Supporting Diverse Populations in Nursing with Misty Wilkie
Misty L. Wilkie, PhD, RN, FAAN (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa/Métis) is a clinical professor at the University of Minnesota School of Nursing, where she serves as Director of the Center for Indigenous People, Health, and Nursing, and Director and Mentor for the Pathway to Doctoral Education for American Indian/Alaska Native Nurses. In her role as Pathway Director, Dr. Wilkie oversees a $2 million Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Nursing Workforce Diversity (NWD) grant aimed at recruiting, retaining, and graduating American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) nurses pursuing a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in nursing degree. The Pathway initiative currently enrolls the largest cohort of AI/AN DNP students in the nation.
Prior to joining the University of Minnesota, Dr. Wilkie was a professor at Bemidji State University (BSU), where she made history in 2017 as the first in Minnesota to be awarded a HRSA NWD grant. At BSU, she founded and directed Niganawenimaanaanig—Ojibwemowin for “we take care of them”—a $4.2 million federally funded program designed to recruit, retain, graduate, and license American Indian/Alaska Native/Indigenous baccalaureate-prepared nurses.
A nationally recognized leader in nursing education and health equity, Dr. Wilkie co-developed the first American Indian digital clinical simulation in collaboration with Shadow Health/Elsevier, Inc., providing nursing students worldwide with an immersive opportunity to deliver culturally sensitive care to an Indigenous patient.
Dr. Wilkie’s scholarship focuses on supporting minority nursing students, particularly those from American Indian/Alaska Native/Indigenous backgrounds, to improve health outcomes for individuals and Tribal communities. She has served on multiple national committees focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion, and is widely recognized for her work to diversify and strengthen the nursing workforce.
Episode Summary:
In this powerful episode of Don't Eat Your Young, host Beth Quas sits down with Dr. Misty Wilkie, PhD, RN, and Director of the Center of Indigenous People Health and Nursing at the University of Minnesota. Misty shares her inspiring journey from being a young single mother to becoming one of the few American Indian nurses with a PhD.
We explore how her Ojibwemowin heritage shaped her path in nursing, her commitment to mentoring minority nursing students, and her work developing culturally responsive simulation tools. Misty also discusses the importance of building trust, honoring traditions, and providing holistic support to Indigenous nursing students.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- Supporting Indigenous nursing students
- Addressing healthcare disparities
- Cultural humility in clinical training
- The power of mentorship in nursing
Resources & Links:
Connect with Dr. Misty Wilkie on LinkedIn.
Visit Dr. Misty Wilkie’s University of Minnesota page.
Dr. Misty Wilkie’s article about Doctoral Education Pathway for American Indian/Alaska Native Nurses.
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