Amanda Wade bridges practice and education in her new role

Amanda Wade, APRN-CNP

When Nurse Practitioner Amanda Wade steps into her new dual role between Akron Children’s Emergency Room and The University of Akron’s Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP) Program, she’ll be doing more than balancing 2 jobs. Instead, in this role, she’ll help connect real-world pediatric care with the next generation of advanced practice providers (APPs).

A career in pediatric emergency nursing

Amanda became a nurse in 2010. She began her career in an adult/pediatric emergency room in Michigan. Early in her career, her schedule played an unexpected role. “It was serendipitous,” she said. “Because of my shift, I was often placed in the pediatric rooms.” As a result, that early exposure sparked her interest in advanced practice. Eventually, it led her to pediatrics.

“I found that I enjoyed the pediatric patients the best. I had so many opportunities to teach and collaborate with the parents for the betterment of the kiddo,” she said. “Kids are so genuine, and you can impact the rest of their life.”

Amanda also credits her mentor, Sara Rauner, whom she worked with in Michigan, with helping her see what was possible. “Having someone who saw something in me, encouraged me and believed in me was very influential,” she said. In turn, that mentorship helped shape her long-term career goals. “I saw the role she played. I also saw the effect she had on patients and the community. It was a role I was very interested in.”

Bringing the real world into the classroom

Today, that same belief in mentorship and development sits at the heart of Amanda’s new role. She hasn’t officially started yet. Even so, she’s eager to see how the clinical and academic worlds inform one another.

“It will make me stronger on both ends,” she said. “I will bring real-world application to my students, and being in the academic world will keep me current on treatments and guidelines for the patients I serve.”

Amanda said her new teaching role feels like a natural extension of clinical care. It builds on the work she already does with patients and families. In fact, it’s one of the most rewarding parts of her work. “I love teaching. I love watching light-bulb moments in my students and the families I serve,” she said.

Amanda said her new teaching role feels like a natural extension of clinical care. “I will bring real-world application to my students, and being in the academic world will keep me current on treatments and guidelines for the patients I serve.”

A role designed through collaboration

From an organizational perspective, leaders intentionally designed the role to meet shared goals between Akron Children’s and The University of Akron. To that end, Jenny Michel, director of the Advanced Practice Center, worked closely with university leadership to develop the position.

“They were looking to build and grow their program and wanted someone who was engaged and active in clinical practice to take over,” Jenny said. “We met several times to outline how this role should look and came up with a position we felt was beneficial to both organizations.”

At the same time, the partnership also aligns closely with Akron Children’s strategic priorities, including Research & Academics and Access and Experience. “We hope to increase participation in the program, improve the experience of students attending The University of Akron’s PNP program, and in the end, recruit these highly trained clinicians to fill vacant positions across Akron Children’s to support our patient care needs,” Jenny said.

Amanda sees that collaboration as essential. “This will provide direct benefits to Akron Children’s and the university, and to students pursuing advanced education specializing in pediatrics,” she said. “Ultimately, this translates to high-quality care provided to our patients and families.”

Amanda hopes her new role signals a broader commitment to growth and long-term success. “Having a work environment that is invested in you and your success, and supports you along the way, is instrumental,” she said. “Akron Children’s and The University of Akron both show this desire to bring out the best of the best with this partnership.”

Navigating both roles

Balancing 2 demanding roles won’t be without challenges. Even so, Amanda is approaching this transition thoughtfully. “Lots of grace with myself in the beginning, not being afraid to fail, being open-minded and asking questions,” she said.

She’s also looking forward to what she’ll gain personally, especially as education continues to evolve. “It’s been a while since I’ve been in school,” she said. “I’m most eager to better understand new technology, like AI – how can we use it, what are the limitations and how do we teach to use it safely.”

For nurses considering advanced practice, Amanda hopes her new role signals a broader commitment to growth and long-term success. “Having a work environment that is invested in you and your success, and supports you along the way, is instrumental,” she said. “Akron Children’s and The University of Akron both show this desire to bring out the best of the best with this partnership.”