Amalia Gedney-Lose, DNP, ARNP, NP-C (13BSN, 17DNP) is a distinguished nursing professional with an impressive career that reflects her commitment to both healthcare and education. Armed with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of Iowa, her journey began in a rural family medicine clinic in Columbus Junction, Iowa, where she served as a family nurse practitioner (FNP). In 2019, she transitioned into academics, joining the University of Iowa’s College of Nursing. “I really wanted to share my experience and knowledge base with others. You know, as a nurse practitioner, I see a patient and I am able to influence their life or their health, but when you educate students, you’re really allowing more opportunity to reach patients. So, it’s an impact on the students, it’s an impact on the future of the profession, it’s an impact on the patients in general,” Gedney-Lose notes.
In 2020, Gedney-Lose became the assistant director of the FNP program. In 2022, she became the director and since then, her team has implemented multiple initiatives to enhance the program and better prepare future advanced practice nurses. A large aspect they took on last year was working on a holistic admissions process. After implementing the new process, Gedney-Lose remarks that “we were able to look at each individual applicant, understand who they were, and then put them together as a cohort, and then see how the cohort was going to be successful together.”
Beyond that, she is also passionate about active learning and engaging students in the learning process. Gedney-Lose and her team have introduced various changes to the courses to ensure that students are not only invested in their learning but are also encouraged to become more competent practitioners.
Gedney-Lose offers one key piece of advice she would give to aspiring nursing leaders, “I think always being curious about the environment you are practicing in is my best advice to offer,” she notes.
“There are so many things that we can see and identify in healthcare that are maybe inefficiencies or systems issues. And so, if you are really curious about what’s going on with those things, it will help you start to lean into that and identify where you can make an impact.”
“There are so many things I enjoy about the college, but I really love that I was “raised” in the College of Nursing” she remarks, referencing the eight years she spent as a student at the college. “I also enjoy the expertise of the faculty, the excitement of the students, and the entire community is just so engaged.”
In addition, Gedney-Lose is proud that all of the faculty who teach in the FNP program are practicing. “It’s important to me that as a faculty member I’m practicing what I’m teaching students.” She continues, “All of our [FNP] faculty are practicing, and I think it enriches the learning for everyone.”
Out of the college, she can be found going to soccer games and gymnastics for her two children, crafting or cricuting, and listening to true crime podcasts.