Melissa Cole

Background

Melissa Cole, DNP, APRN, ANP BC, is the Dean of the College of Health and an Associate Professor of Nursing at John Carroll University. She is a nationally recognized nurse executive, academic leader, and practicing emergency medicine nurse practitioner with more than 20 years of experience across health systems, higher education, and interdisciplinary care innovation.

Before joining John Carroll, Dr. Cole served in senior leadership roles at University Hospitals Health System, including Vice President of Integrated Delivery Operations. Her leadership portfolio spanned emergency medicine, home health, rehabilitation, and virtual care. She designed and launched the system’s hospital at home program, advanced remote patient monitoring for more than 3,000 patients, and oversaw enterprise wide clinical operations during the Covid 19 pandemic.

Her earlier career includes serving as Director of Emergency, Trauma, and Psychiatric Services at Tampa General Hospital, where she led one of the largest academic emergency and trauma programs in the Southeast. She continues active clinical practice in emergency medicine and advises healthcare organizations and startups on care model redesign and digital innovation.

Dr. Cole is an active scholar whose work has been published in JAMA, Nursing Management, and the Journal of Professional Nursing. She speaks nationally on clinical innovation, nursing leadership, and workforce transformation. She holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice from Case Western Reserve University and serves on several nonprofit and professional boards, including ANA Ohio and Hopewell.

Areas of Expertise

Emergency and Acute Care Practice
Active board certified Adult Nurse Practitioner with clinical expertise in emergency medicine and acute care delivery.

Nursing Leadership and Workforce Development
Proven experience advancing professional practice, clinical excellence, and workforce transformation across academic and health system settings.

Health System Operations and Care Model Innovation
Leadership in hospital at home design, virtual care expansion, post-acute integration, and clinical operations across large, complex health systems.

Academic Program Development, Accreditation, and Faculty Models
Development of new nursing and health science programs, accreditation preparation, and innovative academic staffing approaches, including the leased clinical faculty model published in the Journal of Professional Nursing.

Industry and Academic Partnerships
Strategic collaboration with health systems, clinical partners, and community organizations to build pipelines, expand practicum opportunities, and align education with workforce needs.

Quality, Safety, and Clinical Redesign
Expertise in evidence based practice, patient safety strategy, process redesign, and interdisciplinary collaboration to improve clinical outcomes.

Digital Health and Technology Enabled Care
Experience with remote patient monitoring, telehealth expansion, and technology driven care model redesign.

Research, Scholarship, and Thought Leadership
Publications in JAMA, Nursing Management, and the Journal of Professional Nursing with national speaking experience in clinical innovation, nursing leadership, and health workforce strategy.

Board and Advisory Leadership
Service on nonprofit boards, state level nursing policy committees, and organizational advisory groups focused on community health and professional practice.

Research Interests

My research explores innovative care delivery models, nursing workforce strategy, and the connections between clinical practice, education, and student success. I am interested in how health systems and academic institutions can collaborate to strengthen the nursing pipeline, support faculty development, and redesign models of care and learning that advance both quality and workforce readiness.

A central part of my scholarly work examines how technology enabled care supports clinical outcomes. I have co authored research in JAMA on the use of remote patient monitoring during the Covid 19 pandemic, highlighting the role of digital tools in improving safety and continuity of care. My work in Nursing Management focuses on care model redesign in large health systems, and my publication in the Journal of Professional Nursing presents an innovative leased clinical faculty model designed to address national faculty shortages and enhance academic practice partnerships.

I am also expanding my research portfolio to include the Social Determinants of Academic Success (SDAS), a new line of inquiry designed to identify risk factors that influence performance and progression in nursing programs. This work seeks to develop proactive strategies for advising and academic support with the goal of improving retention, strengthening student well being, and preparing a more diverse and successful nursing workforce. This project aligns with national priorities around equity, access, and student readiness in the health professions.

Across all areas of inquiry, my goal is to advance evidence based models that support high quality patient care, promote nursing excellence, and create sustainable and equitable learning environments for future health professionals.

Education

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
Graduated Cum Laude

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
University of Tampa, Tampa, Florida
Graduated Cum Laude

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
Ursuline College, Pepper Pike, Ohio
Graduated Cum Laude

Professional Certifications
• Board Certified Adult Nurse Practitioner (ANP-BC), American Nurses Credentialing Center
• Certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Healthcare, Drexel University and SONSIEL
• NIMS 100, 200, and 700 Training, FEMA

Courses Taught

As an educator, I am committed to preparing future nurses and health professionals with the knowledge, judgment, and curiosity they need to provide compassionate, evidence informed care. My teaching spans undergraduate and graduate nursing programs with a focus on professional formation, psychosocial care, informatics, and practice based inquiry. I design learning environments that integrate theory with real world application while encouraging students to think critically, engage in reflection, and develop confidence in their emerging professional identity.

At John Carroll University, I have developed and taught several core courses in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. These include Knowledge and Scholarship in the Nursing Discipline, Psychosocial Integrity, Healthcare Informatics and Nursing Capstone courses. Each course emphasizes interdisciplinary thinking, the integration of clinical and behavioral health principles, and the role of technology in modern care delivery.

My teaching career also includes clinical instruction and faculty roles at the University of Tampa and the Cleveland Clinic, along with ongoing mentorship for MSN and DNP students in educator and leadership tracks. Across all levels, I am committed to helping students grow in competence, confidence, and purpose as they take on meaningful roles in the health professions.

Publications

Peer Reviewed Publications

• Cole, M. (2024). Leased clinical faculty model: Bridging gaps in nursing education. Journal of Professional Nursing, 54: 257-259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2024.08.002
• Cole, M., Patil, N., Tribout, J., & Fitzpatrick, J. (2024). Hospital at Home: Covid-19 inspired care model innovation. Nursing Management, 55(2): 16-24. doi: 10.1097/nmg.0000000000000091.
• Pronovost, P., Cole, M., Hughes R. (2022). Remote patient monitoring during Covid-19: An unexpected patient safety benefit. Journal American Medical Association, February 25, 2022.

Selected Presentations & Keynotes

• Bartell, J., Cole, M., Foxx, M., Batch-Wilson, W., Sharpnack, P. (2025, February 14 & 2025, May 19). “Pathways to Practice: Building Seamless Transitions into Nursing Careers RoundTable”, The Center for Health Affairs & Greater Cleveland of Nurse Leaders, Panel Speaker.
• Cole, M. (2021, October 13). "The Innovative Nurse," USF College of Nursing, Keynote Presentation.
• Cole, M. (2021, July 19). “Bedside to Nurse Executive: A Path for Success”, American Nursing Informatics Association, Webinar.
• Cole, M. (2021, January). Iota Psi induction ceremony, Ursuline College, Keynote Presentation.
• Cole, M. (2019, January). Chamberlain Nursing Graduation, Commencement Speech.
• Cole, M. (2016, October). “Split-flow emergency department layout improves operational flow and decreases process variation”, American College of Emergency Physicians Conference, Podium Presentation.
• Cole, M. (2016, June). “Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection Reduction in the Emergency Department as a Result of Dual Personnel Urinary Catheter Insertion," 43nd Association of Professionals in Infection Control & Epidemiology (APIC) Annual Conference, Poster Presentation.
• Cole, M. (2015, September). “Innovative Use of the Epic Acuity Scoring System to Drive Sepsis Screening in the Emergency Department”, Epic User Group Meeting, Podium Presentation.
• Cole, M. (2015, May). “Emergency Services Comprehensive Process Redesign”, Patient Flow Summit, Podium Presentation.