Shannon Hanshaw, Ph.D., RN, CNE
Associate Professor of Nursing
Originally from Staten Island, N.Y., Shannon’s nursing career began in the undergraduate B.S. program at Russell Sage College in Troy. Upon graduation, she accepted her first nursing position in the medical-surgical float pool at Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital. She then began working at Staten Island University Hospital on a medical-surgical unit. Moving back to the North Country, she found her passion working in the intensive care unit at Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital. During her time working in critical care, she attended Sage Graduate School to complete her master’s degree, and joined the faculty at SUNY Plattsburgh in the fall of 2010. She recently obtained certification as a nurse educator and earned a Ph.D. in Nursing at SUNY Buffalo.
Academic Philosophy
What motivates me to teach is the desired end product: an exceptional nurse. An exceptional nurse is knowledgeable, compassionate, holistic, ethical, a patient advocate, and integrates other disciplines in order to achieve excellence in quality patient care. In order to develop these attributes, my teaching philosophy is driven by experiential learning theory. Benjamin Franklin once said, “Tell me and I forget, Teach me and I remember, Involve me and I will learn.” Though seemingly elementary, this profound concept echoes my teaching pedagogy. I engage students in active learning environments through clinical experience, high-fidelity simulation lab, case studies, small group activities, the integration of technology, and interactive learning in on-line learning platforms. In this experiential learning environment, I engage as a facilitator. Students learn by doing, which provides experiences in which clinical reasoning skills may be developed.
I believe that students rise to the level of realistic expectations set by the educator. I encourage and coach students to perform to the best of their ability in the classroom, simulation lab, and clinical setting through positive reinforcement and constructive feedback. Using transformational leadership to assist students to incorporate knowledge from each learning experience, results in the development of a well-rounded student and ultimately, an exceptional nurse. By educating, encouraging and supporting students throughout the college experience, I believe I positively impact their personal and professional lives.
- Education
- Ph.D., Nursing, SUNY Buffalo
- M.S., Adult Health Nursing, Nurse Educator, Sage Graduate School
- B.S., Nursing, Russell Sage College
- Research Areas
- Professional Affiliations & Memberships