Nurse Educator Recruitment Campaign

Randolph Rasch, PhD, RN, FNP
Professor and Program Director, Family Nurse Practitioner Specialty
Vanderbilt University School of Nursing

Randolph Rasch is the first black male to earn a PhD in nursing and the first black male to earn a master's of science in nursing degree as a family nurse practitioner. He has been teaching since 1975 and has worked as a public health nurse and family nurse practitioner. He initially became an educator because teaching is a way to multiply his ability to provide care for people.

"In practice, care is directly provided to individuals, families and communities. In teaching, you can still provide that care and prepare more nurses to provide care," Rasch said. "I was interested in the campaign because it was a way to encourage other nurses to consider nursing education. It is something that I have done with my students since I first started teaching."