Assistant Dean- MSN Program
Duke University School of Nursing
Dr. Smallheer is the Assistant Dean of the MSN program at Duke University. He obtained his BSN from Florida State University, his MSN and PhD from Vanderbilt University, and a post-masters certificate from Tennessee State University. In his work directing the AG-ACNP program, he has innovatively incorporated mixed formats of simultion as a fundamental component of the curriculum to educate and motivate learners in a distance-based learning platform. Additionally, he has utilized simulation in the development of faculty workshops focusing on empowering educators to identify and interviene on gender-based incivility within the academic environment.
Benjamin has actively practices as an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner in a variety of settings since 2004. He is currently an active member of the Critical Care Medicine team at Duke Raleigh Hospital in a medical/surgical/neurological ICU setting. He has chaired numerous Doctor of Nursing Practice Quality Improvement Projects within this environment focusing on improving care delivery to the aging critical care population.
His scholarly work focuses on increasing the learning experiences of students through simulation, innovative embedded technology, and gender-based incivility in the academic environment. He is the co-editor for the Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association colume in the journal Geriatric Nursing, and supports colleages in the dissemination of work aimed to improved the care of the aging population by advanced practice clinicians.