Mihkai Wickline

I have devoted my nursing career to caring for people with cancer and to teaching nurses and nursing students. I have also volunteered as a nurse for trafficked folks and foster kids. Through these experiences, I have borne witness to and collected the remarkable narratives of people who carried burdens of painful and sometimes traumatic experiences, often resulting in noteworthy resilience. As a believer in narratives for understanding the power of nursing, these stories have been brought forward to each new interaction with patients, survivors, or students, as they have collectively been woven into the fabric of who I am as a nurse and teacher.

To date, my research has centered on the nursing care of bone marrow transplant (BMT) patients and health promotion for BMT survivors, especially revaccination after transplant. With my move to full-time academia, I am shifting my research focus. My research program is grounded in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) in nursing, with a focus on improving both educational experiences and outcomes for learners and instructors. I am particularly interested in how evidence-based, inclusive teaching practices can enhance student success, foster a sense of belonging, and support overall well-being in nursing education. As I build this program of research, I focus on several interconnected areas: narrative pedagogy, competency-based education and assessment, neurodiversity in nursing education, NCLEX-RN success, alternative grading approaches, and strengthening oncology and end-of-life content for pre-licensure students. Through this work, I aim to contribute practical, evidence-informed strategies that support more equitable and effective nursing education.

Why am I thrilled to teach at the University of Washington School of Nursing? I love the people who make up the UW SON community. We represent diverse backgrounds and experiences but come together to elevate nursing’s impact on the health and illness experiences of individuals, families, and communities.