Nursing’s Sheri Carson to be honored by Marquette

Sheri Carson, DNP, CPNP-PC, an assistant clinical professor in the pediatric nurse practitioner program at the University of Arizona College of Nursing, received the Professional Achievement Award from her alma mater last week.

Carson, who’s been with the U of A for 15 years, learned of the honor when a representative from the Marquette University Alumni Association called her. The process is confidential, so Carson said she has no idea who nominated her. 

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“I am beyond grateful and humbled,” said Carson, who earned both a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in nursing from Marquette. “I have dedicated my career to the care and protection of children and adolescents and knowing that my efforts have been recognized and are being honored in this way means a lot to me.”

Marquette’s website cites Carson’s advocacy for children, including her creation of an innovative child physical abuse screening program that helps providers identify early signs of abuse in health care settings. She was named Pediatric Nurse Practitioner of the Year in 2018 by the Arizona chapter of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and also received the 2021 Alex Stuetze Memorial Pediatric Nursing Award for that work. 

“Sheri Carson’s dedication to pediatric nursing and advocacy for children is truly inspiring. Her innovative contributions, from developing early abuse screening programs to enhancing student well-being through therapy dog initiatives, exemplify the compassion and excellence we strive for at the College of Nursing,” said Brian Ahn, PhD, dean of the college. “We are incredibly proud to see her receive this well-deserved recognition for her unwavering commitment to improving the lives of children and the future of nursing.”

As an assistant clinical professor, Carson said she can share her love of pediatrics with her students. 

“I see it as a privilege to be entrusted with the care of children from birth through adolescence,” she said. “It is such a joy being able to provide care for a newborn and then watch that child grow up through the various stages of life.”

From 2014 to 2021, Carson ran a therapy dog program at the College of Nursing, which expanded to include the rest of the Health Sciences colleges. Hannah the golden retriever was beloved and accompanied Carson to campus until Hannah passed away in August 2021. Carson is now training a 2½-year-old golden retriever named Seven and hopes she’ll soon be a fixture on campus.

“I want to revive the program once Seven is old enough so I can once again provide what I believe to be a very valuable and necessary service to our students, faculty and staff,” Carson said. “I know the university has therapy dogs come to campus during finals week and at other times of the year, but I think there is something to be said for having a resident therapy dog that becomes part of the College of Nursing. I honestly don’t know who requested Hannah more when we did our pet therapy work at the college — the students or the faculty and staff!”