Noelene Moonsamy

Programs and Courses Taught

Currently:
Clinical - N678L, N679L, N680L in person & Online (Former Lead N680L)
Advanced Physical Assessment in person & Online - N671/L; N770/L (Former Lead DNP-FNP & ELMSN)
Advanced Pharmacology in person & Online - N677 & N777 (former lead)

In the past: 
Advanced Pathophysiology In person/hybrid N619
Acute Care In person/hybrid N675/L
Family Nursing ELMSN

About Me

Dr. Noelene S. Moonsamy, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, is a nurse educator, clinician, and academic scholar with more than two decades of experience in nursing practice and education. She has been a faculty member at Samuel Merritt University in the FNP Dept since 2011, where she teaches primarily Advanced Health Assessment, Advanced Pharmacology, and all 3 Clinical courses in faculty practice both online and face-to-face programs. Dr. Moonsamy served as Lead Faculty through Fall 2025 for Advanced Pharmacology, Advanced Health Assessment (ELMSN and DNP), and N680L, and co-led the N671/770L intensives. She continues to mentor and chair Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) students through their scholarly projects. Her academic leadership roles have included five years as Faculty Practice Manager for the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Program, brief leadership of the Clinical Coordination Team, and prior service as Assistant Director and Clinical Team Manager in nursing programs at other institutions.

Originally from South Africa, Dr. Moonsamy grew up under the system of apartheid and immigrated to the United States in 1985. Her family's story is documented in their book The 17th Suitcase, The Journey Home Documentary (Netflix) as well as other media.  As the youngest daughter of a lifelong preacher, her upbringing was deeply rooted in faith, service, community, and social responsibility—values that continue to shape her approach to teaching, leadership, and patient-centered care. Her clinical background includes family medicine—where she is nationally certified through AANP— in community-based settings. Her most recent clinical practice has been at Brighter Beginnings, one of SMU’s faculty practices, where she integrates patient care with clinical teaching and mentorship. She is also a published author and remains deeply committed to equity-centered, trauma-informed education and to preparing nurse practitioners who lead with clinical excellence, compassion, and purpose.

Education

Dr. Moonsamy earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Biodynamics from University of California, Berkeley. She completed her Master of Science in Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner in 2003 at Samuel Merritt College, prior to its transition to university status. She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in 2019 from Samuel Merritt University. Her doctoral project focused on Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) for Racism-Induced Trauma, conducted at Roots Community Clinic in Oakland, California.

Teaching Interests

Dr. Moonsamy’s teaching interests include advanced health assessment, advanced pharmacology, and clinical education within faculty practice models. She is particularly interested in preparing nurse practitioners for real-world clinical decision-making through experiential learning, integration of pharmacology and assessment, and application of evidence-based guidelines. Additional interests include mentoring advanced practice nursing students, supporting clinical reasoning development, and fostering professional identity formation across graduate nursing programs.

Scholarly Interests

Dr. Moonsamy’s scholarly interests center on health equity, trauma-informed care, and racism-induced trauma. Her work is informed by Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) and focuses on understanding patient narratives of trauma and resilience, particularly among marginalized populations. She is also interested in nursing education scholarship, including clinical teaching models, faculty practice integration, and strategies to support student success across diverse learning environments.

Publications

Hampton, M., Moonsamy, N., et al. (2022). Marginalized Populations: Examining Vulnerability and Health Inequities Through the Framework of Caste. In A Population Health Approach to Health Disparities for Nurses: Care of Vulnerable Populations. Springer Publishing.

The 17th Suitcase. Moonsamy, S. (Rev.), Moonsamy, N., and family. A collaborative family-authored work documenting life in South Africa under apartheid, the immigration journey to the United States, and intergenerational stories of resilience, faith, trauma, and triumph.

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) Certified
California Association or Nurse Practitioners 
Sigma Theta Tau International

Community Service

Dr. Moonsamy’s service interests are shaped by her upbringing in South Africa and her role as the youngest (of 6) in a family led by parents deeply engaged in ministry and community service. She remains actively involved in faith-based and community-centered initiatives, including participation in family-led ministry efforts that support connection, reflection, and service across diverse communities. Her broader interests include advancing health equity, supporting underserved populations, mentoring future healthcare professionals, and integrating compassion, cultural humility, and service into nursing education and clinical practice.

Honors & Awards