Educating the Next Generation of Nurses Is her Passion

After Andrea Lindell received her PhD in psychiatric mental health from The Catholic University of America, two hospitals extended job offers—director of nursing service and clinician. Instead, she chose a career as an educator and became one of the youngest nursing deans at the time in the United States.

During her 20-year tenure as dean of the University of Cincinnati’s College of Nursing, she founded and became first interim dean of the university’s College of Health Sciences, and served as senior associate vice president for health affairs for the Medical Center. She also headed the schools of nursing at Oakland University and the University of New Hampshire, and taught at The Catholic University of America.

Four years ago, Andrea retired, but soon found she missed helping students learn and master challenging concepts, so in 2011 she returned to academia as a Walden University faculty member and director of its new online Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program. After overseeing the launch of the doctoral programs in nursing and leading the initial accreditation process, she was named associate dean of Walden’s School of Nursing in 2012. She also facilitated a new accelerated pathway for RN-BSN-MSN and AGACNP program that increased enrollment and added staff and faculty.

“Being a woman in my profession has been self-actualizing—a process of choices,” says Andrea. “As a nurse, I provide care, health promotion and education. As a leader, I advocate for and mentor future nurses, faculty and deans. As an academic, I educate students and work with faculty to impact healthcare, including the development of nursing programs at Walden University.”

Licensed to practice as an RN in Ohio and Pennsylvania, Andrea is a past president of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and engaged in professional organization accreditation as an onsite reviewer for the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. She serves as a consultant for accreditation preparation and represents academia and nursing on the boards of two for-profit companies, including a Fortune 500 company. Andrea received the Sister Bernadette Armiger Award from the AACN for significantly advancing nursing education.