Jennifer Pfannes, DNP, RN, CPN
Associate Professor-in-Residence, BSN Program Director
Biography
Jennifer Pfannes is a nationally certified Pediatric Certified Nurse with a deep foundation in clinical care, having served as a pediatric registered nurse for more than a decade. She transitioned to academia in 2013, joining the UNLV School of Nursing as the nursing student success facilitator, where she refined and established a full-time foundation for the school’s student success and mentoring program. Over the past several years, she has held various leadership roles, including Dedicated Education Unit (DEU) coordinator, where she oversaw the implementation and maintenance of multiple DEUs in collaboration with several clinical partners, and director of Nurse Camp, where early interest in the profession of nursing was fostered through immersive experiences for high school students. She also served as the 2nd Bach (ABSN) Program Track lead, where she utilized innovative strategies to develop, implement, and evaluate the online, accelerated program. She co-led the development of the new Direct Entry MSN (DEMSN) program and assisted with the transition of the ABSN to DEMSN. She currently serves as an associate professor and director of the BSN program. In these roles, Pfannes has developed new curricula, established evaluation processes, and utilized innovative mechanisms to ensure a student-centered approach to both teaching and leadership.
Expertise
Pfannes is a leader and educator in prelicensure nursing education. Her experience includes incorporating innovative clinical strategies at the pre-licensure level, such as the DEU model for undergraduate clinical education. Additionally, her experience with student success strategies informs her leadership and teaching roles.
Classes Taught
Pfannes has experience teaching in classroom, online, clinical, and simulation settings in the fields of nutrition and human development across the lifespan, medical terminology, population health in the community, pediatric nursing, fundamentals, complex care, nursing leadership, and transition to practice, and clinical synthesis at the master's level.
Education Background
Pfannes graduated from the UNLV School of Nursing with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2002 and her DNP in 2019. Her graduate studies focused on the evaluation and sustainability of a DEU model for undergraduate nursing clinical education.
Research or Scholarship
Pfannes’ scholarship is defined by her commitment to cultivating a highly skilled, adaptable nursing workforce through pedagogical innovation. Her current and past scholarship has focused on clinical innovation and trends in nursing education, including the implementation of holistic admissions for a BSN program and piloting the development and use of virtual reality (VR) technology for undergraduate students.
Awards, recognitions, or group affiliations
Pfannes was named the March of Dimes Pediatric Nurse of the Year in 2007 and received the Arc of Nevada Excellence in Nursing Education Award in 2025. She also won the 1st Place Award for Completed Clinical Project in the Poster Presentation category at the UMC Research Empowerment Day. From 2021 through 2025, she was repeatedly recognized by the Nevada Nurses Foundation with the Shining Stars of Nursing in Nevada 50 under 50 Award. Additionally, the Nevada Nurses Foundation honored her in 2023 for her leadership on the Sigma Zeta Kappa at-large chapter board.
Pfannes is currently an active member of the American Nurses Association, the Nevada Nurses Association, and the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. At the university level, she serves as a faculty senator on the University Faculty Senate and as a member of the Student Conduct Hearing Board. She also co-chairs the BSN Curriculum Revision Ad Hoc Committee and participates in numerous School of Nursing committees and workgroups.