Jennifer Wilbeck

Jennifer Wilbeck is a Professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing and Director of the Emergency Nurse Practitioner (ENP) Specialty Program. She leads the nation's first dual ENP academic program and has pioneered national standards for ENP education and certification. Her work focuses on advancing ENP roles through education, practice advocacy, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Dr. Wilbeck serves as Executive Director of the American Academy of Emergency Nurse Practitioners, a professional organization she co-founded.

Education:

• DNP, Medical College of Georgia
• Post-Master's (Family Nurse Practitioner), Vanderbilt University School of Nursing
• MSN (Acute Care Nurse Practitioner), Vanderbilt University School of Nursing
• BS, Lipscomb University

Research Interests: Dr. Wilbeck’s research emphasizes simulation-based education for nurse practitioners, ENP practice standards, and competency assessment. She advocates for standardized ENP curricula and serves on the Editorial Board of the Advanced Emergency Nursing Journal.

Grants & Initiatives: She leads a national study on emergency department practice patterns among nurse practitioners and directs grants focused on sexual assault nurse examiner education. Recent funding includes HRSA Advanced Nurse Education Workforce Grants.

Awards:

• 2020 Certified Nurse Award for Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ANCC)

Advising & Leadership: Dr. Wilbeck oversees the ENP specialty program and collaborates on national policy initiatives. Her presentations address trauma-informed care, ultrasound applications, and bridging gaps in NP specialty education.

Labs/Teams: Central to her work is the ENP Specialty Program at Vanderbilt, which serves as a national model for dual-specialty training. She actively contributes to the American Academy of Emergency Nurse Practitioners, shaping professional standards and advocacy efforts.