Format
70% in person
30% online
Gail Armstrong PhD, DNP, ACNS-BC, RN, CNE, FAAN
Professor
Faculty Development Coordinator
- College of Nursing
Email Address:gail.armstrong@cuanschutz.edu
Primary Phone:303-724-8254
Mailing Address:
- CU Anschutz
Education II North
13120 East 19th Avenue
Aurora, CO 80045
Gail Armstrong, PhD, DNP, ACNS-BC, CNE, FAAN is a Professor and Faculty Development Coordinator at CU College of Nursing. Gail earned a BA in Literature from Bates College, an MA in Literature from Georgetown University, a Nursing Doctorate (ND) Degree from the University of Colorado, an MS in Nursing from the University of Colorado (with an Adult Clinical Nurse Specialist focus), a DNP from the University of Colorado and a PhD in Nursing Science (with a Health Systems focus) from Vanderbilt University.
Gail joined CU Nursing faculty in 2000, and while Gail’s practice was in Med/Surg nursing, she taught in the pre-licensure program, focusing on acute care of the adult patient. Once Gail’s nursing practice shifted to a focus on Quality & Safety, Gail began teaching in the Clinical Nurse Specialist MS Program and PhD (Health Systems) Program. Gail is well known for her excellence in education, as evidenced by her eight teaching awards (One Dean’s Award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching, Two President’s Teaching Awards and Five Chancellor’s Teaching Awards). Additionally, Gail is the first CU Nursing faculty member in more than thirty years to earn the career recognition as a President’s Teaching Scholar (since 1989). Gail has received multiple awards acknowledging her local and national leadership (Dean’s Award for Leadership, and The Linda Cronenwett QSEN Leadership Award), and in 2021 Gail was inducted into the American Academy of Nursing.
Much of Gail’s scholarship focuses on the integration of updated quality and safety content in early pre-licensure curricula. Gail’s scholarly contributions include developing groundbreaking, specific strategies for early and sustained integration of the IOM/NAM competencies into pre-licensure curricula, which challenged decades-old models of curricular progression. As Gail’s practice grew into other areas of quality and safety, her scholarship grew to include high functioning teams in healthcare, Just Culture and Systems Leadership for the DNP-prepared nurse. Gail is the primary editor of Leadership and Systems Improvement for the DNP, a 2020 text that offers leadership and systems improvement content for DNP nursing clinical leaders.
In 2012 Gail was a founding member of the 12-month Certificate Training Program offered by the Institute of Healthcare Quality, Safety and Efficiency at Anschutz Medical Campus. Gail was the only nurse on the original faculty and contributed to much of the course content specific to leadership and leading effective teams.
In 2019 Gail moved to Portland, OR to serve as the Assistant Dean of DNP Program at Oregon Health & Science University. In this capacity, Gail worked to unify six APRN Programs into a unified DNP, where students in all specialties are supported in areas of scholarly writing, evidence-based practice, improvement science and systems leadership.
Gail returned to CU Nursing in 2022 pioneering a new role, Faculty Development Coordinator. In her current work as Faculty Development Coordinator, Gail supports the growth and development of CU Nursing faculty in all phases of their careers.
Education, Licensure & Certifications
- 2016 - PhD in Nursing Science - Vanderbilt University
- 2010 - Doctor of Nursing Practice - University of Colorado
- 2010 - Master's of Science in Nursing - University of Colorado
- 1995 - Nursing Doctorate Degree - University of Colorado
- 1987 - Master's of Arts in Literature - Georgetown University
- 1986 - Bachelor of Arts in Literature - Bates College
Certifications
- 2014 - present: Certified Practitioner of MBTI Step I and Step II Instruments
- 2010 - present: Certified Adult Clinical Nurse Specialist
- 2010 - present: Certified Nurse Educator
Awards
- 2021 - Induction into the American Academy of Nursing
- 2020 - The Linda Cronenwett Leadership Award
- 2019 - Dean's Award for Excellence in Teaching
- 2017 - President's Teaching Scholar Designation
- 2014, 2013, 2012, 2010, 2002 - Chancellor's Teaching Award
- 2008 - Aurora Chamber of Commerce Women Making A Difference Award Nominee
- 2006 - Dean's Award for Leadership
- 2005 - Alumni Award for Sustained Contributions ot the Nursing Doctorate Program
- 2005, 2003 - President's Teaching Award
- 1995, 1996, 1999 - Centura Excellence in Nursing Caring Award
Bachelor's in Nursing: Traditional Pathway
The Traditional Pathway is a full-time, 24-month Bachelor of Science option, designed for students who may or may not have earned a degree in the past. This program includes classroom, clinical simulation, and clinical practice as part of the curriculum. The Traditional Pathway program will be primarily offered at the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora. However, Traditional students may be required to attend some classes or labs at the CU South Denver location in Lone Tree. Students interested in the Traditional Pathway option apply through NursingCAS before the application deadline. Once admitted, students begin their program the following summer semester. The pace of the Traditional Pathway facilitates the integration of learning and acknowledges that students balance a number of responsibilities while completing their nursing education. However, please note that this is a full-time program of study; many students find it difficult to work more than 10-20 hours per week.
Time to Complete
24 monthsFull-time
Location
CU Anschutz Medical Campus
Aurora, Colorado
Credits
33 core credits
12 elective credits
99% of alums employed
one year after graduation
97% pass rate
NCLEX licensing examLocation
CU Anschutz Medical Campus
Aurora, Colorado
Credits
33 core credits
12 elective credits
Example courses
- Patient-centered health assessment
- Foundations in nursing practice
- Pathophysiology for nurses
- Patient-centered health assessment
- Foundations in nursing practice
- Pathophysiology for nurses
Your future
A Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in nursing provides a wide variety of career choices. Upon successful completion of the BS nursing program and the national licensure examination (NCLEX), baccalaureate prepared nurses are able to choose from a wide variety of practice settings.
Careers
- Staff RN
- RN case manager
- Acute care nurse
- School nurse
Settings
- Clinic
- Hospital
- School
- Health department