Nikki Love
- nlove@samuelmerritt.edu
- Office
- Sacramento - 216 B, Sacramento
- Department
- Family Nurse Practitioner Sacramento
Colleges and programs
What they teach
I teach across the FNP and DNP curricula, including Advanced Physical Assessment, Pharmacology, Pathophysiology, Chronic Conditions, Role and Advocacy, Synthesis, FNP Clinical Practicums, and DNP scholarly project courses. I also chair DNP students and precept FNP students.
Clinical practice area
My clinical background is in nephrology, internal medicine, and community-based primary care, with nearly 15 years of experience caring for patients with kidney disease. I’m especially passionate about chronic disease management, patient education, and providing practical, compassionate care to patients with complex health needs.
Community involvement
I remain professionally engaged through clinical practice, speaking at professional conferences, and providing educational presentations to healthcare providers. I also volunteer regularly with children and community events through my church and my son’s school and athletics. These experiences bring current clinical practice, leadership, and community perspectives into my teaching.
Notable affiliations
In addition to teaching at SMU, I practice as a nurse practitioner at Capital Nephrology Medical Group. I am actively involved with the American Nephrology Nurses Association (ANNA), California Association for Nurse Practitioners (CANP), and other professional nursing organizations.
Selected scholarly highlights
My scholarly interests focus on improving outcomes for patients with kidney disease through quality improvement, infection prevention, and education. As the Kidney Strong Education Coordinator at Capital Nephrology, I educate patients on slowing CKD progression, nutrition, and dialysis modalities. I continually evaluate evidence and clinical practices to identify meaningful ways to improve patient safety and outcomes.
