Sheila Melander, PhD, APRN-BC, FCCM, FAANP, FAAN
CON Vice Dean | Associate Dean for Graduate Programs & Practice | William & Elizabeth Morgan Professor for Professional Nursing Practice
Dr. Sheila Melander is a nationally recognized leader in adult-gerontological acute care, with more than two decades of experience as a cardiovascular acute care nurse practitioner. Dr. Melander was the first certified ACNP to practice in Owensboro/Daviess County, Kentucky, and was an early adopter of advanced genetic counseling for cardiovascular disease treatment while practicing in Santa Monica, California.
During her tenure as President (2014–2016) and President‑elect of the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF), Dr. Melander led critical policy initiatives, including the development of the Statement on Acute Care and Primary Care Certified Nurse Practitioners and a multi-organizational white paper addressing nurse practitioner employment—both widely adopted in primary and acute care settings nationwide. She also contributed to revisions of the ACNP Scope and Standards and helped establish the 2012 and 2016 adult‑gerontological acute care NP competencies.
Dr. Melander is committed to interprofessional education and system-level innovation. She has shaped DNP curricula across the U.S., collaborated extensively with graduate nursing faculty, and remains active on national committees addressing advanced practice issues. Her scholarly output includes over 80 publications in research journals and critical care texts. She is a proud fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.
Education
- Post-Doctorate Certificate, ACNP, Vanderbilt University, 1999
- PhD, University of Alabama, 1990
- MSN, University of Evansville, 1988
- BSN, University of Evansville, 1985
Interests
- Cardiology and interventional and genetic markers for prevention and advanced treatment of lipid management and vascular disease
- DNP education and models for delivery of adult gerontological acute care nurse practitioner as well as distance education model
