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Andrea Collins knows better than most the value of a Íò²©¹ÙÍø education. "I joke that when Íò²©¹ÙÍø offered me admission in 1984 they did not realize it was for life," she said. Collins has four nursing degrees from Íò²©¹ÙÍø. After earning her associate's and bachelor's degree—she was pinned by Ida V. Moffett and has the pictures to prove it—Collins stepped away from the classroom for almost 20 years before a medical mission trip to Honduras opened up new doors of interest. "Working in this capacity gave me a desire to become a nurse practitioner so I could provide similar care to patients in the U.S. I looked at other options, but was drawn back to Íò²©¹ÙÍø because of the mission, reputation, pass rates and high academic standards in Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing." She eventually went on to earn her doctorate and used her real-world experiences to help with the practical application of textbook information. "I can't imagine teaching anywhere else," she said.

Degrees and Certifications

• DNP, advanced practice track, additional education focus, Íò²©¹ÙÍø
• MSN, family nurse practitioner, Íò²©¹ÙÍø
• BSN, Íò²©¹ÙÍø
• ASN, Íò²©¹ÙÍø
• Family Nurse Practitioner, American Association of Nurse Practitioners
• Certified Nurse Educator, National League for Nursing
• Certified Online Instructor (C.O.I.)

Expertise

• Adult health
• Pain management
• Medical missions
• Service learning
• Interprofessional education
• Nursing education

Publications

• Collins, A. (2024). Pain management in primary care: A review of the updated CDC guidelines. The Nurse Practitioner, 49(1), 13-19. DOI: 10.1097/01.NPR.0000000000000131

• Collins, A., Hess, A., Hallman, M., Johnson, K., Harris, L., Petty, A., & Roussel, L. (2022). DNP team projects: A reflection of team science. Journal of Doctor of Nursing Practice, 15(2), 123-128. DOI:10.1891/JDNP-2021-0021 

• Pan, K. & Collins, A. (2020). Exploratory descriptive analysis of opioid prescribing prevalence of nurse practitioners and the specialties associated with the top prescribers. International Journal of Nursing Practice, 26:e12850.DOI: 10.1111/ijn.12850  

• Collins, A., Broeseker, A., Cunningham, J., Cortes, C., Beall, J., Bigham, A., & Chang, J. (2017). A longitudinal online interprofessional education experience involving family nurse practitioner students and pharmacy students. Journal of Interprofessional Care. DOI: 10.1080/13561820.2016.1255600 

• Collins, A. (2016). Evaluation and treatment of vitamin D deficiency. The Nurse Practitioner, 41(11), 1-6. DOI:10.1097/01.NPR.0000502797.81231.c6

• Collins, A. (2013). Practice implications for preventing population vulnerability related to vitamin D status. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 25, 109-118. DOI:10.1111/1745-7599.12005

Presentations

• Collins, A. & Shanahan, T. (2022, July 24). Innovative course design to measure and advance cultural intelligence in family nurse practitioner students. Sigma's 33rd International Nursing Research Congress. Edinburgh, Scotland. 

• Collins, A. (2021, November 12). Evidence-based evaluation and treatment of Vitamin D status. Nurse Practitioner Alliance of Alabama 15^th Annual Conference. Birmingham, AL. 

• Collins, A. (2019, October 4). Clinical Application of the 2018 Multi-Society Guideline on the Management of Blood Cholesterol. Nurse Practitioner Alliance of Alabama Annual Conference.  Birmingham, AL. 

• Collins, A. & Iranikhah, M. (2017, April 21). Ethical Pain Management in the Aging Population. Healthcare Ethics and Law Institute annual conference. Birmingham, AL.

Research

• Bigham, A., Collins, A. (2013). Internal Íò²©¹ÙÍø Technology Grant. Improving Nurse Practitioner Student Recognition and Management of Abnormal Physical Findings Through the Use of Standardized Patients and Technology.
• Collins, A., Whisenant, D. Holston, J. (2013). Internal Íò²©¹ÙÍø Faculty Development Grant.  A Comparison of Magnesium vs. Melatonin for Improved Sleep Quality and Quantity.

Involvement

• VER International, board of directors 
• Alabama League for Nursing, past president
• American Association of Nurse Practitioners
• Annual Honuras mission trips since 2000, medical director

Awards and Honors

• Alabama League for Nursing Lamplighter Award for exemplary contribution to the nursing profession, 2018    

Funded Grants

• Pan, K. & Collins, A. (2019). Application of Data Analytics to Christian Health Mission Trips. William E. and Wylodine F. Hull Fund for Christian Scholarship. $9000 
• Cunningham, J., Bigham, A., McMichael, S., Johnston, K., Shelton, L., Martin, J., Hayne, A., Collins, A., & Holston, J. (2016). Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Advanced Education Nursing Traineeship Grant. $350,000 for 1 year. 
• Collins, A., Shelton, L., & Cortes, C. (2015). 1-year grant from Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham. Chandler Mountain Migrant Farm Worker Projects. $10,000