Nursing School Curriculum Explained: How Educators Choose What You Learn

May 22, 2025

In this episode, I interviews Dr. Kelly J. Dries, Ph.D., RN, Director of Nursing Program Success at Wolters Kluwer Health. As a former dean of a nursing school, Dr. Dries shares:

• Her educational journey from someone telling her she'd never make it in nursing school, all the way to her PhD
• How nursing schools decide what their curriculum will look like
• The (sometimes sutble but important) differences between programs
• Smart questions to ask about the schools you're considering
• Advice and encouragement 

Article Kelly mentions: https://www.dailynurse.com/solving-the-nursing-shortage-starts-with-investing-in-educators

Conversational AI tech article: https://www.wolterskluwer.com/en/news/wolters-kluwer-and-laerdal-medical-enhance-vr-simulation-for-nursing-education-with-conversational-a 

My free workbook that will help you map out costs, pros/cons of different schools, applications and more: https://www.freshrn.com/planner/ 

Money-Saving Tip: Private student loans tend to have higher rates and stricter terms compared to federal options. That’s why it’s smart to shop around. Services like Juno let you tap into group-negotiated loan rates, sometimes cutting interest by up to 4%. Signing up is free, and even a 1% lower rate could save you thousands over the life of your loan - https://www.freshrn.com/juno 

Sign up for my email list: https://www.freshrn.com/email-sign-up

My nursing degrees and programs learning hub: https://www.freshrn.com/nursing-degrees-and-programs/