Dr. Turpin is an Associate Professor in the Department of Nursing. She received her PhD at East Tennessee State University in 2016 where she received the University’s Doctoral Dissertation of the Year Award. Her master’s degree in nursing administration was earned at the University of North Carolina - Greensboro in 1995 and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Tennessee Technological University in 1983.
Dr. Turpin received the Beaver College of Health Sciences Teaching Award in 2019. She has served as the Director of Compliance and Student Support for over 4 years and expanding the clinical setting quality and quantity for all programs. Prior to joining the team at Appalachian State University, Dr. Turpin taught in the undergraduate and master’s nursing programs at Tennessee Tech University, Cookeville, TN as an Assistant Professor and Clinical Coordinator for the undergraduate program. Her healthcare administrative background includes numerous roles from quality management, nursing staff development, nurse manager, nurse supervisor, service line nursing director, and nurse executive. Leadership roles were in both metropolitan and rural healthcare settings and included acute and long-term acute care, skilled nursing, operative and ambulatory care services. Her clinical background includes medical/surgical, critical care, pulmonary, and oncology (where she currently practices as a clinical nurse IV).
Her research includes primarily quantitative work. Research foci include nurse interrelation and self-care capability. Recent interest involves around rural health care sustainability related to the nursing workforce. Additional grant work has been centered around broadening student learning experiences in rural settings to better understand cultural and socioeconomic factors influencing health and health disparities. She has been active in mentoring master’s, DNP, and PhD projects with students and colleagues. She has published in several peer-reviewed journals and presented research at regional, national, and international conferences.
Dr. Turpin is a member of Rural Nurse Organization and serves as a chapter Board member for the Appalachian Regional Tri-State chapter. She is also a member of the North Carolina Nurses Association.
She resides in both Wilkes and Surry counties in North Carolina with her husband.
Title: Director of Compliance and Student Support, Associate Professor
Email address: Email me
Phone: (828) 262-8080
Fax: (828) 262-8066