Esmeralda Clark, Ph.D., APRN, FNP-BC, CNE
Assistant Professor in Residence
Biography
Esmeralda Clark joined the School of Nursing in 2016, bringing a comprehensive range of clinical experience as both a registered nurse (RN) and an advanced practice nurse.
Areas of Expertise
Clark’s expertise as an RN encompasses critical care and trauma, where she served as a charge nurse in a level I trauma center. She is a board-certified family nurse practitioner, having practiced in various settings including hospitalist care, trauma, primary care, urgent care, and currently, telehealth. Additionally, Clark holds a Ph.D. in Nursing Education and is a certified nurse educator underscoring her expertise in this field.
Teaching Experience
Clark has extensive teaching experience in clinical, didactic, and simulation settings across both undergraduate and graduate programs. She has taught skills lab, fundamentals, critical care, and pharmacology within the undergraduate program and taught various courses in the Family Nurse Practitioner program including Advanced Pathophysiology and Genetics, Advanced Health Assessment, and supervises clinical experiences.
Education Background
Clark is an alumna of UNLV, where she earned her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). She completed her Ph.D. in Nursing Education at the University of Northern Colorado.
Research or Scholarship
Her dissertation, titled “A Double-Edged Sword: Lived Experiences of Hispanic/Latino Nursing Students Who Speak English as an Additional Language,” highlights her research interests in improving educational equity for marginalized populations, specifically underrepresented nursing students of color, and increasing the diversity of the nursing workforce. She is also dedicated to uncovering the unexplored history of nursing as it pertains to Latinx nurses and has co-authored research focusing on developing a holistic nursing admissions process.
Awards and Recognitions
Clark received the Outstanding Didactic Teaching Award at the School of Nursing in 2020. The Nevada Nurses Foundation recognized her with the Shining Stars of Nursing in Nevada 50 under 50 Award in 2021 and 2023. Additionally, she was nominated for the Excellence in Dissertation Award at the University of Northern Colorado in 2023.