Seven Northwestern State University faculty have been recognized with the 2022 Excellence in Teaching Award.
Here is a profile of one of this year’s honorees.
Name: Aimee Badeaux, PhD, CRNA, APRN
Academic college/department: College of Nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice Program
Number of years at Northwestern State: 3
Why is teaching important to you? Teaching nurses is important to me as I am preparing nurses to become change agents who improve systems of care and patient outcomes. Whether as an entry into practice nurse anesthesia graduate or an organizational systems leadership gradate, I strive to prepare all graduates as critical thinkers and competent advanced nurse practice leaders.
Why do you believe you are an effective teacher? I believe teaching is a process of learning from students, colleagues and the community we collectively serve. I believe I am effective in this role as I strive to create a student-centered learning environment in which the student identifies their preferred learning style and individual student learning needs are met. When teaching, I first meet students where they are and then help them identify where they are going. From there, we work together for them to get there.
As a teacher, what brings you a feeling of accomplishment when working with students? I feel a sense of accomplishment as students enter into the clinical setting and thrive in their clinical experiences. Whether it’s providing anesthesia services or facilitating doctoral project implementation, seeing students engage in practice is rewarding as it takes several years and a lot of hard work on the student’s part to achieve this milestone.
Have the last 2-3 years made you a better teacher? I absolutely believe the last two to three years has made me a better teacher. As we navigated the pandemic, I was challenged to reevaluate my teaching methods and overall approach to student learning. I ultimately became a more flexible and innovative educator, embracing teaching approaches I would have otherwise not considered.
