Lee  Hardin
Associate Professor
Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing
1558 CHS Building 1
lhardin3@samford.edu
205-726-4830

Lee Hardin is a native of Birmingham, Alabama, and has worked as a registered nurse and nursing leader for the past 25 years.  She is a Samford alumnus with clinical and leadership experience in adult and neonatal critical care, orthopedics, inpatient rehabilitation, and medical-surgical nursing.  Her professional interests include leadership, education, organizational management and compliance, healthcare quality and safety, incivility, grief, and DE&I.  Her love of teaching formally began in 2011 when she became an adjunct instructor for a nursing school at a small university in West Virginia.  In this role, she taught associate, bachelor's, and master's level business, health care administration, and nursing courses.  Her favorite scripture is Hebrews 4:16, "Let us, therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need".

Degrees and Certifications

  • DNP, Nursing Administration, Samford University
  • MBA, International Business, Salem International University
  • MSN, Nursing and Health Systems Administration, University of Alabama at Birmingham
  • BSN, Nursing, University of Alabama at Birmingham
  • Post Master’s Certificate: Nursing Education, Samford University
  • Nurse Executive – Board Certified, American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
  • Certified Online Instructor
  • Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) - National League for Nursing

Expertise

  • Nursing Administration
  • Nursing Education
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
  • Grief and Loss
  • Incivility

Honors and Awards

  • CNE Grant Project Mentor, 2023
  • Academic Achievement Award, Samford University, 2017
  • Birmingham VA Medical Center Special Contribution Award, 2016
  • Outstanding Nursing and Health Systems Administration Graduate Student in Nursing, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2004
  • Sigma Theta Tau, International Honor Society for Nursing
  • Sigma Alpha Pi, National Honor Society for Business Administration

Involvement

  • Birmingham Regional Organization of Nurse Leaders, Member
  • Birmingham Black Nurses Association (BBNA), Member
  • Alabama State Nurses Association, Member
  • American Nurses Association (ANA), Member
  • Alabama Organization of Nurse Leaders (AlaONL), Secretary – Elect (2021-2023; 2024-2025); Secretary (2023-2024)
  • Phi Kappa Phi, Membership Secretary
  • Sigma Alpha Pi, Member
  • Sigma Theta Tau – Gama Eta Chapter, Member; Treasurer (2021-2023)

Recent Publications

  • Hardin, L., Gurley, L., Cortes, C. (2022). Innovative team approach for achieving DNP competencies for distance learners during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nursing Education Perspectives 43(5). Doi: https://doi.org/10.1097/01.nep.0000000000001007
  • Wynn, S., Ratcliffe, C., Hardin, L.  (2023). Ready, set woo: Refining nursing students' communication skills. Teaching and Learning in Nursing 18(3). Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.teln.2023.03.004

Recent Presentations

  • Hardin, L., Chatman, S., Wynn, S. (2024, January). Utilizing technology to improve student engagement in online education. Presented at the 2024 Hawaii International Conference on Education (Kona, HI).
  • Hardin, L., Chatman, S., Coleman, J. (2023, August). Simulation Theater: A Faculty Production to Foster Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Presented at the 2023 Samford University Faculty Connect: Mini Conference on Teaching and Learning.
  • Hardin, L., Chatman, S., Wynn, S. (2023, August). Enhancing Student Engagement with Audio and Text Announcements. Presented at the 2023 Samford University Faculty Connect: Mini Conference on Teaching and Learning.
  • Gurley, L., Hess, M., Hardin, L., Daffron, C., Crocker, L. (2021, October). Utilizing Mobile Health Technology to Improve Rate of Adherence to Blood Glucose Level Documentation. Presented virtually at the Alabama State Nurses Association Annual Convention.
  • Gurley, L.E., Cortes, C., & Hardin, L.M. (2021, March). Innovative Educational Team Approach for Achieving DNP Program Competencies for Distance Learners. Presented virtually at the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) Annual Conference.

Research Areas

  • Student Engagement
  • Innovative Communication Technology