I recommend Roxanne Schumacher, RN, PhD, College Assistant Professor for the NMSU School of Nursing for the Daisy Award. She is an excellent teacher and an outstanding asset to our program.

Dr. Schumacher has distinguished herself clinically in her work as a gerontology and hospice nurse. Working with older adults and dying patients requires a person who is empathetic, kind, understanding, and patient. It takes a special person to fulfill the roles Dr. Schumacher specializes in as a nurse. Additionally, Dr. Schhumacher is a self-effacing professor. She goes about her work teaching students quietly and humbly although she puts her all into the effort.

In working as a co-teacher with Dr. Schumacher I observed her teaching to be current and evidence-based. She demonstrates a vast knowledge of basic nursing when she is teaching in the lab and classroom linking theory to practice. Dr. Schumacher is enthusiastic and inspiring when working with students because she is great at explaining and demonstrating both theoretical and skills-based learning. Students feel comfortable with her as she has great patience and uses a coaching-type style with them when she teaches. In this way Dr. Schumacher allows students to feel respected and therefore engage better in their learning.

Dr. Schumacher is a dedicated and generous colleague. She freely offers to discuss teaching with others and shares her knowledge of gerontology and end-of-life care in nursing. Her expert knowledge is very needed as these topics are currently extremely important to teach our students for the realities of real-world nursing.

I highly recommend Dr. Roxanne Schumaker for the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty.