Biography

Barbara Little is a master-prepared nursing instructor at Temple University. As a faculty member at this institution for the past six years, she has set forth her commitment, dedication and passion for the nursing profession through preparing students to excel in leadership, research and scholarship as advocates primarily directed toward diverse underserved populations within the Temple College of Public Health campus. Goals are achieved through her strong education background of community home nursing, leading students on the path of successfully fulfilling an important aspect of the nursing role as an educator. Clinical rotations in the North Philadelphia area include recovery and treatment centers, geriatric, and public schools where students are provided with the opportunity to perfect their communication skills in teaching health-related topics adapted to clients in these settings.

Barbara’s passion as a nurse educator evolved through her clinical area of expertise in neonatology over the span of her 28-year career in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). She had the honor and privilege of educating parents and family members from diverse backgrounds to care and manage their fragile infant as they struggled through the unforeseen NICU journey leading to a hopeful and promising discharge. Also, as a preceptor and mentor for graduate nurses and staff, she introduced new techniques and procedures to improve the quality of care for this tiny population and perfected the detail-oriented approach required to be proficient in this critical care unit. Also, as a charge nurse she evolved into a leadership role where her duties involved interprofessional collaboration leading to the skilled care of optimal patient outcomes, liaison for staff and family members in crisis, and advocating for safe patient-nurse ratio staffing for the unit. As a graduate student her capstone project involved proposing an evidence-based Neonatal Early Warning System (NEWS) practice model in the NICU and pediatric units not yet instituted in this facility. The specific criteria entered into the electronic medical record by the nurse would alert neonatal physicians, NNPs, pediatricians and PNPs to potential warning signs leading to a detrimental outcome.

In addition to her role as an educator in community home nursing, Barbara also teaches Adult Health Assessment lab in the fall to second-year nursing students and Healthy Lifestyles lab to first-year nursing students in the spring. As these classes are usually conducted in person, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, instructors were required to transition their courses online. She successfully maintained a personal connection with her health assessment students through creating health videos in conjunction with the lecturer to assist students with perfecting their techniques to perform the lab practicum required at the end of the semester. Also, students were able to contact Barbara with any questions or concerns related to the content through virtual meetings arranged at their convenience.

Barbara’s passion for learning and education has evolved into her obtaining certifications in Enhanced Trauma Awareness, Teaching in Higher Education, and the College of Public Health Online Teacher Training Course certification. These extended learning opportunities have prepared her to enhance students' knowledge base of the intense and challenging Temple nursing curriculum. Also, she has maintained her neonatal nursing certification to keep abreast of new developments in neonatology in this specialized profession. She a member of Sigma Theta Tau and the Temple University College of Public Health nursing awards and scholarship committee, where she has the honor of selecting students worthy of financial support and recognition of nursing excellence. Recently, she was selected as a member of the Bylaws and Nominations committee.

Currently, she is in the process of conducting research for a manuscript focused on best practices for communicating, training, supporting, retention and empowering nursing clinical faculty in a prelicensure program to promote toward a doctoral program.

Education

• MS, Nursing, La Salle University
• BS, Nursing, Temple University
• AS, Nursing, Montgomery County Community College

Curriculum Vitae