lisamarie-la vallee

Lisamarie La Vallee

Assistant Professor DNP, RN, PHN, ACM-RN

Programs and Courses Taught

N624 - Adv Pathophysiology for Nurse Case Managers 

N625 - Adv Pharmacology for Nurse Case Managers 

N623/N623L - Adv Health Assessment for Nurse Case Managers/Lab 

N620/N620L - Case Management/Case Management Clinical 

N606 - The Directed Synthesis

About Me

I have been teaching at Samuel Merritt University since 2013 and have been a full-time faculty member in the Case Management Program since 2016. In addition, I have experience in acute care case management and operating room nursing. I have a passion for sharing knowledge and creating a safe and stimulating environment to learn new concepts and skills. Graduate-level study is immensely challenging and rewarding. I enjoy the constant reflection, evaluation, and adaptation required to find innovative and effective ways to teach a concept and inspire genuine interest and excitement in students.

Education

I graduated from UC Davis in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Biology with a minor in Psychology. I then went on to pursue a degree in nursing and graduated from the Entry-Level Master of Science in Nursing, Case Management program at Samuel Merritt University in 2012. In 2022 I completed my Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree at Samuel Merritt University. My DNP project is titled Improving Dementia-Specific Referrals from the Acute Care Setting: A Quality Improvement Project.

Teaching Interests

I am interested in preparing nursing students to understand and implement holistic and patient-centered care through practices in care coordination. I am also interested in enhancing student experiences in the classroom to address student wellness, focus and engagement.

Scholarly Interests

I have engaged in scholarly quality improvement projects focused on improving patient access to services across the healthcare continuum. Additionally, I am interested in effective use of curriculum design, strategy, and technology to improve student experiences and outcomes.

Publications

La Vallee, L., Johnson, J.L., & Shade, K. (2023). Improving dementia-specific referrals from the acute care setting: A quality improvement project. Professional Case Management, 28(5), 224-234. https://doi.org/10.1097/NCM.0000000000000635

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

American Nurses Association Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society of Nursing American Case Management Association

Community Service

I enjoy engaging in volunteering opportunities for local community clean-ups and participating in annual events and fundraising for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. I look forward to participating in events educating youth on careers in healthcare.

Honors & Awards

Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty (2021)