Interprofessional Academy of Educators
University of Nebraska Medical Center
University of Nebraska Medical Center

Member Spotlight

Shining a Spotlight on Kristen Cook

Kristen Cook poses for a headshot

Academy Member Since 2016
Clinical Associate Professor
Director of Campus Culture and Pharmacotherapy Skills & Applications Lab
UNMC College of Pharmacy
Bio


What do you do at UNMC?
I teach pharmacotherapy and skills based education across the curriculum at the College of Pharmacy and in other schools at UNMC. I'm involved in faculty and curriculum development, as well as interprofessional education. As the Director of Campus Culture for our college I help engage faculty, staff and students in creating an environment for belonging and wellness. I work with teams to collaborate on educational scholarship and I am the pharmacist on the geriatric assessment team at the Home Instead Center for Successful Aging where we provide holistic team based care for older adults.

Tell us about your educational research interests and teaching role.
I'm the director for our Pharmacotherapy Skills & Applications lab course series where we teach students the clinical skills needed for patient care. This course allows for innovation and creativity, which keep me coming to work every day. I enjoy developing and assessing ways to teach students the skills to handle challenging communication scenarios and clinical decision making, as well as understanding the patient experience. My educational research interests focus on how we can measure development of "soft skills," which I feel will become increasingly important to ensure empathy and human connection remain as technology continues to expand in healthcare.

What is one of your favorite/memorable teaching moments?
Each year before my annual review, I write about my best and worst day at work. This year, my best day was running our suicide prevention lab for pharmacy students, developed in collaboration with the Counseling and Psychological Services team. The lab included simulation and required careful planning to ensure a safe learning environment. About a month later, a student told me they had the confidence to use those skills to help a patient access support. For me, the best days at work are when collaboration, shared learning, and real-world impact come together to benefit patients beyond the classroom.

What do you see as the biggest benefit to being a member of the IAE?
Finding your people! IAE has allowed me to connect with others in my College and outside of my area. Having a network of people who you can bounce ideas off of and will reel you back in when you need to be and support you when you need to be has been great.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I enjoy exploring the food scene in Omaha, home renovation, houseplants, watching my kids events (I had no idea marching band was such a big event these days) and online shopping.

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