Shining a Spotlight on Dr. Heidi Keeler

Member Since 2017
Associate Professor, College of Nursing
Director, UNMC Office of Community Engagement
Bio

What do you do at UNMC?
I serve in a slightly different type of education, that of community members and practicing clinicians. This type of education requires agility and innovation in preparing relevant and timely information and delivering it where it is needed, be it practice sites or general community settings.

Tell us about your educational research interests and teaching role.
The ability to reach practitioners when and where they need immediate education using innovative delivery methods is of great interest to me. In addition to directing an office with an educational focus, my current teaching role is in elder care with practicing nurses.

What is one of your favorite/memorable teaching moments?
I remember attending a conference, and while we were at break, several nurses approached me and asked if I was the faculty for UNMC's Gero Nurse Prep program. When I confirmed this, they excitedly told me that they loved listening to "Nurse Heidi" and that they successfully used the class to achieve board certification. One learner told me about how, thanks to the class, they were able to advocate for a depressed patient who was misdiagnosed with delirium. When she suggested this may be the case with the provider, a correct diagnosis resolved the symptoms! What an incredible feeling to affect people's lives with best practice information!

What do you see as the biggest benefit to being a member of the IAE?
The biggest benefit to the IAE is being connected to like minded faculty. If you have an idea or a need for a particular expertise, then the IAE members help each other to fill the need.

What's something about you that not many people know?
One very interesting thing is that I am a student of martial arts, working on my black belt in Tae Kwon Do. My daughters are second degree black belts, and we study at RMA, whose owner Jordan Relford recently qualified for the USA National Team! Martial Arts provides discipline, focus, and strength, all qualities that serve me well in my professional life. Another interesting thing is that I am a former Captain in the United States Air Force.

Back to Member Spotlight page