, Dean Emerita, aligning with the Cleveland Visiting Scholar mission of fostering exposure to leading healthcare voices.
Monday began with opening remarks by Dr. Jeff Ramirez. Keynote speakers Dr. Sara Horton-Deutsch and Dr. Jean Watson presented The Art of Integration: Caring Science Meets AACN’s Essentials, highlighting practical strategies to integrate Caring Science with modern nursing education standards.
Throughout the day, participants attended workshops covering critical topics:
- Debriefing with Good Judgment, led by Christian Striggow, focused on effective post-simulation discussions.
- Escape Room Simulations, presented by Kat Avichouser, demonstrated innovative game-based approaches to teamwork and communication.
- Extended Reality in Healthcare Education, conducted by Dr. Janine Hinton, explored immersive technology and its potential in clinical training.
- Clinical Debriefing using the Plus Delta Plus Model, introduced by Keith Jones, underscored structured reflective practices.
- Faculty Development for Simulation Best Practices, presented collaboratively by Avichouser, Striggow, and Jones, shared methods for enhancing simulation programs within healthcare systems.
- Game-Based Learning in Graduate Nursing, by Dr. Scot Petty, addressed engagement through gamification, escape rooms, and virtual reality technologies.
The conference concluded with Dr. Chris Griffin’s keynote, Thriving Together: Nurturing Wellbeing in Nursing Education, which offered interactive strategies for fostering resilience and vitality among nursing faculty and students.
The event effectively highlighted the integration of innovative educational methodologies with traditional nursing care principles, providing actionable insights for attendees to advance nurse education.
The WSU College of Nursing extends sincere thanks to all sponsors and vendors who supported the inaugural Inland Northwest Nurse Educator Conference. Their contributions helped create an engaging and meaningful experience for all participants. Sponsors and vendors included: Gonzaga University, WSU College of Nursing, Sigma Delta Chi at-Large Chapter, Providence Health & Services, MultiCare, ATI, Elsevier, Gaumard, Kaplan Nursing, Laerdal, and Pearson.
