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Amber Vermeesch

Amber Vermeesch

Distinguished Professor

College of Health and Human Sciences

School of Nursing

Contact Information

Email: avermeesch@wcu.edu
Office: 242 Biltmore Park Building
Pronouns: she/her(s)

Biography

<b>Nature-Based Interventions to Influence Mitigation Strategies for Perceived Stress</b><br><br>Dr. Amber L. Vermeesch, PhD, MSN, FNP-C, RN, CNE, FACSM, FNAP, ANEF, FAANP is the current Dr. Mary K. Kneedler Distinguished Scholar and Associate Professor at 糖心Vlog University. She has been a practicing Family Nurse Practitioner since 2006. She has spent most of her practice serving under-insured and vulnerable populations. She completed her master鈥檚 in nursing at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing and her PhD in Nursing Science from the University of Miami in 2011 where she focused on the reduction of healthcare disparities among Latino populations using multiple methodologies including participatory photography. She has completed initial certification as an Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT) guide. She became a Certified Nurse Educator in 2017. In 2020, Dr. Vermeesch became a Fellow in the American College of Sports Medicine and, in 2021, she was recognized as a Distinguished Practitioner and Fellow of the National Academies of Practice in Nursing. In 2023, she was inducted as a Fellow into the Academy for Nurse Practitioners. Her overall area of expertise is wellness, both physical and emotional and especially through the intersection with nature. Her investigations have concentrated on lifestyle modification, resilience, coping strategies, cultural sensibility, physical activity, and integrated health among vulnerable populations. Additionally, she explores risk factors related to stress reduction and health promotion among undergraduates and graduate students as well as faculty and staff.

Education

  • Ph D, University of Miami
  • MSN, Vanderbilt University
  • BA, Davidson College

Teaching Interests

My teaching philosophy is based on progressivism where real-life curricula and problem-solving exercises are the most important elements in andragogy. My teaching is learner centric with an emphasis on inquiry-based learning and I combine elements of constructivism, leveraging the learner鈥檚 previous experiences, and experiential learning theory, in which learners reflect on what they are doing, especially the process. This hands-on application-based approach works well with adult learners, who benefit from active learning, especially when that approach is learner centered.

Research Interests

My overall areas of expertise are wellness, both physical and emotional, health promotion and have concentrated on integrative health interventions among vulnerable populations. Clinically, I have been a practicing Family Nurse Practitioner since 2006 and spent most of my practice serving under-insured and vulnerable populations.<br><br>I routinely contribute to the literature on health disparities reduction through physical activity promotion for vulnerable populations, as well as wellness and health promotion, through research, publications, and presentations locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. Accepted scholarly practices in nursing include publications in peer-reviewed journals, presentations, and acquisition of research and professional development grants.