April A. Braswell
Associate Professor
Dr. April Braswell is an Associate Professor, Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Certified Nurse Educator, and Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Braswell’s contributions center on the enhancement of pediatric holistic comfort care for vulnerable and marginalized youth, with a main focus on sexual and gender minority adolescents, advocacy for holistic comfort with invasive procedures, and pediatric healthcare simulation. She has directed research and presentations, award-winning teaching innovation, and novel instrument development focused on the enhancement of comfort in the physical, psychospiritual, sociocultural, and environmental context. Among her scientific works are a series of publications related to the development, feasibility, and psychometrics of her novel cartoon storybook instrument for children: the “Pediatric Procedural Holistic Comfort Assessment-Revised (PPHCA-R). Providing direct care to nearly 10,000 patients in her career, and currently still in practice, Dr. Braswell is a pediatric expert.
Dr. Braswell sits on the editorial board of the Journal of Professional Nursing and the NC board of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. She is an expert pediatric researcher for the Journal of Pediatric Healthcare. Dr. Braswell is a member of three expert panels for the American Academy of Nursing and has been recognized nationally and internationally for her scholarship and teaching. As an international theory consultant for nurse theorist Katharine Kolcaba, Dr. Braswell has reached students, clinicians, and scientists in over 20 countries across five different continents, including consultation with nurses in one quarter of the states across the U.S.
Education
*PhD in Nursing with Adult Education Minor: University of Tennessee- Knoxville
*MSN, Nursing, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Track: University of Tennessee- Knoxville
*BSN, Nursing: University of Central Florida
Specialization in Teaching
Dr. Braswell has taught over 1100 students in her position as nursing faculty at UNCW. Braswell's teaching expertise centers on pediatric advanced practice nursing, traditional and advanced health assessment, nursing research, professional roles in nursing, and nursing education practicum.
*Teaching and course design in advanced practice pediatrics (graduate, masters and doctoral)
*Teaching and course design in advanced health assessment (graduate, masters)
*Quality Matters certification in QM rubric and peer review (online education standard)
*Certified Nurse Educator (NLN certification)
Research Interests
*Holistic comfort care for children, students, and vulnerable youth
*Holistic health for Sexual and gender minority adolescents
*Pediatric simulation: Virtual simulated pediatric patients, newborn and pediatric simulation, psychological safety in simulation
*Holistic admissions
*Integration of Kolcaba's Comfort Theory
*Pediatric procedural pain management
*Pediatric Healthcare: Intersections in child health- mental health conditions, obesity
*Qualitative methods and mixed methods
See my National Library of Medicine Bibliography here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/10iMerfWufSgfT/bibliography/public/
Professional Service
2025-Present Member, International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning
2025-Present Manuscript Reviewer, Journal of Nursing Measurement
2024-2025 Administrator: Comfort Theory in Healthcare Facebook page
2024-2025 Webmaster: Katharine Kolcaba’s web site- Thecomfortline.com
2024-2025 Expert Pediatric Researcher: Journal of Pediatric Healthcare
2023-2025 Editorial Board Member, AACN’s Official Journal; Journal of Professional Nursing
2021-Present Manuscript Reviewer, Journal of Professional Nursing
2019-2025 Board Member: NC Chapter of National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners
2016-Present Member, American Nurses Association (ANA) and North Carolina Nurses Association (NCNA)
2016-Present Member, National League for Nursing (NLN), and NC National League for Nursing
2016-2017 Member, Women’s and Children’s Research Committee New Hanover Regional Medical Center
2018-Present Manuscript Reviewer, Journal of Pediatric Health Care
2018-Present Manuscript Reviewer, Journal of Pediatric Nursing
Honors & Awards
2025 Research Article of the Year: Clinical Simulation in Nursing
2024 Induction as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN)
2023 Silver International “Telly Award” for Pediatric Virtual Clinic Video Series: Educational Innovation
2023 Article Publication in the International Academy for Nursing Editors
2022 UNCW Rising Researcher and Excellence Award
2021 Practice Article of the Year: American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing
2019 UNCW Teaching Excellence Award in eLearning: University finalist
2019 Annual Qualitative Research Award: Journal of Holistic Nursing
2018 North Carolina Nurses Association Award: “Best Practice in Caring for Ourselves”
2017-25 UNCW Student Recognition for teaching excellence
2015 Martha E. Rogers Excellence in Scholarship Award, University of Tennessee
2013-14 Jeanette Travis Foundation Nursing Scholarship
2011 Abbott Nutrition Award for National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners
2011 Knoxville Neonatal Associates Excellence in Pediatric Nursing