woman in front of a gray background wearing a white medical coat

Kathleen M Rea, DNP, RN, ACNS-BC, PCCN, CNL

Assistant Professor of Nursing
Clinician Educator of Nursing
Department
Phone
(434) 243-3791

Biography

Dr. Rea earned her BSN and MSN from the University of Virginia School of Nursing and her DNP from Old Dominion University. She is board certified as a progressive care RN, Clinical Nurse Leader, and as an Adult Health Clinical Nurse Specialist. Her active advanced practice provider role concentrates on trauma, general surgery, and surgical oncology patient populations. Dr. Rea is a leader in quality improvement, evidence-based practice, and professional development to sustain and improve patient safety outcomes.  Dr. Rea’s is the recipient of the 2025 Legacy Award for Clinical Teaching Excellence; Created in 2023 by 13 members of the Diploma class of 1968, the award recognizes Rea's innovative approaches to teaching and learning that inspire both the students she teaches and the colleagues around her.  She teaches in the BSN program, serves as a clinical instructor, supports CNL students as a preceptor, and is a practice mentor to DNP students.   Dr. Rea is an active member of several professional organizations and serves as a professional volunteer for the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

Clinical Focus

Clinical and systems leadership is focused on nurse sensitive quality indicators and patient and family involvement in care.

Teaching Focus

She is a Clinical Instructor for undergraduate students and serves as a preceptor for graduate students. Innovation in undergraduate clinical education is a particular area of interest.

Publications

Advance Online Publications

Rea, K. & Le-Jenkins, U. (2024). Acute care exemplars: Exemplar 18.5: A technology intervention for nurses engaged in preventing catheter-associated urinary tract infections. in K M White, S Dudley-Brown, & M F Terhaar (Eds), Translation of evidence into nursing and healthcare (4th ed) (pp 340-345). Springer Publishing Company. Advance online publication.

Journal Articles

Kennady, E. , Rea, K. , Kumar, P. , Monaghan, D. , Rapp, D. , Beller, H. & Kennady, E. (2023). MP06-09 NOVEL ALGORITHM FOR INDWELLING URINARY CATHETER REMOVAL: A PILOT STUDY. The Journal of Urology, 209 (Supplement 4), e56. (), -. https://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000003217.09

Rea, K., Le-Jenkins, U., & Rutledge, C. (2018). A technology intervention for nurses engaged in preventing catheter-associated urinary tract infections. CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 36(6), 305-313. https://doi.org/10.1097/CIN.0000000000000429

Quatrara, B., Rea, K., Wilkins, K., & Facteau, L. (2017). Partnering to improve outcomes: The nurse executive and the clinical nurse specialist. Nurse Leader, 15(1), 61-64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mnl.2016.08.011

Thiele, R.H., Rea, K.M., Turrentine, F.E., Friel, C.M., Hassignger, T.E., Goudreau, B.J., Umapathi, B.A., Kron, I.L., Sawyer, R.G., Hedrick, T. L., & McMurry, T.L. (2015). Standardization of care: impact of an enhanced recovery protocol on length of stay, complications and direct costs after colorectal surgery. Journal of the American College of Surgeons. 220 (4), 430-443. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2014.12.042

Dierdorf, B., Elgin, K., & Rea, K. (2001). Examining Large Bore Central Line Use in Acute Care Settings. MedSurg Nursing: The Journal of Adult Health, 10(6), 313-314.