Helene Hegge

Helene Hegge is a Lecturer and Site Director at the Department of Nursing, University of South Dakota, with over 30 years of clinical nursing experience in areas including medical/surgical, emergency, rural health, and school nursing. She leads population health education initiatives and coordinates USD's Vermillion nursing programs. As a member of the Advance Care Planning: Quality Conversations group, she promotes end-of-life decision-making frameworks.

Education:

• Post-Masters Certificate in Online Teaching (Walden University, 2021)
• Post-Masters Certificate in Public Health Nursing (University of North Dakota, 2015)
• MS (Walden University, 2011)
• BS (Mount Marty College, 1986)

Research Focus: Her work centers on advance directives, transformative learning through service-based experiences, population health innovation, and community-engaged nursing education. She integrates practical healthcare insights into curriculum development and statewide public health initiatives.

Publications: Her recent articles (2020–2021) explore interprofessional approaches to advance care planning, community coalition-building using the RE-AIM framework, and strategies to normalize end-of-life conversations in clinical settings, reflecting a consistent focus on palliative care accessibility and nursing education.

Awards:

• SDNA District 11 Nurse of the Year (2021)
• Professor of the Game (2017)
• Nurse Educator Award (2016)

Grants & Leadership: Secured $1M+ in funding for:

• Nurse Training Programs (HRSA, 2022–2025)
• Statewide advance care planning initiatives (Bush Foundation, 2017–2019)
• Interprofessional quality-conversations training (USD, 2016–2017)

She also presents nationally on rural nursing workforce expansion and clinical prevention strategies.