Through a unique collaboration, clinical nurses are expanding their roles as educators while continuing to provide exceptional patient care.
Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing are expanding a pilot that started Spring 2025 that allows experienced clinical nurses to serve as adjunct faculty instructors for undergraduate students. While they maintain their current full time clinical role at BJH, one of their three shifts per week during the academic semester will include teaching GSON students as a clinical instructor on their unit.
Cassie Godfrey
For Cassie Godfrey, BSN, RN, CLC, a clinical nurse in Barnes-Jewish Hospital’s High-Risk Labor and Delivery Unit, the program is an opportunity to combine her love of patient care with her passion for mentoring. “BJH does a great job supporting new nurses while they transition to practice,” she says. “Of course, BJH also supports tenured nurses as they seek to expand their skill sets—like this opportunity!”
Cassie, a 2018 graduate of Goldfarb’s accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, will begin teaching obstetric clinicals in January. Students will work alongside her in High-Risk Labor and Delivery, Antepartum, and other Women and Infants areas.
Ashton Pleimann
Another nurse participating in this new model is Ashton Pleimann, BSN, a nurse on BJH’s Medical Oncology Unit (11800). Ashton, who earned her BSN through Goldfarb’s accelerated program in 2022 and is now pursuing her Family Nurse Practitioner degree, says this is a natural next step.
“I have never taught nursing before, but I love precepting students and new grad nurses on my floor,” Ashton says. “I thought this was the perfect opportunity for me because of my love for precepting.”
She will begin teaching 12-hour clinicals in the spring term. “As a Goldfarb alumna, I am excited to be back in a teaching role this time!” she adds.
For hospital and College leaders, this program exemplifies the power of collaboration between academic and clinical practice.
“This collaboration strengthens our ability to recruit new nurses, engage and retain experienced nurses, and to grow nurse educators from within to teach for future generations,” says Paula Fessler, DNP, MSN, RN, vice president of Patient Care Services and chief nursing officer at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. “It’s an investment in our nurses, our patients, our community and the future of the nursing profession.”
“We are fortunate at BJC to serve as an incubator for academic–practice partnerships across the country,” says Angela Clark, PhD, RN, MSN, CNE, FAAN, president of Goldfarb School of Nursing. “This is a model where everyone wins. Nurses expand their skills and advance in the RN career ladder, students learn from clinicians who not only excel in practice but also understand the culture of their units, elevating learning from skills-based instruction to professional and developmental growth. At the same time, the hospital's team can connect with and recruit soon-to-be graduates who already understand their values and environment. Programs like this strengthen every part of the nursing workforce.”
For both Cassie and Ashton, teaching is a way to give back—and to inspire those just beginning their journey. “I am always looking for ways to share my love of nursing with the next generation and pay forward the help I got when I first began my career,” Cassie explains.
Applications for the adjunct roles closed Nov. 1 and so far, 10 BJH nurses have been selected for the faculty positions; however, that number could grow. With a successful proof of concept at BJH, leaders plan to build on this program and expand the model to other BJC hospitals in the future—strengthening nursing education and clinical practice across the entire system.