Patricia E. Leads

Patricia E. Leads is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Samuel Merritt University, where she teaches in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing and MSN Family Nurse Practitioner Online programs. Her academic roles span multiple institutions, including contractual adjunct faculty positions at the University of San Francisco (USF) and extensive teaching experience at California State University, Channel Islands (CSUCI) in pharmacology, pathophysiology, and medical-surgical nursing.

• Degree Affiliation: Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from Michigan State University, BSN from University of Michigan.

Her research focuses on optimizing online education effectiveness for Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) students and improving health outcomes for women with heart failure. She has contributed to interdisciplinary work through publications like her 2017 article on vulnerable populations in Californian Journal of Health Promotion.

Patricia’s clinical expertise includes roles as a Certified FNP-BC across diverse settings: Santa Barbara Jail, American Indian Health Services clinic, student health centers, and long-term care facilities. She also specializes in veterans’ disability evaluations and advanced physical assessments.

Scientific Recognition: Notable accolades include a 2008 Teaching Excellence Nomination at CSUCI and the 1996 Specialty Nurse of the Year: Honorable Mention at Sparrow Health System. Her professional affiliations include the California Association for Nurse Practitioners, American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, and Sigma Theta Tau International.

Her teaching spans classroom, clinical, and simulation laboratory environments, with a focus on critical care, emergency departments, and geriatric care. She has volunteered at a women’s homeless clinic and contributed to research clinics in Northridge, California.