Michelle A. Nelson
Clayton State University, United States
Biography
Dr. Nelson is continuously on the forefront of advancing nursing science to improve patient outcomes and support professional nursing practice. As a Professor and Graduate Program Director at the Clayton State University School of Nursing, Dr. Nelson teaches a wide range of clinical and didactic courses primarily focusing on the FNP program. Additionally, she practices as an FNP specializing in hematology. Her deep commitment to service as an academician, clinician, researcher, motivational speaker, healthcare advocate, author, and leader fuels her passions daily. Dr. Nelson is a fierce advocate for advancing health policy and promoting full practice authority for APRNs. She forges bipartisan legislative support which continues to yield the passage of multiple bills aimed at removing barriers against APRN practice. Dr. Nelson is the recipient of numerous excellence and leadership awards. She currently holds Fellowships in the American Academy of Nursing, AANP, National Academies of Practice and most recently the National Black Nurses Association. Achieving Full Practice Authority for APRNs as well as access to safe, quality care for all, are some of her greatest goals.
Research Interest
Advocacy is an essential nursing competency that extends far beyond the clinical encounter, encompassing patient needs, resource acquisition, and policy influence. Although nursing students are introduced to patient advocacy early in their academic preparation, broader forms of advocacy—financial, organizational, and legislative—are inconsistently taught and insufficiently understood. In an era marked by widening health disparities, workforce shortages, and restrictive scope-of-practice policies, particularly in states such as Georgia, nurses must graduate with skills to influence both systems and policy. This project aimed to develop and apply a structured advocacy model to strengthen nurses’ capacity to engage in resource and legislative advocacy.