Dr. Sharon Stager

Areas of Expertise

• Family nurse practitioner practice and primary care across the lifespan, integrating functional medicine and wellness care throughout practice
• Graduate nursing education and curriculum development
• Program development and leadership
• Nursing programmatic assessment and accreditation preparation
• Clinical education, precepting and mentoring for all levels of nursing
• Faculty development and support for teaching with technologies

Education

• B.S. in nursing, Fitchburg State College (1992)
• M.S. in nursing, Duke University School of Nursing (1996)
• Doctor of Nursing Practice, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (2013)

View My CV

What's My Why?

My why is to help nurses grow into confident, compassionate leaders who improve the lives of patients, families and communities. As a family nurse practitioner and DNP-prepared educator, I bring real-world clinical experience and a passion for functional medicine and optimizing wellness into the classroom so you can connect theory to practice and whole-person care. I care deeply about creating a supportive learning environment where you feel seen, challenged and encouraged to reach your potential. Teaching you is one way I live my commitment to lifelong learning, service and justice in health care.

Professional Experience

In addition to my role as an associate professor and graduate program director for the DNP program, I am an actively practicing family nurse practitioner in primary care and women's health. I also serve as a wellness coach and the owner of In Search for Health, LLC, where I focus on functional medicine approaches, weight management and disease prevention through health promotion and supplementation. These roles allow me to bring fresh, real-world clinical examples and a strong emphasis on whole-person wellness and balance into my teaching, mentoring and curriculum design.

Selected Publications

Stager, Sharon L., et al. "Exploring Clinical Practice Hours in Postbaccalaureate-to-Doctor of Nurse Practitioner Programs." Nurse Educator, vol. 49, no. 1, 2024, pp. 8–12. DOI: 10.1097/NNE.0000000000001506.

Stager, Sharon L., et al. "Traversing Academic Rank Promotion for Nurse Practitioner Faculty." Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, vol. 34, no. 3, 2022, pp. 529–536. DOI: 10.1097/JXX.0000000000000685.

Rich, Beverly, and Sharon Stager. "Mindful BALANCE (Breathe Act Learn About 'Now' Care Everyday): A Pilot Project for Depressed Female Adolescents." Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 2021. DOI: 10.1111/jcap.12308.

Bradshaw, M., and T. Vitale, editors. DNP Project Workbook. Chapter 2, "Understanding the DNP Degree and DNP Project," DNP student exemplar revised by Brenda Douglass and Sharon L. Stager, co-editors.

Zwillinger, J., et al. "U.S. Primary Care Provider Needs: An Analysis of Workforce Projections and Policy Implications (ID PPNP-23-05-0024)." Policy, Politics, & Nursing Practice, 2023.