Joan McCleish

Dean of Institutional Research, Assessment, and Distance Education and Professor

Year Started at Mercy College 1990

Education

• Ph.D., Iowa State University (2002)
• M.S.N., Drake University (1993)    
• B.S.N., Drake University (1987)
• R.N., Mercy School of Nursing (1980)                

Clinical/Field Experience

•  Clinical Nursing/Nurse Clinician 10 years 
• Nursing Education 17 years

 Research Interests and Professional Projects

• Evidence Based Practice and Reasearch Projects (various areas of education)

Professional Presentations

• The Birth and Growth of a Collaborative Research Group: A Panel Discussion, Co-presented over ICN for Iowa League for Nursing Annual Meeting (2009)
• Differences in Success Rates Between Accelerated and BSN Students, Co-Presented, Mercy Medical Center-Des Moines, Iowa (2007)
• Incorporating Evidence-Based Practice into the Curriculum-Indian Hills Community College, Ottumwa, Iowa (2007)
• Presented poster at NLN Education Summit in New York City,  Advancing Evidence-Based Practice: A Collaborative Initiative Between Academia and Practice (2006)
• Characteristics of Doctoral Students, and Barriers and Strategies Related to Successful Completion of the Dissertation (original research) Presented at Zeta Chi Research Conference (2006)

Recent Publications

• Getting to Know You: An Online Orientation for an RN to BSN Program (Co-author: The Journal of Nursing Education, 2009)                
• Advancing Evidence-Based Practice: A Program Series (Co-author: The Journal of Continuing Nursing Education, 2008)
• Integrating Mind-Mapped Care Plans as a Teaching Strategy: An Innovative Educational Tool as an Alternative to the Traditional Care Plan (Co-author: The Journal of Nursing Education, 2006)
• NLN website spotlight Fall 2006: Great Moments in Education    

Professional Memberships

• American Nursing Association/INA (member)
• National League for Nursing/ILN (current Board Member ILN)
• Sigma Theta Tau International / Zeta Chi At-Large Chapter (member Zeta Chi)
• Mercy's Nursing Advisory Council   
• Mercy College Alumni Association   
• US Distance Learning Association/IDLA (current Board member IDLA)
• Association for Institutional Research

Community Service Involvement

• 2008 Service Trip to Cedar Rapids to assist with flood efforts  
• Various projects at St. Pius X Parish including current member of the Stewardship Committee