WVU School of Nursing faculty recognized for excellence in teaching
Three West Virginia University School of Nursing faculty members in the Department of Family and Community Health recently received promotions in recognition of their outstanding professional accomplishments.
Martha Summers has been promoted to clinical associate professor and faculty members Kendra Barker and Trisha Petitte have been promoted to clinical assistant professors, effective immediately.
“Our School is committed to academic excellence, and these faculty members are extremely dedicated to preparing our students for the profession. In addition to their academic work, they also remain committed to enhancing patient care. They are certainly deserving of this professional recognition,” said Tara Hulsey, dean of the School of Nursing.
Dr. Summers began her career in nursing education at the School of Nursing in 1991 as a clinical instructor where she taught nursing students in the undergraduate program. In 1996, she completed a post-master’s certificate program at WVU and became certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner. She taught undergraduate students while practicing as an FNP. In 2000, she was promoted to clinical assistant professor and began teaching graduate courses in the master’s program. She received her Doctor of Nursing Practice in 2009, one of the first graduates of the program. She served as vice chair of the clinical track for the School and was named program director for the MSN/DNP program. In addition to her role as a faculty member with the School of Nursing, Dr. Summers also volunteers at Milan Puskar Health Right in Morgantown to provide care to patients.
Dr. Barker joined the School of Nursing faculty in 2011 and has taught various courses for the School. In her current role, she coordinates the undergraduate diabetes elective and co-teaches in the evidenced-based practice undergraduate course. Since completing her DNP in 2015, she also teaches and coordinates courses in the DNP program. Dr. Barker is certified as both a Diabetes Educator and Board-Certified Advanced Diabetes Manager. Her background as a Family Nurse Practitioner in primary care is evolving, and she is exploring opportunities to specialize in patient care for those diagnosed with diabetes. In addition to her role with the School of Nursing, Dr. Barker also works as an FNP at WVU’s Student Health.
Petitte earned her BSN and MSN degrees from West Virginia University in 2001 and 2009, respectively. She served as assistant director of the WVU Office of Health Services Research and worked as a Med-Surg nurse in the cardiovascular step-down unit while pursuing her master’s degree. Petitte is certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner and provides care to residents at Sundale Nursing Home. She began teaching in the BSN and MSN programs at WVU in 2010. She is presently pursuing her PhD in nursing and plans to graduate in 2017. The focus of her doctoral research is examining risk factors including obesity, smoking, nutrition and physical activity among heart failure patients.
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