Staci Shanks

Programs and Courses Taught

Bachelor of Science Nursing, Accelerated Bachelor of Science Nursing, Entry Level Master of Science Nursing

N100L  Foundations of Nursing Lab
N158 Nursing Care of Infants, Children and Youth Populations
N158L Nursing Care of Infants, Children, and Youth Populations Clinical
N556 Nursing Care of Pediatric and Youth Populations
N556L Nursing Care of Pediatric and Youth Populations Clinical
N145 Nursing Student Success

About Me

Staci Shanks, DNP, RN, NPD‑BC, NEA‑BC, is a doctorally prepared nurse educator and academic leader with extensive experience in prelicensure nursing education and nursing professional development. She currently serves as BSN Program Director in the College of Nursing at Samuel Merritt University, providing academic and operational leadership across BSN program. Her work focuses on curricular consistency, assessment quality, faculty mentorship, and student retention, with a strong emphasis on competency‑based education aligned with AACN Essentials, QSEN competencies, and CCNE/BRN standards. Dr. Shanks is recognized for building collaborative, high‑trust teams and advancing learner persistence, equitable outcomes, and NCLEX readiness through evidence‑based teaching and timely, substantive feedback.

Prior to her academic leadership roles, Dr. Shanks held senior education and clinical leadership positions at Sutter Delta Medical Center and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford, where she led nursing education, onboarding, competency assessment, and professional development initiatives across acute care and pediatric settings. Her background spans clinical practice, executive nursing education, and instructional design, including extensive experience with online and hybrid learning environments. Dr. Shanks holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice and Master of Science in Nursing from Walden University and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from California State University, Fresno. She maintains active California RN licensure and national board certification in Nursing Professional Development and Nurse Executive Advanced, and she remains actively engaged in scholarship, shared governance, and professional service within nursing education.

Education

Staci Shanks, DNP, RN, NPD‑BC, NEA‑BC, is a doctorally prepared nurse educator with a strong academic foundation supporting leadership in prelicensure nursing education. She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in 2019 and Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in 2012 from Walden University, with a focus on nursing education, professional development, and competency‑based practice. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) at California State University, Fresno, in 1996. Her educational preparation is complemented by national board certification in Nursing Professional Development and Nurse Executive Advanced, reflecting advanced expertise in curriculum alignment, faculty development, accreditation standards, and learner outcomes across academic and clinical settings.

Teaching Interests

Prelicensure Nursing Education (BSN, ABSN, and ELMSN), with emphasis on learner‑centered and competency‑based instructional approaches
Pediatric Nursing, including theory and clinical instruction.

Clinical Nursing Education and Practice Readiness, supporting safe transition from student to professional nurse.

NCLEX Preparation and Assessment Quality, including item analysis, remediation strategies, and exam calibration.

Student Success, Retention, and Advising, particularly for at‑risk and out‑of‑sequence students.

Faculty Development and Mentorship, including onboarding, teaching effectiveness, and evaluation.

Online and Hybrid Teaching Strategies, leveraging Canvas LMS and instructional technologies.

Quality Improvement and Competency Development in Nursing Education.

Professional Socialization, Leadership, and Shared Governance in Academic Nursing.

Scholarly Interests

Dr. Staci Shanks’ scholarly interests center on advancing quality and equity in prelicensure nursing education through competency‑based curricula, assessment consistency, and evidence‑informed faculty development. Her work emphasizes alignment with the AACN Essentials, QSEN competencies, and CCNE/BRN standards to strengthen learner outcomes and NCLEX readiness. She is particularly interested in assessment quality, including item analysis, remediation strategies, and timely, substantive feedback to support at‑risk students and promote persistence. Additional areas of scholarly focus include student retention and advising models, faculty mentorship and evaluation, shared governance, and the use of learning technologies and analytics to enhance teaching effectiveness and programmatic continuous improvement.

Publications

Hargreaves, L., Shanks, S., Halamek, L. P., & Nichols, A. (2010). A handoff report card for general nursing orientation. Journal of Nursing Administration, 40(10), 415–420.
Shanks, S. (2012). On the level. Packard Nurse, Summer.
Hargreaves, L., & Shanks, S. (2012). Orientation keeps up with the times. Packard Nurse, Fall.

Podium Presentations
Shanks, S. (2013, January). The PDCA cycle of nursing orientation. Podium presentation at the International Meeting on Simulation in Healthcare.

Poster Presentations
Shanks, S. (2022). Expanding the support for newly licensed RNs. Poster presented at the Association for Nursing Professional Development (ANPD) Annual Convention: Aspire to Trailblaze.
Shanks, S. (2023). Nursing students’ perception of pediatric competency. Poster presented at the Western Institute of Nursing (WIN) Conference.
Shanks, S. (2026). Building a culture of partnership: Shared governance in academic nursing. Poster presented at the Western Institute of Nursing (WIN) Conference.

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

National League of Nursing
Association for Nursing Professional Development
Society of Pediatric Nurses