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  5. Nancy Jo Thompson

Nancy Jo Thompson, DNP, MSN-Ed, RN

Director of Prelicensure Programs & Assistant Professor

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
School of Nursing
Campus Box #7460
ITS Manning
211 Manning Drive
Office: 4414
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7460

Dr. Nancy Jo Thompson earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), with a focus in nursing education, from Barton College in Wilson, North Carolina, and her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from Liberty University.

Dr. Thompson is an Associate Professor and Director of Prelicensure Nursing Programs at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing, where she provides academic leadership for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) programs. She brings more than 10 years of nursing leadership experience spanning nursing practice, healthcare operations, performance improvement, academic–practice partnerships, and nursing education.

Dr. Thompson’s scholarly interests focus on advancing nursing education through competency-based education, clinical judgment development, neuro-informed teaching and learning, and innovative experiential learning strategies. Her work emphasizes the integration of evidence-informed educational approaches that support student learning, professional development, and transition to nursing practice.

As Principal Investigator of a four-year, federally funded Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) initiative, Dr. Thompson leads the Transition-to-Practice through Academic-Practice Partnership, Student Training, Experiential Preparation, and Simulation (TAPP-STEPS) project, which aims to strengthen the nursing workforce through expanded simulation and experiential learning, competency-based education, and academic–practice partnerships. The initiative emphasizes preparing nursing graduates to deliver high-quality care in rural and medically underserved communities while strengthening their transition from nursing education to professional practice.

Dr. Thompson is actively engaged in advancing nursing education through collaborative leadership, faculty development, and professional service. She completed the 2025–2026 National League for Nursing (NLN) Leadership Institute LEAD Program through the NLN Center for Transformational Leadership. She serves as a Strategic Priority Co-Lead for Neuro-Based Andragogy with the International Collaborative for Nursing Education (ICONEd), contributing to international efforts to advance evidence-informed teaching and learning. Her professional interests also include leadership development, healthcare workforce readiness, and creating educational environments that foster collaboration, innovation, and student success.

Throughout her career, Dr. Thompson has been committed to bridging nursing education and nursing practice, developing future nurse leaders, and advancing educational approaches that prepare graduates to meet the evolving needs of patients, healthcare systems, and communities.

Specialties