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Linda Cole

DNP, RN, APRN, CCNS, CNE, CPHQ, FCNS

Co-Director, DNP Program

Associate Professor

Department of Graduate Studies

Hi! I am originally from Mississippi having received my BSN from the University of Southern Mississippi located in Hattiesburg.  I also completed a MS in Health Education (now viewed as a Master of Public Health) from the same university.  I moved to Houston in 1982 and later completed both my MSN as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Critical Care and my DNP from Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston.  I joined the faculty in 2017 and teach in the Nursing Leadership Master’s program and in the DNP program.  I advise DNP candidates on their quality improvement capstone projects.

Prior to joining the teaching faculty, I worked for CHI Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center in several roles ranging from staff nurse in critical care to a system level director.  I implemented and expanded several programs while at this facility including a hospital-based advanced practice nurse program, a nurse-run pain management program, a nurse-run palliative care program, and an integrative medicine program. I live in Blanco, TX (in the Hill Country) with my two Belgian Malinois dogs—Ginger and Keeper.  I enjoy cooking, reading, gardening, and wine tasting.

Highlighted publications:

Cole L. Psychosocial issues and lifestyle changes for the renal patient. Nursing Clinics of North America. 2018;53(4):589-600. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cnur.2018.07.008

Cole L. Non-Allopathic interventions for the management of acute and chronic pain: A brief review. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing. 2020;25(2). https://doi.org/10.3912/OJIN.Vol25No02PPT15

Cole L, Boss L, Fowler D, Cheatham L. Using leadership simulation scenarios with graduate nursing learners to support front-line nurse leader competency development.  Nurse Leader. 2021;19(4):405-410. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mnl.2020.08.012

Cole L. Changes in pain and anxiety in hospitalized adults associated with using guided imagery.  Pain Management Nursing. 2021;22(4):465-469. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmn.2021.02.007

Boss L, Cole L, Fowler D, Cheatham L, Giegerich C. Front line nurse leader simulation for advanced leadership skills: A pilot study. International Journal of Nursing and Health Care Science. 2022;02(02):2021-92.

Cole L & Boss L. Development of interviewing skills in emerging nurse leaders using simulation-based learning. Nurse Leader. 2023;21(1):23-26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mnl.2022.07.006

Gooden A & Cole L. Shared governance to engage advanced practice registered nurses in a hospital setting: A quality improvement initiative. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. 2023;23(2):163-169. https://doi.org/10.1097/JXX.0000000000000802     

Reid P & Cole L. (In press). APRN shared governance in a community hospital: A quality improvement initiative. Nursing Management.

Education

Cizik School of Nursing, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX
DNP
2013

Cizik School of Nursing, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX
MSN
1994

University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS
MS
1982

University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS
BSN
1977

Clinical/Research Focus

My clinical background is critical care, pain management, palliative care, integrative medicine, and outcomes measurement/research. My research focuses on nursing leadership and educational strategies.