ASHLAND, Ohio – Jill Matthes Baxter, director of Ashland University’s Doctor of Nursing Program and associate professor of nursing, was recognized as one of the 2024 Faces of Care by the Ohio League for Nursing (OLN). The six nurse educators honored as Faces of Care were celebrated during a gala event in June, presented by the OLN and Cleveland Magazine.
The nurse educators were selected for being standouts in their field who exemplify the mission of advancing excellence and serve as high-achieving role models in the state.
“To be featured in the Faces of Care was a wonderful surprise,” remarked Baxter. “I am in the company of so many wonderful nurse educators. To be considered in this group was humbling to say the least. Healthcare is in crisis, we are desperate for more nurses. I am honored to help educate these students. To be a part of their journey is one of the most rewarding jobs.”
In Faces of Care, Baxter’s passion for mindfulness as a teaching strategy was emphasized. She uses mindfulness concepts to reduce the stress of her nursing students, which in turn will help their future patients.
“Especially for children because we don’t want to start them on medications. If you can teach them coping strategies and how to deal with their emotions they’re experiencing, it’s much more effective,” Baxter told the publication.
“If you’re able to help the students, and they’re also helping the patients, it’s kind of a full circle,” she added.
Baxter has been a faculty member at AU since 2016. While leading the DNP program, she teaches courses on pediatrics, genetics and nursing concepts.
Baxter spent 10 years as a clinical nurse at Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital in Cleveland before pursuing a slightly different career path in higher education.
“I really loved education,” she explained. “When I worked at the hospital, I taught a clinical group of nursing students and just fell in love with it and decided that I really had a passion for teaching and went back to school to get my master’s.”
The OLN is a constituent of the National League for Nursing and works in concert to ensure a strong and diverse nursing workforce to advance the nation’s health. OLN’s membership is passionate about the development of scholarly, research-oriented nurse educators with a compassion for teaching the next generation of nurses how to deliver quality patient-centered nursing care.