Dorcas Kunkel, DNP, RN/PHN, CNE, CPHIMS, CNE, LHIT, FNAP

Dorcas Kunkel is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Minnesota School of Nursing. She earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice, a Master of Science focused on Public Health Nursing, and Leadership in Health Information Technology post graduate certification at the University of Minnesota, a Bachelor of Science, Nursing at Minot State University, and an Associate of Arts in Nursing at Camosun College. She is a Center for Nursing Informatics member, Co-Director of the Center for the International Classification of Nursing Practice, Co-Leader of the Education Workgroup at the Nursing Knowledge Big Data Science Initiative, and a Global Health Faculty Scholar. Dr. Kunkel’s passion is to foster equitable, inclusive, quality, safe, universal health care through nursing and interprofessional education using data driven approaches. She was a Fulbright Specialist (2022) situated in Liberia, and a 2023 Sustainable Development Goals Research Grant recipient at University of Minnesota. 

DNP, University of Minnesota
Major: Nursing

MS, University of Minnesota
Major: Public Health Nursing

BSN, Minot State University
Major: Nursing

AA, Camosun College
Major: Nursing

• Leadership in Health Informatics for Professionals Certificate Program, University of Minnesota
• Certified Nurse Educator, National League for Nursing
• Certified Professional in Health Information & Management Systems, Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society
• Registered Nurse, Minnesota Board of Nursing

• Fellow, National Academies of Practice, 2023

• Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments
• American Nurses Association
• American Nurses Informatics Association
• Education Workgroup Co-Leader, Nursing Knowledge Big Data Science Initiative
• Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society
• National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties
• Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing

Kunkel, D. E., Tietze, M. F., Wilson, M., Fant, C. T., Rivard, M. J., Belchez, C. A., Forman, T. M., & Husson, N. M. (2023). Creating case studies for digital health and technology competency in nursing. Nurse Educator, 49(1), 31-35. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNE.0000000000001458 

Garner, M. S., & Kunkel, D. E. (2020). Quality improvement of pastoral care for major depression in the community of an African American religious organization. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 41(7), 568-573. https://doi.org/10.1080/01612840.2019.1701155 

Champlin, B. E., & Kunkel, D. E. (2017). Implementing a Veteran-centered community health clinical experience in a baccalaureate nursing program. Journal of Nursing Education, 56(3), 186-190.  https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20170222-12 

Austin, R. R., Westra, B. L., Kunkel, D. E., Monsen, K., & Delaney, C. W. (2015). Nursing informatics: A new career opportunity for you. Nursing Imprint, 62(1), 33-40.

Kunkel, D. E. (2014). Paying it forward in Liberia. Reflections on Nursing Leadership, 50(4).

Kunkel, D. E. (2013). School-located influenza vaccination program effectiveness: An observational case study. Virginia Henderson Global Nursing e-Repository. http://hdl.handle.net/10755/612252 

Kunkel, D. E., Westra, B. L., Hart, C. M., Subramanian, A., Kenny, S., & Delaney, C. W. (2012). Updating and normalization of the Nursing Management Minimum Data Set element 6: Patient/client accessibility. CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 30(3), 134- 141. https://doi.org/10.1097/NCN.0b013e31823eb913 

Marquard, J., & Kunkel, D. "AI-driven Healthcare: Frontiers of the Future," Minnesota Nurse Practitioners Annual Fall Conference, Minneapolis, MN. (October 2024). Invited.

Kunkel, D. E., Kpangbala-Flomo, C., Sarteh, D. T., Beyan, E., & Wainpa, P. "Global Partnership for Advanced Practice Nursing Roles in the Primary Health Care, Lower Resource Context of Liberia, West Africa," International Council of Nurses NP/APN Network Conference, Aberdeen, Scotland. (September 2024). 

Kunkel, D. E., Beyan, E., Kpangbala-Flomo, C., Sarteh, D. T., & Wainpa, P. "Shaping Context Relevant Advanced Practice Nursing Role Descriptions and Core Competencies for Graduate Level Nurse Practitioner Education and Practice in Liberia," International Council of Nurses NP/APN Network Conference, Aberdeen, Scotland. (September 2024). 

Kpangbala-Flomo, C., Sarteh, D. T., Beyan, E., Kunkel, D., & Wainpa, P. "Shaping Competent Advanced Practice Nursing in Liberia through Regulatory and Primary Health Care Systems Oversight," International Council of Nurses NP/APN Network Conference, Aberdeen, Scotland. (September 2024).

Tietze, M. F., & Kunkel, D. "Academia-Practice Partnerships Driving Integrated Transitions for Effective Response to a Technostress Practice Environment," Summer Institute in Nursing Informatics, Baltimore, MD. (July 2023). Invited.

Bjorgaard, J., & Kunkel, D. "Nursing for Planetary Health: An Action Plan for Current and Future Nurses on the Frontlines and on the Fencelines," International Council of Nurses Congress, Montreal, Québec, Canada. (July 2023).

Kunkel, D., Beyan, E., Kpangbala-Flomo, C., & Sarteh, D. "Creating a Context-Relevant, Competency-based Curriculum for Family Nurse Practitioners in a Low-resource Country Utilizing the PEPPA Framework," International Council of Nurses Congress, Montreal, Québec, Canada. (July 2023).

Wilson, M., Freeman, R., Kunkel, D., & Kulhanek, B. "Mind the Gap: Current Landscape, Bridges, and Roadmaps to Integrate Technology from Academia to Practice," Nursing Knowledge Big Data Science Conference, Minneapolis, MN. (June 2023).

Belchez, C., Kunkel, D., & Kulhanek, B. "Multimodal Faculty Guide in Integration of Informatics and Clinical Judgment in Learning Activities," American Nursing Informatics Association Annual Conference, Louisville, KY. (May 2023).

Wilson, M. L., Freeman, R., Kunkel, D., & Kulhanek, B. "Developing a Competent and Capable Workforce to Participate in and Lead the Digital Evolution," Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Conference, Chicago, IL. (April 2023). Invited.

Award: A Study to Refine Family Nurse Practitioner Curriculum and Scope of Practice for the Advanced Practice Nursing Role within the Primary Health Care System and Context of Liberia, West Africa
Principal Investigator: Kunkel, Dorcas
Sponsoring Organizations: Center for Global Health and Social Responsibility, Global Engagements Program, University of Minnesota
Award Dates: 2024 - 2025

Award: Relevancy of Nurse Practitioner Entry-to-Practice Competencies in the Primary Health Care Systems of Sub-Saharan Africa
Principal Investigator: Kunkel, Dorcas
Sponsoring Organizations: Global Programs and Strategy Alliance and the Office of Academic Clinical Affairs, University of Minnesota
Award Dates: 2023 - 2024

Award: A Competency-Based Approach to Leadership Development and Resilience for Student Nurses
Principle Investigator: Eull, Donna
Sponsoring Organization: American Association of Colleges of Nursing.
Award Dates: 2022 - 2022       

Award: Develop a Context Relevant FNP Nursing Program in Liberia
Principal Investigator: Kunkel, Dorcas
Sponsoring Organization: Fulbright Specialist Program, US Department of State
Award Dates: 2022 - 2022