April D. Matthias
Professor
April D. Matthias PhD, RN, CNE is a professor in the UNCW School of Nursing. She has been a nurse educator since 2000 teaching students in various settings and programs and serving in various leadership roles with a focus on ensuring quality education programs. Since joining UNCW in 2011, she has taught exclusively online and led the MSN Nurse Educator program through three years of candidacy to earn Quality Matters Online Program Design Certification in March 2024. Throughout her teaching career, she has developed and re-designed numerous didactic and online courses as well as developed, evaluated, and redesigned graduate nursing education program curricula.
Education
PhD in Nursing, East Carolina University
MSN Nursing Education, Duke University
BSN, Waynesburg College (now Waynesburg University)
Specialization in Teaching
Certified Nurse Educator, National League for Nursing
Certified Peer Reviewer, Quality Matters
Research Interests
Dr. Matthias’ expertise as a nurse educator, researcher, and historian drives her unique program of research and teaching scholarship that provides evidence of effective pedagogies and programs in nursing’s past and present that cultivate the professional identity and role development of the nurse and nurse educator.
Research/Scholarship Topics:
Professional Identity of the Nurse/Nurse Educator
Role Development of the Nurse/Nurse Educator
Nursing History
Nursing Education Pedagogies
Teaching History in Nursing Education
Professional Service
American Association for the History of Nursing
Director/Chair, Nursing History Education, appointed (September 2024 to September 2026)
Chair, Local Arrangements Committee (2025 Annual Conference), appointed (September 2024 to October 2025)
Chair, Nursing History Education Task Force, appointed (December 2022 to September 2024)
Director/Chair, Awards Committee, elected (September 2022 to September 2024)
Co-Chair, Nursing History Education Publication Work Group, appointed (October 2021 to September 2022)
Member, Nursing History Education Task Force, appointed (June 2021 to November 2022)
Member, Communications Committee, appointed (May 2021 to September 2023)
1st Vice-President/Chair of Strategic Planning Committee, elected (September 2020 to September 2021)
Chair, Membership Taskforce, appointed (January 2017 to September 2018)
Director/Chair, Bylaws and Policies Committee, elected (September 2016 to September 2020)
Member, Communications Committee, appointed (October 2014 to September 2016)
Member, Abstract Review Committee, appointed (October 2013 to September 2017)
National League for Nursing
Site Visit Team Leader, Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (March 2024 to present)
Site Visit Evaluator, Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (August 2019 to March 2024)
American Red Cross
Nurse Historian/Nursing and Health Leader, National Nursing Committee, Heritage Subcommittee, Quarterly Heritage Newsletter, invited (January 2021 to January 2024)
Sigma Theta Tau
Chair, Leadership Succession Committee, Nu Omega Chapter, elected (July 2016 to July 2018)
Chair, Nu Omega Chapter Research Day, invited (2015, 2016, 2017)
Member Ambassador, , Nu Omega Chapter, elected (August 2014 to July 2016)
Honors & Awards
James F. Merritt Million Dollar Club, UNCW, September 2025
Distinguished Teaching Professorship Award, UNCW, August 2023
Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award, UNCW, College of Health and Human Services, August 2022
Recognition of Nursing Excellence, North Carolina Nurses’ Association, Nurses’ Day Celebration, May 6, 2022
Information Literacy Faculty Fellow, UNCW, Randall Library, Center for Teaching Excellence, March 2018 to April 2018
NextUP Leadership Fellow, UNCW, Center for Teaching Excellence, August 2017 to May 2018
Discere Aude Award, UNCW, Center for Teaching Excellence, December 2014
Recognition of Nursing Excellence, North Carolina Nurses’ Association, Nurses’ Day Celebration, May 6, 2014
Recognition of Nursing Excellence, North Carolina Nurses’ Association, Nurses’ Day Celebration, May 8, 2012