Elizabeth Van Horn

Associate Professor of Nursing

Department: Nursing

Gerald L. Francis Center, Office 154Q 2089 Campus Box Elon, NC 27244

Brief Biography

Dr. Elizabeth Van Horn, PhD, RN, CNE, ANEF is an Associate Professor in the Elon Department of Nursing since August 2022. She is a Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) and a Fellow in the Academy of Nursing Education (ANEF), both designated by the National League for Nursing. She has clinical experience in adult surgical-trauma intensive care, neuro-trauma intensive care, and post-anesthesia care units. Dr. Van Horn holds expertise in the educational areas of adult medical-surgical nursing, research and evidence-based practice, nursing theory, and nursing pedagogy and educational strategies. Her current area of research focuses on clinical evaluation in nursing programs and the definition and evaluation of competence in new graduate nurses. Dr. Van Horn has published and presented her research in leading nursing education journals and national and international conferences. Dr. Van Horn has been a nurse educator since 2005, and prior to joining Elon, was a tenured Associate Professor at UNC-Greensboro.

News & Notes

Education

PhD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2005

MSN, University of North Carolina - Greensboro, 1998

BSN, South Dakota State University, Brookings, 1989

Employment History

UNCG School of Nursing, 2005-2022, Associate Professor

Elon University Department of Nursing, 2022-present, Associate Professor

Courses Taught

Foundations in Nursing

Healthcare Relationships I: Disparity, Diversity, Equity

Nursing Management of Adults I

Nursing Management of Adults II: Complex Health Conditions

Evidence-Based Nursing Practice

Research

See bio.

Grants Awarded

Van Horn. E. R., (2023). Elon University, Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning (CATL) Mini-Grant: Promoting Students' Competence in Nursing Skills Through the HEADS UP Project, $500.

Van Horn, E. R. (PI). & Lewallen, L. (Co-I). (2019-20). Sigma/Chamberlain College of Nursing Education Research Grants: Exploration of Competence in New Graduate Nurses, $10,000.

Lewallen, L.P. (PI) & Van Horn, E.R. (Co-Investigator). (2014-15). National League for Nursing Research Grants Program 2014: Research Synthesis of the State of the Science on Clinical Evaluation in Nursing Education, $21,934.

Publications

Sample of publications:

Van Horn, E. R. & Lewallen, L. P. (in press 2025). Evaluation of competence in new graduate nurses. Journal for Nurses in Professional Development.

Ruffin, F., Van Horn, E., Kennedy-Malone, L. & Letvak, S. (2023). Identifying barriers and facilitators to seeking care for symptoms of bacterial sepsis: A qualitative study. Nursing Open, 10, 7323-7332. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.1985

Van Horn, E. R., & Lewallen, L. P. (2023). Clinical evaluation of competence in nursing education: What do we know? Nursing Education Perspectives, 44(6), 335-340. 10.1097/01.NEP.0000000000001156

Ruffin, F., Van Horn, E. R., Letvak, S., & Kennedy-Malone, L. (2022). Exploration of pre-hospital patient delays in seeking care for symptoms of bacteremia and sepsis: A qualitative study, Nursing Open. 10.1002/nop2.1536, Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.1536

Lewallen, L. P. & Van Horn, E. R. (2019). The state of the science on clinical evaluation in nursing education. Nursing Education Perspectives, 40, 4-10. DOI: 10.1097/01.NEP.0000000000000376 CE article.

Presentations

Sample of presentations:

Van Horn, E. R., & Lewallen, L. (April, 2023). An Exploration of Competence in the New Graduate Nurse. Podium presentation at the NLN Nursing Education Research Conference, Washington, DC.

Van Horn, E. R., & Lewallen, L. (July, 2022). Evaluation of Competence in New Graduate Nurses. Podium presentation at the Sigma 33rd International Nursing Research Congress, Edinburgh, Scotland.

Van Horn, E. R. (2019, October). Strategies to Promote Critical Thinking in Nursing. Podium presentation at the 15th annual SENSES (South Eastern Nurse Educator Symposium), Concord, NC.

Van Horn, E. R. & VanRiel, Y. (2019, September). Scaffolding and Leveling Assignments to Promote Higher Level Student Learning: Exemplars from RN-BSN and MSN Curricula. Podium presentation at the 2019 NLN Education Summit, National Harbor, MD.

Van Horn, E. R., & Leiper, K. (2018, November). Connecting Nursing Education and Practice through the EBP Project. Podium presentation at the 14th annual SENSES (South Eastern Nurse Educator Symposium), Wrightsville Beach, NC.

Van Horn, E. R., & Lewallen, L. (2018, April). Clinical Evaluation of Competence: What are We Measuring? Podium presentation at the Sigma Theta Tau International/National League for Nursing (STTI/NLN) 2018 Nursing Education Research Conference, Washington, DC.

Hyde, Y., Van Horn, E. R., & Ford, Y. (2017, September). Creating a Curriculum Crosswalk: An MSN Education Program Exemplar. Podium presentation at the 2017 NLN Education Summit, San Diego, CA.

Van Horn, E. R., & Lewallen, L. (2017, July). State of the Science on Clinical Evaluation of Competence in Nursing Education. Podium presentation at the Sigma Theta Tau International's 28th International Nursing Research Congress, Dublin, Ireland.

Van Horn, E. R., & De Brew, Jacqueline. (2016, October). From Teacher to Researcher: Overcoming Barriers to Creating Evidence-Based Education. Podium presentation at the 12th annual SENSES (South Eastern Nurse Educator Symposium), Raleigh, NC.

Professional Activities

Manuscript Reviewer

Journal of Nursing Education 2017-present

Nursing Education Perspectives 2016-present

Journal of Advanced Nursing 2024-present

Service Activities

School of Health Sciences Service

SHS Curriculum Committee, Member (Spring 2024-present)

SHS Wellness Committee, Co-chair (Fall 2023-present)

Global Research Forum Planning Committee, Member (Fall 2022-present)

Department of Nursing

DON Faculty Search Committee, Co-chair (Spring 2024)

DON Curriculum Committee, Member Spring 2023; Committee Chair, October 2023-present

CNEA Accreditation Taskforce Member 2023-24

Program Evaluation Committee Member 2022-present

Awards

2024 Nurse Educator Impact Award. Student elected award given by the Elon ABSN class of 24.

2024 Academy of Nursing Education Fellow in the National League for Nursing

2020 Honoree for Faculty Excellence in Research and Creative Activity by UNCG

2017 Finalist - Excellence in Educational Research Award, presented by the Sigma Theta Tau International/Chamberlain College of Nursing Center for Excellence in Nursing Education

2014 Honoree for Faculty Excellence in Research and Creative Activity by UNCG

2013 Excellence in Mentorship Award, Gamma Zeta Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau International

2010 Teaching Excellence Award, School of Nursing, UNCG