Maria Theresa Dabu (Theresa to her friends) has been a nurse for 30 years, beginning as a CNA, LVN, and RN proceeding through the educational journey to recently completing her Doctoral of Nursing Practice (DNP). She has spent the majority of her career as a nurse and has worked in nursing home, rehab hospital, medical/surgical, oncology, outpatient surgery, home health, and case management, utilization management for insurance companies, worker’s compensation, transplant care coordination and legal nursing. She has taught at several ADN and BSN nursing programs but is currently an Assistant Professor on the Chamberlain College of Nursing Las Vegas campus. Although she has taught Nursing Transitions, Pharmacology, Mental Health Nursing and Nursing Leadership, Pharmacology and Mental Health Nursing are her favorite nursing courses to teach. In addition to didactic teaching, Theresa has been a medical surgical clinical instructor to undergraduate nursing students. It was working with students that gave her the impetus to pursue the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).

Theresa earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing Education at University of Phoenix and Doctor of Nursing Practice from Touro University, Nevada. She originally set out to be a Chemical Engineer but had doubts about pursuing that field after taking two engineering drawing courses. She had always thought about being a nurse, but when she was younger, she was afraid of all the things she would have to deal with (e.g., injections, suffering, death, etc.). However she tried a few prerequisite classes and fell in love with nursing and has never regretted it for a moment.

In her free time she loves to spend time with my family and loves to travel, watch movies, cook, read, arts and crafts, and eat delicious food! She also enjoys volunteering at the Las Vegas Rescue Mission to serve underprivileged, hungry and homeless population of Las Vegas. She also has Oscar, her beloved spoiled dog and his unconditional love.