Benjamin Smallheer
Associate Clinical Professor in the School of Nursing
Benjamin Smallheer, PhD, RN, ACNP‐BC, FNP-BC, CCRN, CNE, joined DUSON’s faculty in 2016. He is the Lead Faculty for the Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner-Acute Care major within the MSN program and a member of the Healthcare in Adult Populations Division.
Smallheer earned his BSN at Florida State University in 1998, and his MSN in 2004 and PhD in 2011, both from Vanderbilt University. He has also completed a post-master’s certificate in Family Practice from Tennessee State University in 2016.
Smallheer came to Duke from Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, where he had been a faculty member since 2006 and an Assistant Professor since 2011. At Vanderbilt, he worked with both pre-licensure and Adult‐Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner students. He was also engaged in faculty mentoring in both the clinical and academic environments, receiving recognition for his work incorporating innovative teaching methods and the use of technology in the learning environment.
As Nurse Practitioner, Dr. Smallheer has practiced in a variety of clinical settings, including the Emergency Department, high acuity Medical-Surgical Intensive Care, Long Term Acute Care, and has been the lead responder on a Nurse Practitioner based Rapid Response and Code Team. He currently practices as an Acute Care Clinician in the Critical Care Unit at both Duke Raleigh Hospital and Duke Regional Hospital, within the Critical Care Medicine teams.
Current Research Interests
Advancing care of the geriatric patient
Learning experiences of Men in Nursing
Office Hours
Virtual meetings accepted
Current Appointments & Affiliations
- Associate Clinical Professor in the School of Nursing, School of Nursing, Duke University 2020
Contact Information
- 307 Trent Drive, Box 3322, Durham, NC 27710
- 307 Trent Drive, Box 3322, Durham, NC 27710
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benjamin.smallheer@duke.edu
(919) 613-9787
- Background
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Education, Training, & Certifications
- FNP, American Nurses Credentialing Center 2021 - 2026
- ACNP-BC, American Nurses Credentialing Center 2019 - 2024
- Ph.D., Vanderbilt University 2011
- M.S.N., Vanderbilt University 2004
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Previous Appointments & Affiliations
- Assistant Clinical Professor in the School of Nursing, School of Nursing, Duke University 2016 - 2020
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Leadership & Clinical Positions at Duke
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Acute Care Nurse Practitioner- Critical Care Medicine Team; Duke Raleigh Hospital
Faculty sponsor for Duke's American Association of Men in Nursing Chapter
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Acute Care Nurse Practitioner- Critical Care Medicine Team; Duke Raleigh Hospital
- Recognition
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Awards & Honors
- Expertise
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Global Scholarship
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Research
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Teaching
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- Research
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Fellowships, Supported Research, & Other Grants
- Teaching for Equity Fellowship awarded by Duke University School of Nursing 2019 - 2020
- A Faculty Development Workshop on Gender Associated Incivility and Nursing Education awarded by Duke University Office for Faculty Advancement 2018 - 2019
- Amy V. Cockcroft Nursing Leadership Fellowship awarded by University of South Carolina 2017 - 2018
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External Relationships
- Barkley and Associates
- King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences College of Nursing- Jeddah
- Publications & Artistic Works
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Selected Publications
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Academic Articles
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Smallheer, B., T. Chidume, M. K. H. Spinks, D. Dawkins, and M. Pestano-Harte. “A Scoping Review of the Priority of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity in Health Care Simulation.” Clinical Simulation in Nursing 71 (October 1, 2022): 41–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecns.2022.05.009.Full Text
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Smallheer, Benjamin. “Addressing and Dismantling Inequities of Vulnerable Populations.” The Nursing Clinics of North America 57, no. 3 (September 2022): xiii–xiv. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cnur.2022.07.001.Full Text
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Smallheer, Benjamin. “The Art of Nursing Leadership in a Challenging Patient Care Environment.” The Nursing Clinics of North America 57, no. 2 (June 2022): xiii–xiv. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cnur.2022.03.002.Full Text
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Tennyson, C. D., and B. A. Smallheer. “Competency-Based Education for Nurse Practitioner Certification Alignment.” Journal for Nurse Practitioners 18, no. 4 (April 1, 2022): 462–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2022.01.014.Full Text
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Smallheer, Benjamin. “Impact of Career Burnout Across Nursing.” The Nursing Clinics of North America 57, no. 1 (March 2022): ix–x. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cnur.2021.12.001.Full Text
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Loberg, Rachel A., Benjamin A. Smallheer, and Julie A. Thompson. “A Quality Improvement Initiative to Evaluate the Effectiveness of the ABCDEF Bundle on Sepsis Outcomes.” Critical Care Nursing Quarterly 45, no. 1 (January 2022): 42–53. https://doi.org/10.1097/cnq.0000000000000387.Full Text
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Tennyson, Carolina D., Benjamin A. Smallheer, and Jennie C. De Gagne. “Microlearning Strategies in Nurse Practitioner Education.” Nurse Educator 47, no. 1 (January 2022): 2–3. https://doi.org/10.1097/nne.0000000000001083.Full Text
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Seifert, Micah, Denise H. Tola, Julie Thompson, Lynn McGugan, and Benjamin Smallheer. “Effect of bundle set interventions on physiologic alarms and alarm fatigue in an intensive care unit: A quality improvement project.” Intensive & Critical Care Nursing 67 (December 2021): 103098. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iccn.2021.103098.Full Text
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Smallheer, Benjamin, Stephanie A. Gedzyk-Nieman, Margory A. Molloy, Cynthia M. Clark, Helen Gordon, and Brett Morgan. “Faculty development workshop on gender-associated incivility in nursing education.” Nursing Forum 56, no. 4 (October 2021): 1044–51. https://doi.org/10.1111/nuf.12615.Full Text
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Smallheer, Benjamin. “Early Recognition of Preventable Factors Associated with Delirium Saves Lives and Costs.” The Nursing Clinics of North America 56, no. 3 (September 2021): 345–56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cnur.2021.04.002.Full Text
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Tennyson, Carolina, and Benjamin Smallheer. “Using Social Media for Microlearning in Nurse Practitioner Education.” Nurse Educator 46, no. 5 (September 2021): 316. https://doi.org/10.1097/nne.0000000000000998.Full Text Open Access Copy
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Kuszajewski, Michele L., Jacqueline Vaughn, Margaret T. Bowers, Benjamin Smallheer, Rémi M. Hueckel, and Margory A. Molloy. “Embracing Disruption: Measuring Effectiveness of Virtual Simulations in Advanced Practice Nurse Curriculum.” Clinical Simulation in Nursing 57 (August 2021): 41–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecns.2021.04.017.Full Text
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Li, Aijun Anna, Jennie C. De Gagne, Valerie Howard, Deirdre Thornlow, Benjamin S. Smallheer, Angela Richard-Eaglin, and Kathryn Evans Kreider. “Student Success Factors in a Nurse Practitioner Program.” The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, June 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2021.05.025.Full Text
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Charais, Chantel, Margaret Bowers, Olamide Oladipo Do, and Benjamin Smallheer. “Implementation of a Disease Management Program in Adult Patients With Heart Failure.” Professional Case Management 25, no. 6 (November 2020): 312–23. https://doi.org/10.1097/ncm.0000000000000413.Full Text
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Vergara, Jade, Abby Parish, and Benjamin Smallheer. “Telehealth: Opportunities in geriatric patient care during COVID-19.” Geriatric Nursing (New York, N.Y.) 41, no. 5 (September 2020): 657–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gerinurse.2020.08.013.Full Text
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Bergenstal, Twyla Dawn, Jeffrey Reitsema, Peggy Heppner, Joyce Geerts, Amy Cho, and Benjamin Smallheer. “Personalized Care Plans: Are They Effective in Decreasing ED Visits and Health Care Expenditure Among Adult Super-Utilizers?” Journal of Emergency Nursing 46, no. 1 (January 2020): 83–90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jen.2019.09.001.Full Text
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Smallheer, Benjamin, Brett Morgan, and Robert Stern. “A historical look at men's involvement in nursing and leadership in GAPNA.” Geriatric Nursing (New York, N.Y.) 41, no. 1 (January 2020): 52–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gerinurse.2020.01.003.Full Text
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Oldenburg, Elizabeth, Virginia C. Muckler, Julie Thompson, and Benjamin Smallheer. “Pulmonary Artery Catheters: Impact of e-Learning on Hemodynamic Assessments.” Critical Care Nursing Quarterly 42, no. 3 (July 2019): 304–14. https://doi.org/10.1097/cnq.0000000000000260.Full Text
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Smallheer, Benjamin A., and Mary S. Dietrich. “Social Support, Self-Efficacy, and Helplessness Following Myocardial Infarctions.” Critical Care Nursing Quarterly 42, no. 3 (July 2019): 246–55. https://doi.org/10.1097/cnq.0000000000000265.Full Text
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Williams, Julie, Taruna Aurora, Kathy Baker, Julie Thompson, and Benjamin Smallheer. “Triage to Observation: A Quality Improvement Initiative for Chest Pain Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department.” Crit Pathw Cardiol 18, no. 2 (June 2019): 75–79. https://doi.org/10.1097/HPC.0000000000000175.Full Text Link to Item
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Yan, Wendy, Brett T. Morgan, Peter Berry, Mary K. Matthys, Julie A. Thompson, and Benjamin A. Smallheer. “A Quality Improvement Project to Increase Adherence to a Pain, Agitation, and Delirium Protocol in the Intensive Care Unit.” Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing : Dccn 38, no. 3 (May 2019): 174–81. https://doi.org/10.1097/dcc.0000000000000353.Full Text
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Richard-Eaglin, Angela, and Benjamin A. Smallheer. “Immunosuppressive/Autoimmune Disorders.” The Nursing Clinics of North America 53, no. 3 (September 2018): 319–34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cnur.2018.04.002.Full Text
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Smallheer, Benjamin A. “Those Conditions You May Not Be Expecting.” The Nursing Clinics of North America 53, no. 3 (September 2018): xi–xii. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cnur.2018.06.001.Full Text
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Smallheer, Benjamin A. “Evaluation and Treatment of Restless Legs Syndrome in the Primary Care Environment.” The Nursing Clinics of North America 53, no. 3 (September 2018): 433–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cnur.2018.04.010.Full Text
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Smallheer, Benjamin A., Michael Vollman, and Mary S. Dietrich. “Learned Helplessness and Depressive Symptoms Following Myocardial Infarction.” Clinical Nursing Research 27, no. 5 (June 2018): 597–616. https://doi.org/10.1177/1054773816689752.Full Text
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Smallheer, Benjamin, Jennifer Hunt, and Judson Smith. “Using Critical Care Simulations to Prepare Nursing Students for Capstone Clinical Experiences.” Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing : Dccn 37, no. 2 (March 2018): 69–77. https://doi.org/10.1097/dcc.0000000000000283.Full Text
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Carman, Margaret, Shu Xu, Sharron Rushton, Benjamin A. Smallheer, Denise Williams, Sathya Amarasekara, and Marilyn H. Oermann. “Use of a Virtual Learning Platform for Distance-Based Simulation in an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Curriculum.” Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing : Dccn 36, no. 5 (September 2017): 284–89. https://doi.org/10.1097/dcc.0000000000000259.Full Text
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Smallheer, B. A., E. Stone, J. Hicks, and C. Galbreath. “Use of Video Recording to Facilitate Peer-to-Peer Learning in a Prelicensure Nursing Program.” Teaching and Learning in Nursing 12, no. 2 (April 1, 2017): 158–60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.teln.2017.02.003.Full Text
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Smallheer, Benjamin A. “Reverse Case Study: A New Perspective on an Existing Teaching Strategy.” Nurse Educator 41, no. 1 (January 2016): 7–8. https://doi.org/10.1097/nne.0000000000000186.Full Text
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Ardisson, Michelle, Benjamin Smallheer, Ginny Moore, and Tom Christenbery. “Meta-Evaluation: Experiences in an Accelerated Graduate Nurse Education Program.” Journal of Professional Nursing : Official Journal of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing 31, no. 6 (November 2015): 508–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2015.04.009.Full Text
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Smallheer, Benjamin A. “Technology and monitoring patients at the bedside.” The Nursing Clinics of North America 50, no. 2 (June 2015): 257–68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cnur.2015.02.004.Full Text
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Smallheer, Benjamin A. “Bee and wasp stings: reactions and anaphylaxis.” Critical Care Nursing Clinics of North America 25, no. 2 (June 2013): 151–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccell.2013.02.002.Full Text
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Book Sections
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Hopkins, Leslie, and B. Smallheer. “Alterations of Musculoskeletal Function.” In Pathophysiology - E-Book The Biologic Basis for Disease in Adults and Children. Elsevier Health Sciences, 2018.
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Sabol, Valerie, B. Smallheer, and Marilyn Oermann. “Basic skills for teaching and the advanced practice registered nurse.” In Advanced Practice Nursing Essentials of Role Development, edited by L. A. Joel, 2017.
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- Teaching & Mentoring
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Recent Courses
- NURSING 575: Independent Study 2023
- NURSING 595: Physical Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning in Advanced Practice Nursing 2023
- NURSING 622: Advanced Practice Nursing in Primary Care Adolescent, Adult, and Older Adult Patients I – Clinical 2023
- NURSING 664: Advanced Practice Nursing in Acutely Ill Adult-Gerontology Patients 1 2023
- NURSING 667: Advanced Practice Nursing in Acutely Ill Adult-Gerontology Patients I - Clinical 2023
- NURSING 668: Advanced Practice Nursing in Acutely Ill Adult-Gerontology Patients II 2023
- NURSING 669: Advanced Practice Nursing in Acutely Ill Adult-Gerontology Patients II - Clinical 2023
- NURSING 693: Advanced Practice Nursing in Acutely Ill Adult-Gerontology Patients Clinical Synthesis 2023
- NURSING 974: DNP Scholarly Project Global Immersion 2023
- NURSING 975: DNP Project 2023
- NURSING 575: Independent Study 2022
- NURSING 595: Physical Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning in Advanced Practice Nursing 2022
- NURSING 664: Advanced Practice Nursing in Acutely Ill Adult-Gerontology Patients 1 2022
- NURSING 667: Advanced Practice Nursing in Acutely Ill Adult-Gerontology Patients I - Clinical 2022
- NURSING 668: Advanced Practice Nursing in Acutely Ill Adult-Gerontology Patients II 2022
- NURSING 669: Advanced Practice Nursing in Acutely Ill Adult-Gerontology Patients II - Clinical 2022
- NURSING 693: Advanced Practice Nursing in Acutely Ill Adult-Gerontology Patients Clinical Synthesis 2022
- NURSING 975: DNP Project 2022
- NURSING 575: Independent Study 2021
- NURSING 595: Physical Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning in Advanced Practice Nursing 2021
- NURSING 664: Advanced Practice Nursing in Acutely Ill Adult-Gerontology Patients 1 2021
- NURSING 667: Advanced Practice Nursing in Acutely Ill Adult-Gerontology Patients I - Clinical 2021
- NURSING 668: Advanced Practice Nursing in Acutely Ill Adult-Gerontology Patients II 2021
- NURSING 669: Advanced Practice Nursing in Acutely Ill Adult-Gerontology Patients II - Clinical 2021
- NURSING 693: Advanced Practice Nursing in Acutely Ill Adult-Gerontology Patients Clinical Synthesis 2021
- NURSING 975: DNP Project 2021
- Scholarly, Clinical, & Service Activities
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Service to Duke
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Clinical Activities
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St. Thomas West Hospital Nashville, Tennessee
Critical Care Nurse Practitioner 2004-2008
University Medical Center Lebanon, Tennessee
Emergency Room Nurse Practitioner 2008-2009
St. Thomas West Hospital Nashville, TennesseePulmonary Intensivist Nurse Practitioner 2009-2016
Duke Raleigh Hospital Raleigh, North CarolinaCritical Care Nurse Practitioner 2017-present
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