- Phone:
- 765-455-9288
- Email:
- agopsahl@iu.edu
- Campus:
- IU Kokomo
Biography
Dr. Opsahl is the current Indiana University Kokomo School of Nursing Dean and has over 35 years of nursing experience and three degrees from Indiana University. Her teaching experience includes undergraduate education, graduate education, and undergraduate honors research. Prior to her administrative roles (IUSON Interim Associate Dean and Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs) at Bloomington campus over the prior three years, she served as the IUSON RN to BSN Statewide Degree Completion Option Director for all nine Indiana University campuses. In 2021, Dr. Opsahl was appointed to the National League for Nursing as an On-Site Program Evaluator for the Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (CNEA), supporting continuous quality improvement and promoting excellence in national and international schools of nursing education. Additionally, she recently completed the Harvard University Certification in Leadership Excellence.
Dr. Opsahl has published over 33 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters and provided over 67 peer-reviewed conference presentations, including international locations (Edinburgh, Scotland; Calgary, Canada; Melbourne, Australia; Paris, France, and Rome, Italy). Her scholarship is focused on ways to utilize active learning and innovative teaching strategies in both academic and clinical settings to engage the student, the faculty, the staff, and the patient with the overall goal of quality patient outcomes. In her prior professional role, she lead the Central Indiana Region Quality Data Management for Franciscan Health at three area hospitals comprised of Carmel, Indianapolis, and Mooresville campuses. This position allowed her to impact patient care and hospital accreditation through data collection/submission and analysis of patient outcomes, communicating trends to staff, physicians, and administrators to improve the overall patient experience and support positive patient outcomes.
Education
- DNP, Indiana University
- MSN, Indiana University
- BSN, Indiana University
Selected Awards and Honors
- Dean's Award for Teaching Innovation-Indiana University, Bloomington campus, 2024
- Indiana University Trustee's Teaching Award, Bloomington campus, 2019 & 2022
- Karen Cobb Scholarship of Teaching Award, Indiana University, 2021
- Excellence in Education Award, Sigma Theta Tau International-Alpha Chapter, 2020
- Excellence in Teaching Award, Indiana League for Nursing, 2020
2025 - 2026 “IU Kokomo Nursing Student Engagement and Health Screenings Initiative.” (PI). Women of the Wellhouse Philanthropy Circle Grant.
2024 “Academic Well-being Initiative.” (PI). Alpha Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International.
2023 “Workplace Violence against Nurses and Conflict Management Symposium.” (PI). Sigma Theta Tau International: Global Council Grant.
2022-2023 “Evaluating the Oncology Related Education Needs of Emergency Nurses.” (Co-PI). Emergency Nurses Association Foundation Grant.
2021-2022 “Implementing Scripted Case Studies Post-Clinical to Support Clinical Reasoning and Judgment Through an Academic–Practice Partnership.” (Co-PI). MICI-Area Health Education Center Grant.
2020 “Utilizing Standardized Patients with Simulation to Support Concept-Based Curriculum for Diverse Patient Population Impact.” (PI). Hoosier Uplands Economic Development Corporation.
2019-2020 “Undergraduate Nursing Student Perceptions of Facilitators and Inhibitors of Clinical Learning: A Multi-Site Study Utilizing Q Methodology.” (PI). Billings Foundation.
Opsahl, A. G., Busby, K. R., Amy Minix, M. I. S., Reising, D. L., Fulton, J. S., & Wonder, A. H. (2025). Mentoring Programs in Nursing Academia: a scoping review. Nurse Educator, 50(6): pE337-E344, November/December. doi:10.1097/NNE.0000000000001984
Halstead, J. & Roux, G. The Essence of Nursing: Developing a Nursing Identity. Author of book chapter. Opsahl, A. & Hagedorn Wonder, A. (2025). Chapter XII. Evidence-Based Practice. Cognella® Publishing, Inc.
Bassett, K., Hines, M., Opsahl, A., Smith, M., & Rausch, J. (2025). Using an Overseas Cultural Program to Enhance Latine Cultural Competency in Undergraduate Nursing Students, Nursing Education Perspectives, 47(1), 30-35. DOI:10.1097/01.NEP.0000000000001485
Doerstler, M. D., Embree, J. L., & Opsahl, A. (2025). Fostering Civility in Nursing Academia and Practice: An Exemplar of Integrating Professional Identity to Promote Healthy Work Environments. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 56(10), 402-405. DOI:10.3928/00220124-20250912-04
Opsahl, A., Schmidt, Z., Hoffman, T., Academia, S., Graf, S., & Shull, K. (2025). Mass Casualty Emergency Preparedness Training through an Academic-Practice Partnership. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 56(3), 95-97. https://doi.org/10.3928/00220124-20250207-04
Geiselman, E., Opsahl, A., & Townsend, C. (2024). Implications of the criminalization of medical errors using the RaDonda Vaught case: A multisite mixed method study examining the use of the jigsaw technique to teach nursing students about ethical and legal consequences of medical errors. Journal of Professional Nursing, 55(2), 105-111. https://doi.org/10.1016/l.profnurs.2024.09.011.
Lash, R., Bourenane, S., & Opsahl, A. (2024). Evaluating the Oncology-Related Education Needs of Emergency Nurses. Journal of Emergency Nursing. 50(3):403-412. doi: 10.1016/j.jen.2023.12.005. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jen.2023.12.005
Opsahl, A., Blessing, N., Perdieu, A., Rasche, G., Hannah-Griebel, M. & Wonder, A. (2024). Facilitators and Inhibitors to the Application of the Acuity Adaptable Model. Journal of Nursing Care Quality. 40(2), 109-111. DOI: 10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000814
Kardong-Edgren, S., Nikitas, D., Gavin, E., DiGregorio, H., O’Keefe, D., Opsahl, A., Sharpnack, P. (2024). Evaluation of the Resuscitation Quality Improvement (RQI) system adoption in early adopter National League for Nursing (NLN) Schools of Nursing. Nursing Education Perspectives, 46(1), 5-12. DOI: 10.1097/01.NEP.0000000000001357
Townsend, C., Opsahl, A., Geiselman, G. (2024). Utilizing the Jigsaw Technique to Review the RaDonda Vaught Case. Nurse Educator, 49(4), 228-229. DOI: 10.1097/NNE.0000000000001676
Barnes, R., Remick, J., Hughes-Gay, M., Opsahl, A., Townsend, C., Lash, R., and Bartlett Ellis, R. (2023). The AACN Essentials Journey. Journal of Professional Nursing, 46, 19-26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2022.11.010
Roush, K., & Opsahl, A. (2023). Internship Program Receives Return on Investment from Nurse Professional Development Efforts. Journal for Nurses in Professional Development. 39(5):261-266. DOI: 10.1097/NND.0000000000000867
Davis, S., Davis, E., Kintz, K., & Opsahl, A. (2022). Nurse Educator Perceptions of Workplace Collegiality. Nurse Educator, 47(5), 288-292. doi: 10.1097/nne.0000000000001194
Roush, K., Opsahl, A., Ferren, M. (2021). Developing an internship program to support nursing student transition to clinical setting. Journal of Professional Nursing, 37(4), 696-701. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2021.04.001.
Opsahl, A. G., Embree, J. L., Howard, M. S., Davis-Ajami, M. L., Herrington, C., Wellman, D. S., & Hodges, K. T. (2021). Adapting Civility Education in an Academic-Practice Partnership. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 52(12), 575-580. https://doi.org/10.3928/00220124-20211108-09
Roush, K., Opsahl, A., Parker, K., & Davis, J. (2021). Business continuity planning: An effective strategy during an electronic health record downtime. Nurse Leader. 19(5), 525-531. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mnl.2021.01.003
Opsahl, A., Embree, J., & Howard, M. (2021). Innovative opportunities for civility: Professional development in a time of COVID-19. J Contin Educ Nurs. 52(1), 11-12. https://doi.org/10.3928/00220124-20201215-05
Opsahl, A., Nelson, T., Madiera, J., & Wonder, A. (2020). Evidence-based, ethical decision making: Using simulation to teach the application of evidence and ethics in practice. Worldviews on Evidence-based Nursing. 17(6), 412-417. doi: 10.1111/wvn.12465
Murray, B., Judge, J., Morris, T., & Opsahl, A. (2019). Interprofessional education: A disaster response simulation activity for military medics, nursing, & paramedic science students. Nurse Education in Practice, 39, 67-72. doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2019.08.004
Opsahl, A., Judge, D., Morris, T., Robinson, D., Werskey, K., & Edwards, B. (2019). Promoting a mock disaster simulation with leadership from a nurse residency program. Teaching and Learning in Nursing, 14(3), 153-156. doi: 10.1016/j.teln.2019.01.004
Judge, D., Opsahl, A., & Hensel, D. (2018). Q methodology: Teaching strategy to promote student engagement. Nurse Educator, 43(6), 285-286. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNE.0000000000000503
Opsahl, A., Auberry, K., Sharer, B., & Shaver, C. (2018). A comprehensive educational approach to improving NCLEX-RN pass rates. Nursing Forum, 53(4), 549-553. doi: 10.1111/nuf.12285
Opsahl, A. G., Ebright, P., Cangany, M., Lowder, M., Scott, D., & Shaner, T. (2017). Outcomes of adding patient and family engagement education to fall prevention bundled interventions. Journal of Nursing Care Quality, 32(3), 252-258. https://doi.org/10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000232
An Interprofessional Approach to Supporting Mass Casualty Emergency Preparedness Training. Opsahl, A. Mind Authors: Nursing Education Global Summit, September 23-24, 2026, Paris, France.
Promoting a culture of well-being, professional identity, and civility in a nursing academic setting. Opsahl, A., Embree, J., & Williamson, K. Sigma Theta Tau International 48th Biennial Convention 2025, Symposium presentation. November 8, 2025. Indianapolis, IN.
Using IPE & Professional Development to Devise an Interprofessional Algorithm for Ethical Healthcare. Wonder, A. & Opsahl, A. Sigma Theta Tau International 48th Biennial Convention 2025, Podium presentation. November 9, 2025. Indianapolis, IN.
Creation and Evaluation of a Faculty Orientation Program to Increase Preparedness and Retention. Moorman, M., Stuffle, M., Hill, C., Conrad, J., Hodges, K., Padgett, T., Embree, J., & Opsahl, A. Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Research Congress, Podium presentation. July 17-20. 2025, Seattle, WA.
Mock Hospital Ethics Committee: An Interprofessional Education Series that Bridges Academe and Practice to Enhance Ethical Care. Wonder, A. & Opsahl, A. Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) and National League for Nursing (NLN) 2025 NLN Nursing Education Research Conference. March 27-29, 2025. Washington, DC.
Lavin, B., Haste, E., Collins, L., & Opsahl, A. Promoting Adherence to Best Practice Guidelines: Safe Clinical Handover Transfers Between Units Within an Acute Care Hospital for Quality Outcomes. (Undergradate Nursing Honors Presentation). Indiana Association for Healthcare Quality, (INAHQ) 45th Annual, May 2, 2025, Carmel, IN.