Jennifer J. Wasco

DNP, RN
Assistant Professor
Acute & Tertiary Care

Profile

Jennifer J. Wasco, DNP, RN is the Director of Nursing Continuing Professional Development and an Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing (SoN), both at the University of Pittsburgh. She completed her BSN degree at Clarion University, her master’s at Waynesburg University and her Doctor of Nursing Practice at Chatham University.

Dr. Wasco’s career arc began the bedside in hematology-oncology with opportunities in medical device sales, continuing education, quality improvement consulting and finally nursing academic education. She worked closely with nurse preceptors as a practice experience coordinator ensuring post-graduate students matched well with preceptors and continues to pursue preceptor development projects. Her peer-reviewed publications span environmental health, nursing education, and academic leadership. Her current projects include nursing education in LGBQTIA+ issues, end-of-life, expanding workforce development, and several environmental health and sustainability initiatives.

Scholarly Emphasis

Environmental Health: Climate Change/Impact on Health & Wellness, Sustainability in Healthcare, Academic Sustainability, Environmental Oncology, Environmental Health Literacy

Nursing Education: Professional Role Development, Preceptor Development, Nursing Continuing Professional Development (NCPD), Online Learning, Curriculum Design, Teaching Technology Innovations, Faculty Role Development

Academic Leadership: Quality Improvement, Project Management, Accreditation Standards, Higher-Education Operations, Academic Partnerships

Teaching

 Dr. Wasco has been invited to lecture on the climate and the environment with the SoN’s Midwifery program and students enrolled in the Fundamentals of Disaster and Mass Causality Care course. She is currently acting as a mentor to Swanson School of Engineering bio-engineering students as they pursue methods to improve materials and processes in healthcare as well as a mentor in the Undergraduate Research Mentorship Program (URMP).  In previous positions, she instructed several cohorts of international students in an MSN program. She has developed a course on the impact of climate change on global health.

Service

Dr. Wasco has been named to the Provost’s Ad Hoc Faculty Committee on Sustainability to develop recommendations for a University-wide Sustainability Institute. 

She is also the SoN chair for the committee for professional development and continuing education.