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I am the Director of Prelicensure Programs and a Clinical Assistant Professor at Rutgers University-Camden School of Nursing. I obtained my BSN from Widener University, my MSN in nursing education and administration and my DNP specializing in nursing education from Duquesne University. I am a Certified Nurse Educator am additionally certified in Lowrisk Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing, Online Teaching, Lifelong Learning in Inclusive and Equitable Teaching and Implementation of Inclusive and Equitable Teaching. I  am an Association of College and University
Educators (ACUE) Effective Teaching Practices Facilitator and earned the Advanced Credential in Effective College Instruction. I am also the author of the Blog Changing Course: Innovative Ideas for Nurse Educators.

My specialties include maternal-child and critical care nursing with both neonates and adults, and I have practiced clinically in both Philadelphia and South Jersey. My academic experience spans over 17 years. Presently, I teach in the accelerated and traditional undergraduate programs at Rutgers University-Camden School of Nursing; however, I started teaching nursing as an adjunct instructor at La Salle University in 2005, and progressed to full-time faculty at Holy Family University in 2007. My courses at Rutgers include Foundations of Nursing Theory, Nursing Care of Children and Adolescents Theory, Research and Evidence-Based Practice and Seminar in Professional Nursing. My scholarly areas of expertise include diversity, equity, and inclusion, curriculum mapping, assessment, testing and outcomes, evidence-based nursing education, technology in teaching and learning, clinical education, and innovative teaching strategies. I have presented my work with nursing education at several national and international nursing conferences.

I live in the small town of Cinnaminson, New Jersey with my husband Chris, three children Daniel, Abby, and Tommy, and two rescue dogs Scout and Piper. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family, the beauty of nature, Harry Potter, Anime, and the medieval and renaissance time periods. I look forward to sharing my time and talent with the nursing education community.

Rachel Derr at COVID vaccine mega site
Photo by: Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com