Sharron Forest

Background

About Sharron Forest

I am an educator with an eye for critical thinking and innovation. I hold the Will Bivens Singleton Professorship in Pediatric Nursing in addition to being an APRN. With over 32 years in neonatal critical care nursing, I have spent 26 of those years as a neonatal nurse practitioner. I am currently a professor and director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program in the University of Texas Medical Branches' School of Nursing (UTMB SON). I have a diverse educational background, having earned four degrees including: a DNP and MSN from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, a BSN from McNeese State University, and a BS in Chemical Engineering from Louisiana State University. I have been hailed as an excellent teacher and hold numerous teaching awards, the most recent of which includes the Regents' Outstanding Teacher Award. In my role as an educator at UTMB, I have introduced many teaching innovations, such as academic partnerships for DNP students to lead hospital quality improvement project teams and an immersion program to provide students with hands-on learning opportunities with the chance to apply their knowledge in real-world situations. My own research and grant activities include addressing tobacco prevention among adolescents and maternal smokers, preparing nurse practitioner students to care for underserved populations, and enhancing collaboration between DNP and PhD programs. Through my guidance, leadership, and experience, I have helped shape and grow the DNP program at UTMB.