Laurie Bladen, PhD, RN

Dr. Laurie Bladen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Nursing and Health Professions in the nursing program at Pennsylvania Western University. She previously held many positions, such as Director of a Home Health Agency and a Disease Management Clinic, Data Analyst, Healthcare Consultant, and Educator, and various hospital positions, including Risk Management and Quality Improvement Director. Additionally, Laurie was the previous Chair of the Nursing Department during the first year of integrating three universities (California, Clarion, and Edinboro).  Dr. Bladen holds case management, quality, and safety certifications, as well as a certified nurse educator ( DNE) and instructional designer. As a leader in nursing, she has held various positions and appointments besides the Chair, such as a nursing coordinator, Co-Chair of the Nursing Evaluation Committee, representative of the nursing department to the Institutional Review Board, and Chair of several nursing accreditation activities. Dr. Bladen has also been a program-level assessment member, a member of the APSCUF nominations and elections committee, and a member of the university promotion committee.  Lastly, Dr. Bladen’s research interests include home health, nursing knowledge, and quality and safety in healthcare.