Department of Nursing

ABOUT

Heather Wensil Venrick is DNP prepared family certified nurse practitioner. She earned her BA in Exercise and Sport Science from the University of North Carolina in 2008.  Dr. Venrick practiced as a high school science teacher, coach, and a certified pharmacy technician before beginning her nursing career. She earned her ADN from Cabarrus College of Health Sciences in 2013. Afterward, her experience began as a registered nurse on an orthopedic and spine unit in 2013 in Hickory, NC. Dr. Venrick completed both her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree (2017) and Master of Science degree (2015)- Family Nurse Practitioner at Vanderbilt University. Dr. Venrick’s practice as a nurse practitioner began at a convenient care clinic in NC. She currently is a clinical instructor in the pre-licensure BSN, RN-BSN, and MSN programs.

EDUCATION

• Vanderbilt University, DNP, 2017, Advanced Nursing Practice
• Vanderbilt University, MSN, 2015, Family Nurse Practitioner
• Cabarrus College of Health Sciences, ADN, 2013, Nursing
• The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, BA, 2008, Exercise and Sport Science

RESEARCH INTEREST/SCHOLARLY WORK

• Physical activity
• Benefits of getting people outdoors or in nature
• Interprofessional healthcare approaches
• Obesity

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

• Family Practice
• Interprofessional patient care
• Orthopedics nursing
• Nursing Assessment
• Fundamentals of Nursing

GRANTS

The College of Arts and Sciences - RR&I Seed Grant Program, Assessing Influencing Factors of Resilience in Rural Registered Nurses in North Carolina, in the amount of $5,000. (PI: Turpin, B.; Co-PI: Venrick, H., Faculty on Grant: Liljestrand, R., Martin, S., Battista, R., James, J., & Christiana, R.) Appalachian State University

PUBLICATIONS

Venrick, H. W., McClure, N., & Hande, K. (2020). Leveraging school nurse expertise to meet children’s health and nutrition needs in afterschool programs. NASN School Nurse, 35(1), 15–17. https://doi.org/10.1177/1942602X19874490

Towner, B. C., Venrick, H.W., Broce, R., Christiana, R. W., Battista, R. A., James, J. J. (2021) Got nature? An interdisciplinary approach to promoting healthy outdoor play and exercise, The Journal of the Blue Cross NC Institute for Health & Human Services: Sustainable Health. Appalachian State University. V. 1, March 23, 2021. NC

Bias, T., Daily, S., Abildso, C., Venrick, H., Shay, E., Moyers, S., Hege, A., Haas, V., Dyer, A.,Broce, R. Christiana, R. (2021). Systematic observation of physical distancing behaviors of trail users during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Healthy Eating and Active Living. V. 1 (3): 111-116. https://doi.org/10.51250/jheal.v1i3.19

James, J.J., Battista, R., Christiana, R., Towner, B., Broce, R. & Venrick, H. (Winter, 2021). Promotion Hope Across the Lifespan.” Recre8-NC, 75:4, 10-11.

James, J.J., Towner, B.C., Venrick, H.W., Broce, R., Christiana, R.W. & Battista, R.A. (2022) The HOPE Lab: An Interprofessional Approach to Researching and Promoting Healthy Outdoor Play and Exercise. In J. H. Hironaka-Juteau & S. V. Lankford (Eds.), Interprofessional Collaboration in Parks, Recreation and Human Services: Theory and Cases (pp.75-84) Sagamore.

PRESENTATIONS

Venrick, H. (2021, April 23). Pilot Evaluation of TRACK Rx Program [Podium Presentation].Sigma Global Nursing Excellence, Boone, NC. United States. 

Venrick, H. (2021, August 9). VoiceThread Showcase [Webinar]. Center for Academic Excellence (LTS), Boone, NC. United States. 

Towner, B., Venrick, H. (2021, September 13). Get Outdoors!: Promoting healthy outdoor play and exercise through the HOPE Lab's interdisciplinary approach [Digital Presentation].2021 Research & Creative Activity at Appalachian, Boone, NC. United States.

LABRATORY AFFILIATION

Healthy Outdoor Play and Exercise (HOPE)

HONORS/AWARDS

Interprofessional Champion Award Beaver College of Health Science Reciptient 2021