Shanna Akers, EdD, MSN/MBA-HC, RN, CNE

Biography

Dr. Akers serves as the Dean of the Liberty University School of Nursing. She has been at Liberty University since 2009 and has served in various roles including RN-BSN Program Chair, School of Nursing Associate Dean, and in the Office of the Provost as Administrative Dean for Undergraduate Programs. Previously, she worked as the Director of the Cardiovascular Service Line of a multi-hospital system in Louisiana. Dean Akers began her nursing career as a critical care nurse, who specialized in cardiac care. Her interests include cardiac health and prevention, women’s cardiac health, sudden cardiac death syndrome, and congestive heart failure. She remains interested in the care that bedside nurses offer for family members of critically ill patients. As the Director of the Cardiovascular Service Line, she worked with team members of multiple units and specialties to provide care for cardiac patients as well as education to the community. She has presented on topics such as sudden cardiac death in women and congestive heart failure maintenance. She wrote several short educational articles related to healthcare for local magazines and journals. She continues to speak at various healthcare facilities on topics of leadership and management, which include conflict management, generational differences in the workplace, nurse burnout, and team leadership. While at Liberty University, Dean Akers has taught courses in the undergraduate and graduate programs. Her love for critical care nursing keeps her connected to bedside nurses and nursing students who desire to be critical care and emergency service nurses. Her interests in healthcare management, budgeting, marketing, and meeting the needs of bedside nurses are seen in the management and leadership classes taught to practicing registered nurses.

Professional Memberships

• American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
• Christian Nurses Fellowship
• Liberty University Honor Society of Nursing
• National League for Nursing
• Sigma Theta Tau International
• The Southern Nursing Research Society

Courses Taught

• NURS 105 Medical Terminology
• NURS 200 Nursing Process Application
• NURS 220 Advanced Nursing Communication
• NURS 221 Fundamentals in Nursing
• NURS 225 Research in Nursing
• NURS 325 Nursing Concepts
• NURS 440 Strategies for Community Health Care
• NURS 460 Advanced Strategies for Adult Health Care
• NURS 465 Advanced Strategies for the Critically Ill
• NURS 490 Leadership/Management in Nursing
• NURS 491 Nursing Management
• NURS 492 Advanced Concepts of Nursing Practice
• NURS 524 Systems Management and Leadership for Nurse Leaders

Publications (peer-reviewed articles)

• Wright, V., Akers, S. W., & Rita, S. (2000). Community Awareness Rape Education (CARE) program for high school students. Journal of Emergency Nursing, 2(26), 182-185.

Research Interests

• Critical Care Nursing, Patients, and Families
• Critical Care Areas
• Leadership and Management
• Nursing Education
• Preparing Nursing Students to Enter the Workforce in
• Spiritual Care of Critically Ill Patients and Families