Professor, College of Health Professions/McAuley School of Nursing
2022
Bio:
Hired as a University of Detroit Mercy tenure tack Assistant Professor in 2011, Dr. Burson earned promotions to Associate Professor in 2016 and full Professor in 2020. She served as Graduate Facilitator (2020-2022) and Program Coordinator of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) 2014-2019. During her time with Detroit Mercy Dr. Burson has taught courses on the undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate levels, including sixteen different courses in nursing and health.
In DNP Program Coordinator, Dr. Karen Michelich’s nomination letter, Dr. Michelich wrote “As a well-respected educator, Dr. Burson has played an integral role in the development of critical thinking skills in students and faculty. Her rigorous, unique, and broad perspectives, reflective of current landscape and many times visionary, have expand the thinking of many inside and outside of the classroom. Her approach as an educator is one of encouragement, supporting creativity, innovation, and passion in caring for others. Her use of mindfulness and reflection, grounded within the Jesuit and Mercy traditions, helps students to recognize their academic achievements and continued potential.”
Further in Dr. Michelich’s nomination letter she noted “As an educator, Dr. Burson also highlights the importance of formative and summative evaluation to drive change and provide students and colleagues with the tools needed to navigate a complex world. This is evident within the DNP program, whereas program coordinator, she has been able to build upon a strong foundation, elevating to a program of excellence which is nationally ranked and recognized. Dr. Burson has had her impact across all tracks within the College of Health Professions (CHP) and university alike, leading initiatives to help navigate a path for university colleagues and students. Her vision, dedication, and interprofessional spirit has helped to move the CHP into a significant academic practice partnership.”
Prior to Dr. Burson’s appointment as Assistant Professor at Detroit Mercy, Dr. Janet Baiardi, Interim Dean in her emerita support letter wrote “Dr. Burson was a successful businessperson and entrepreneur owning and co-directing a business focused on diabetes self-care management. She holds national certification in several areas including Adult Clinical Nurse Specialist (ACNS), Certified Diabetes Care Education Specialist (CDCES), and Certified Nurse Educator (CNE). Although she has taught across undergraduate and graduate programs,
the majority of her teaching has been at the graduate level. Her expertise in diabetes education, leadership, and self-management has made her a valuable asset to all programs but especially in the development and implementation of the Doctor of Nursing Practice program.”
Dr. Baiardi wrote further “In recognition of her contributions to healthcare, Dr. Burson was named a Fellow of the American Association of Diabetes Educators (FAADE) in 2014 and more recently, a Distinguished Fellow of the National Academy of Practice (FNAP) in 2020. Dr. Burson was instrumental in the development of a formal academic practice partnership with St. Joseph Mercy Oakland. This partnership will greatly benefit the CHP and MSON with the potential to develop clinical placements and joint-scholarly ventures.” Dr. Burson has also been honored with the Detroit Mercy Faculty Excellence Award (2020); Fulbright Scholar Award (2019-2020); Alpha Sigma Nu Award: The Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Project: A Framework for Success (2016); Seven Seals Award (2015); American Association of Diabetes Educators Innovation in Practice Award (2010); Innovex Manager Excellence Award (2008); and Michigan Diabetes Educator of the Year (2001).
Her clinical and consulting experience includes work prior to and while a faculty member at the university. She served on the Advisory Board for The Common Semantic Data Model Project; Advisory Board for All Ireland Nurses and Midwifery Digital Health Capabilities Framework; as Co-owner and Director of My Self-Management Team, Inc., Dr. Burson, provided consulting services for St. John Health System Self-Management support for primary care practices in a shared medical appointment and Practice support for the Michigan Primary Care Transformation Demonstration Project; and Dr. Burson provided consulting service for Hurley Hospital (Flint) Creating a Diabetes Center of Excellence project. She served as Regional Clinical Leader, Smith-Medical, World leader in the design manufacture and distribution of medical devices. For St. John Hospital and Medical Center, Detroit, Dr. Burson was the Diabetes Nurse Practitioner/Program Coordinator Outpatient Diabetes Education. For John D. Dingell Veterans Administration Medical Center, Detroit she served as Diabetes Clinical Nurse Specialist/Program Coordinator Outpatient Diabetes Education Program.
Dr. Burson has an earned Diploma in Nursing (1977) from Harper Hospital School of Nursing; Bachelor of Science in Nursing (1986) from Nazareth College, Kalamazoo MI; Master of Science in Administration, Health Care Focus (1989) from Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant MI; Master of Science in Nursing, Adult Health focus, Oakland University, Rochester MI; Nurse Health Educator Graduate Certificate, Madonna University, Livonia MI; and Doctor of Nursing Practice, Madonna University, Livonia MI.
Dr. Burson’s professional affiliations include: National Academies of Practice, International Network for Doctoral Education, Michigan Organization Nurse Leaders, American Association of Diabetes Educators, Michigan Organization of Diabetes Educators (President, Secretary, Program Coordinator, School Project
Chair), American Diabetes Association, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, Doctors of Nursing Practice, Michigan Doctors of Nursing Practice (charter member), National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists, and Michigan Clinical Nurse Specialists.
Beyond teaching, consulting, and professional affiliations, Dr. Burson has numerous journal and book publications, conference presentations, grants, and committee work. Committee assignments for the university includes Program Review, Promotion & Tenure, McNichols Faculty Assembly, Assessment Team, and Faculty Development Team. For the College of Health Professions (CHP) and McAuley School of Nursing (MSON) committee work includes Interprofessional Informatics Development Task Force, Research Active Status Task Force, DNP Project Facilitator, Graduate Facilitator, DNP Transition Team, Graduate Marketing Team, MSON Promotion & Tenure, MSON Executive Task Force, Performance Evaluation and Improvement Team, DNP Quality Team Leader, Dean’s Advisory Council, Honor Council, and others. In addition, Dr. Burson had numerous assignments as Doctoral Committee Chair and Doctor of Nursing Practice Student Projects.
Funded grants include Detroit Mercy CHP Dean’s Intramural Research Award (2014), Detroit Mercy McAuley Faculty Assembly Internal Research Award (2014) in which both grants addressed The Role of Interprofessional Support in the Relationship between Depression and Glycemic Control in Patients with Diabetes in Urban Population, and Detroit Mercy Mission Micro Grant (2014) which supported DNP Mentor Reception for DNP alumnae. Externally, grants were received from the American Association of Diabetes Educator’s Innovation in Practice Award (2010), Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Award (2010), Southeast Michigan Diabetes Outreach Network Award (2001), and Wayne State University Award (2001). External grants supported Exploring the Cost and Clinical Advantages of Integrating the Registered Nurse-Certified Diabetes Educator in Patient Centered Medical Home and Diabetes Management in the School Setting: A Challenge for Education.
Numerous national and international conference presentations delivered were both peer and non-peer reviewed. Presentation topics included subjects as the reach of practice scholarship, improving management competencies through academic practice partnership, collaboration between physicians and advanced practice nurses, DNP-prepared nurse and health policy, wide reach of the DNP, diversity in scholarship, synergy of the scholarship team, bridging the gap between DNP education and practice, patient-centered medical home care delivery innovation that improves outcomes, and DNP practice scholarship defined. Conference sponsors were National DNP, National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialist, AACN, Doctor of Nursing Practice, Theta Tau, and American Association of Colleges of Nursing.
Citation:
Dr. Burson’s nomination for Professor Emerita was approved and conferred by Antoine M. Garibaldi, President of University of Detroit Mercy on August 16, 2022.