Deundra Hearne, PhD, RN, CNE, CNEcl
Assistant Professor
874 Union Ave., Room 241
Memphis, TN 38163
901.448.9810
dhearne@uthsc.edu
Dr. Deundra Hearne joined the University of Tennessee (UT) Health Science Center in July 2024 as an Assistant Professor in the College of Nursing. She completed her Associate Degree in Nursing at Holmes Community College in 2009 and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree at Mississippi University for Women in 2012. She attained a Master of Science in Nursing Education and Administration in 2017 followed by a PhD in Nursing Education and Administration in 2020, both from William Carey University in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Her dissertation was titled "Factors that Influence Early-Career Nurses' Consideration or Pursuit of Doctoral Education: Exploring the Motivators and Barriers.”
Prior to her current role, Dr. Hearne served as the Director of the Registered Nurse Transition to Practice Residency Program at the Lt. Col. Luke Weathers Jr., VA Medical Center in Memphis. She brings with her a wealth of experience in nursing education, having taught in both undergraduate and graduate programs. Her professional background also includes medical-surgical, long-term acute care, and hospice nursing.
Dr. Hearne holds national certifications as a Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) and Certified Academic Clinical Nurse Educator (CNEcl®). Her research interests focus on nursing workforce development, nurse faculty workforce development, and the transition to practice for new nurse graduates. She is a proud graduate of the National League for Nursing 2021 National Leadership Institute LEAD Program and actively participates in professional organizations such as the Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society, American Nurses Association, Arkansas Nurses Association, Association of Black Nursing Faculty, and the National League of Nursing.