Biography

It was Melinda Swenson’s love for people that drew her to a career in nursing.

“I remember patients I had from over fifty years ago,” Swenson of Buffalo, New York said. “I enjoy the entire process: meeting them, taking care of them, and seeing them feel better.”

Although she always expected to be a clinician, Swenson discovered her talent for academia early in her career. After teaching at the University of Wisconsin, she earned her doctorate and joined IU’s team of nursing faculty.

Developing the family nurse practitioner (FNP) master’s program with Sharon Sims is, in Swenson’s opinion, her biggest point of impact on IUSON. The FNP program was characterized by its narrative-based curriculum and its focus on patient stories.

“We never lectured. Instead, we brought patients to class,” Swenson said. “We figured if the students understood the patients’ stories rather than facts from a book, they would better retain the information. The best thing our students learned is how to listen to patients.”

Other nursing schools noticed Swenson’s and Sims’ unique curriculum format, leading them to international connections. They even visited a nursing school in New Zealand to demonstrate the narrative curriculum and consult with the faculty. Swenson was also spearheading change in the nursing field outside of the classroom, even if it meant going against the majority of the medical community.

“At that time, nurses were required to be supervised by doctors and we wanted prescriptive authority on our own and a collaborative practice,” she said. “After three years, the law was changed. Nursing as a career has changed a lot because we have always been better than good. Our high standards are seen and appreciated.”

After a fulfilling career as a clinician and professor, Swenson has one piece of advice for today’s nursing students.

“Don’t become a nurse for the money or the job security. Do it because you love it.”