Dr. Sheryl Sandahl appointed dean of CSS School of Nursing

By Alison Stucke

Throughout her career as a nurse educator and educational administrator, and for the past 17 years at The College of St. Scholastica here in Duluth, Dr. Sheryl Sandahl has touched the lives of hundreds of students as they have entered and progressed through the studies, challenges and growth of nursing school. Now, she takes that valuable experience and knowledge of what students and educators need to succeed in the field of nursing to a new leadership position in Duluth. Recently she was appointed Dean of the School of Nursing of The College of St. Scholastica. She’s ready for the new challenge.

What Sandahl does as dean

“I have been privileged to spend the past 17 years of my career here at St. Scholastica, where it has been my honor to have a role in training the next generation of professional nurses,” Sandahl said. “I plan to continue working hard in the critical area where administration intersects with realworld clinical experience and classroom innovation, always keeping the student in mind at the forefront of everything we do.”

Sandahl explained that the dean leads the school in achievement of mission, vision and goals. That includes representing the school internally at the college level and externally at the local, regional, and national level.

“I work collaboratively with the other deans at the college to facilitate the administration of programs and the college’s strategic plan and initiatives,” she said. “The dean networks with external constituents such as local healthcare organizations, other nursing schools across the state, and nationally through the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and other national associations that guide nursing education, practice and healthcare. Internally the dean sets a vision for the school and builds a leadership team that works collaboratively to achieve faculty and student outcomes.”

Challenges of today’s nurse educators

Sandahl is aware of the challenges faced by today’s nurse educators.

“The challenges in nursing education today include the amount of knowledge nurses need, the ever-changing technology they will be working with, and how to best facilitate their learning to ‘think like a nurse,’” she said.

Thinking like a nurse involves understanding concepts and applying them in varying situations, she said.

“We cannot teach them everything they need to know but we can teach concepts or teach conceptually,” she explained. “If they understand a concept, then they can transfer what they know to a new situation. For example, at the undergraduate and graduate levels we are working to teach students how to provide care via telehealth or virtually. The equipment changes so rapidly that by the time we purchase equipment to use in simulation, it can already be out of date. But whatever the equipment students use to practice, they learn the concepts of providing care virtually such as communication and collaboration in a virtual environment.

“Another example is the concept of infection,” she continued. “Students learn the principles of infection and then apply it to patients in a variety of situations and healthcare settings. The same with leadership as nurses are leaders at the bedside, in the organizations they work in, and in the communities where they live. The concepts inherent in leadership can be applied wherever a nurse is practicing.”

Challenges of today's nursing students

Sandahl is also aware of the challenges and rewards of today’s nursing students. The amount of information available poses a challenge.

“Nursing school today is stressful,” she said. “We have more technology and diseases and treatments than ever before and it is impossible to learn everything, whether at the undergraduate or graduate level.”

Another challenge is the potential threat of medical mishap.

“If a nurse makes a mistake there can be significant consequences for the

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Thankfully, new tools have entered the scene to help nurses learn more conveniently. Simulation is big in nursing education today.

“Today we have resources that I did not have when I was in nursing school, namely simulation,” Sandahl said. “When I was in nursing school we practiced giving shots to each other. Now in nursing school students have the opportunity to practice skills on manikins that make it more life-like. Students also have the opportunity to practice taking care of a patient as if they were in the hospital with the patient.”

Simulation creates a teaching and learning environment that’s very similar to real life, but without real-life risks.

“Through the use of high-fidelity manikins or standardized patients (actors), students actually take care of a patient for a period of time,” said Sandahl. “The patient’s condition changes based on what the student does or does not do. This gives students the opportunity to practice application and analysis as if in real-life but in a safe environment. This technology along with other active teaching strategies help the students to learn how to think like a nurse.”

Sandahl’s education, training and experience

After growing up in northern Illinois, Sandahl came to Minnesota as a first-generation college student.

"I put myself through St. Olaf College with loans and paid those loans off within seven years," said Sandahl.

She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing.

“Northern Illinois is flat and I fell in love with the trees and lakes and especially the north shore so I stayed,” she explained. “I also met my husband by that point but didn’t know he would become my husband.”

She started her career at Mayo in Rochester in pediatrics, and from there she went to the Twin Cities and neonatal intensive care at Children’s Hospital.

“I’ve spent the majority of my clinical practice years in a role/position that I didn’t know existed when I graduated from nursing school,” she said. “Nursing is amazing in that way. There are so many opportunities to serve – you just have to be open.”

After five years as a staff nurse, she went back to school for a pediatric nurse practitioner certificate and master’s degree. She worked for 13 years as a pediatric nurse practitioner in a private practice in the southwest suburbs of the Twin Cities.

Making life changes led to a career change

“I am a breast cancer survivor and after going through all of that, my husband and I decided we needed to make some life changes,” she explained. “We love the North Shore and had purchased some acreage in the woods and had the dream of building a small cabin. We decided to make the move from St. Paul to Duluth so we could slow down and enjoy the journey.”

She contacted a nurse practitioner faculty member at the College of St. Scholastica to network for possible clinic opportunities for a pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP). Sundahl had no thought of nursing education.

“The faculty member informed me that the college was looking for a pediatric clinical instructor,” Sundahl said. “I had also inquired at St. Mary’s and learned there were no open positions for a PNP.”

It was a risky move as it was only a part-time position. Her husband was self-employed in St. Paul but they decided to go for it. It took him a few months to find a part-time job at Essentia which turned into a full-time job.

“It turned out to be the right decision for us,” she said. “We now have a two-room cabin only an hour-and-a half away. I have been able to develop hobbies and volunteer. I served six years on the board of directors for Animal Allies and was president of the board when we raised the funds and built the new animal shelter.”

A very rewarding career

Sandahl relishes the rewards of her career as a nurse educator.

“The reward of being a nurse educator is the ability to touch many patients’ lives through the many students we serve,” she said. “I love the excitement and energy of the students. Nursing and healthcare are changing and to be able to work with students who have their whole careers ahead of them and who are going to move the profession and healthcare forward is very gratifying. Every nurse’s pathway or career is different. The students today will dream up new roles, opportunities, and new technology and I am thankful to lead the team that facilitates their journey.” D

Formorethan one hundred years, The College of St.Scholastica has been graduating holistically trained nurses, ready to serveinbothrural and urban areas, especially with underserved populations.

If advancing your degree or becoming anurse is in your future, visit us today.

7,749 nurses since1912and thereisstill room foryou. go.css.edu/todaysnurse