Southeast Missouri State University’s Department of Nursing is home to faculty who are shaping the future of healthcare in the classroom and across the industry. SEMO nursing faculty prepare students for real-world healthcare through hands-on learning guided by faculty who are actively shaping the profession.
“Our nursing faculty are more than educators—they’re researchers, innovators and true partners in our students’ learning,” said Dr. Moretta Burk, chair of the nursing department. “Their research doesn’t sit on a shelf. It shows up in our simulations, clinical experiences and the projects we do with community partners. Students benefit from that connection, and it gives them the practical skills and confidence they need to thrive in real healthcare settings.”
Dr. Vera Campbell-Jones, associate professor of nursing, specializes in innovative nursing practices and education. Her scholarship has been featured in The Missouri Nurse, Faculty Focus, the Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, and the Journal of the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA). Her published work spans topics including persistence strategies in nursing programs, the use of Individual Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (iCST) as innovative online clinical teaching strategy, guidance on local anesthesia prior to intravenous cannula insertion, and “Local anesthesia before intravenous cannula insertion: Recommendations for registered nurses in professional practice.”
Campbell-Jones integrates these evidence-based approaches directly into SEMO’s classrooms and online clinical environments, strengthening both student learning and patient care outcomes. In June 2025, she presented her latest study, “Retention Begins with Persistence: Upper-Level Nursing and Psychology Course Findings,” at the Missouri League for Nursing Conference.
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Dr. Lisa Job, nursing assistant professor, has an extensive record of research, scholarship, and presentations that demonstrates her commitment to interprofessional collaboration and evidence-based care. In 2025, she presented “Implementation of an Interprofessional Education (IPE) Simulation in an Undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Program” at the Missouri League for Nursing Conference and “Bridging the Gap: From Classroom to Bedside” at the EHHS Faculty Showcase at SEMO.
Her recent research has focused on interprofessional collaboration and patient safety. In 2024, Job co-authored “Remote collaboration for interprofessional dysphagia care plan establishment with allied health students” in the Journal of Interprofessional Education and Practice. That same year, she received the Interprofessional Education Award, along with Drs. Misty Tilmon and Joel Ramdial, from the College of Education, Health, and Human Studies for the work titled “Interprofessional Dysphagia Simulation and Care Plan Establishment.”
Job’s work spans multiple years. In 2022, she presented her project on “Prediction and Prevention of Clostridioides Difficile Infection in Hospitalized Adult Patients” at the Midwest Nursing Research Society Annual Conference. Her 2021 presentation included the DNP project on Clostridioides difficile infection prevention at the University of Missouri Columbia.
Dr. Gina Koch, associate professor and director of Graduate Studies in Nursing, conducts research spanning chronic disease management, healthcare technology and usability. Koch has co-authored studies in top-tier journals such as Western Journal of Nursing Research and CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, addressing practical challenges like managing multiple chronic conditions and evaluating health information systems. Most recently, Koch co-authored a 2024 article in the Athletic Training Education Journal titled “Incorporating Artificial Intelligence into Athletic Training Education,” which explores using AI tools like ChatGPT to enhance critical decision-making.
Nursing education at SEMO goes beyond textbooks and checklists. It’s about shaping future healthcare leaders. Students have opportunities to assist faculty on real research projects, participate in cutting-edge simulations and graduate ready to advance the profession.
For more information about SEMO’s Department of Nursing, visit semo.edu/nursing.