— College of Nursing — About Us — Our People — Our Faculty — Lepaine Sharp-McHenry, DNP, RN, FACDONA

Lepaine Sharp-McHenry, DNP, RN, FACDONA

Dean, UNMC College of Nursing
Professor

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Dr. Lepaine Sharp-McHenry came to UNMC College of Nursing as the Dean in 2023. She previously served as the Dean of the College of Natural, Behavioral, and Health Sciences at Simmons University, the Dean of the College of Nursing at Oklahoma Baptist University, and the Assistant Director of the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing at the University of Arkansas. Prior to her academic leadership roles, she was a faculty member at the University of Arkansas. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Arkansas; a Master's of Science with a Major in Nursing with a specialty as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing from the University of Oklahoma; and her Doctorate in Nursing Practice with a specialty in Executive Leadership at Union University.

Education

1993, BSN, University of Arkansas-Fayetteville
1996, MSN, University of Oklahoma
2014, DNP, Union University

Research Interests

Dr. Sharp-McHenry’s scholarship has focused on leadership opportunities to advance the nursing education through regulation, practice, and education.

Publications

Humphrey, H. J.; Sharp-McHenry, L.; Whelan, A. J. Pandemic Exposes Imperative to Transform Health Professions Education. (2022). Academic Medicine. 97(3S):S1-S2
Humphrey, H., Sharp-McHenry, L, & Whelan, A (editors). Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation Conference on COVID-19 and the Impact on Medical and Nursing Education, Academic Medicine: November 3, 2021 - Volume - Issue -doi: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000004506
Hayes, C.; Wood, L. J.; Gaden, N. W.; Gennaro, S.; Gross, A. H.; Hudson, J., Therese M.; Loescher, C. W.; Maurer, M. L.; Mittelman, M.; Pearson, M. M.; Sharp-McHenry, L.; Thompson, L. S.; Van Pelt, M. (2021) The Dual Epidemics of 2020: Nursing Leaders’ Reflections in the Context of Whole Person/Whole Systems: Nursing Administration Quarterly, 45(3): 243-252.
Sharp-McHenry, L. (May 2021) The Evolution of Hiring Criteria for New Graduates. Liquid Compass. https://blog.liquidcompass.com/the-evolution-of-hiring-criteria-for-new-graduates

Service

Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education Board of Commissioners January 2022-present; Board Secretary 2023-2024
Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools: Professional Nurse & Standards Credentialing Committee Member 2020-present
Boston Chamber of Commerce Health Care & Life Sciences Leadership Council 2020-2023
Macy Foundation Summit Covid-19 Impact on Medicine & Nursing Clinical Ed. Comm. Co-Chair 2020-2021
American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN): Membership Committee Chair 2018-2020
American Association of Colleges of Nursing: Board Liaison to Preferred Vision of the Professoriate in Baccalaureate and Graduate Nursing Programs 2017-2018
American Association of Colleges of Nursing: Board of Directors At Large, 2016-2018, 2018-2020
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education Site Evaluator, 2016-present
AACN: Nursing Advancement Membership Committee. 2014-present
AACN: Finance Committee 2014-2015, State Grassroots Liaison 2014-2019

Recognition

2020, Boston’s Get Konnected 50 Most Influential People of Color in Higher Ed. of Distinguished Scholars
2018, Distinguished Alumni Southern Arkansas University