Desiree Mullis Clement
Bio
Desireé Clement, DNP, APRN, CNM, FNP-BC, FACNM, FAANP, FAAN, is the Assistant Dean for Academic Operations & Associate Professor at Emory University, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing. As an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), she currently holds two APRN certifications: Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) and Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP). Dr. Clement holds Fellowships in the American College of Nurse Midwives, American Association of Nurse Practitioners, and the American Academy of Nursing. As a proud US Navy Veteran, she is also a nationally recognized expert in women’s health and state-level health policy particularly related to nursing scope of practice.
Dr. Clement received her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and Family Nurse Practitioner post-graduate certification from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. She also completed a Master of Science degree in Nursing with dual specialty certificates in Nurse-Midwifery and Nursing Education along with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Maryland, in Baltimore, MD. In 1996, she received her initial nursing training diploma to become a registered nurse from Sentara Norfolk General Hospital School of Nursing, in Norfolk, VA (currently Sentara College of Health Sciences).
In 2013, after delivering more than 2,000 babies, she transitioned full-time into academe. She taught for a few years with Mercer University in their FNP program before coming to Emory University, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing to teach in their FNP and Midwifery programs. She has also held leadership roles as their Asst. Dean for Clinical Advancement, Asst. Dean for Graduate Clinical Programs, Nurse Midwifery Specialty Director FNP Specialty Director, & the Dual Specialty Coordinator: Family Nurse Practitioner + Midwifery Program. She maintains an active clinical practice in primary care and women’s health, along with sustained teaching commitments for advancing scholarship through multiple publications and presentations.
As a highly respected nurse leader, Dr. Clement has distinguished herself as a policy influencer. She has increased the visibility of APRNs at the state and national levels. Working in coalition with other advanced nursing practice groups, she has worked within the state legislature to help advise legislators on bills addressing the need to remove barriers on advanced nursing practice to assist with increasing access to healthcare. She has been called upon multiple times, by the Georgia legislature, to provide legislative testimony on behalf of nursing practice. Her health policy work, teaching, and research in Georgia was recognized at the national level by receiving the 2025 State Award for Outstanding Contributions, American Association of Nurse Practitioners, an award given out to only one nurse practitioner per state who has made a significant impact in their state.
Dr. Clement has also served in leadership roles for the following professional nursing organizations of American College of Nurse Midwives, ACNM Georgia Affiliate and National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF), Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, Georgia Coalition of APRNs, and United APRNs of Georgia. In 2022, the Emory nurse midwifery program students nominated her for a national teaching award, resulting in her receiving the Excellence in Teaching Award, from the American College of Nurse Midwives. Dr. Clement has also received student and faculty nominated awards within the Emory School of Nursing: the MSN Program Heart of the Students Award, Excellence in Leadership Award from the Dean, and the Team Excellence in Crisis Award: for the Office of Education. In 2011, while working as a Midwife for the Kaiser Permanente Medical Group, she received from her patients an Atlanta Journal Constitution (AJC): Excellence in Nursing Award Nomination.
Areas of Interest
- Health Policy
- Maternal And Infant Health Midwifery
- Teaching & Learning
- Womens Health
Teaching
I am a passionate nurse educator who enjoys teaching the next generation of future APRNs. During my years in academe, I have mastered curriculum development, test item writing and analysis, and early adoption of simulation activities that can assist with meeting the students learning needs and preparation to fulfill their role within healthcare. I am able to draw upon extensive clinical experience to assist with translating concepts and application of new knowledge to be gained. I like to incorporate a variety of tools and use of technology to meet student learning styles and course objectives.
Research
My areas of research focus mainly on developing innovative teaching strategies, interdisciplinary simulation education, health policy focused on removing barriers on APRN practice to improve access to care, and women’s health.
Publications
- Clement,D.M. contributor & peer reviewer. National Organization of NursePractitioner Faculties. (2022). A Tool Kit: Integration of Health PolicyEducation Throughout DNP Nurse Practitioner Curricula. National Organization ofNurse Practitioner Faculties NONPF.org. https://www.nonpf.org/page/OtherEducationalResources?&hhsearchterms=%22policy+and+toolkit%22
- Cook, C., Becklenberg, A., Leppke, A., Clement, D.M., Downes, E., & Evans,D. (2021). Telehealth headache simulation for Nurse Practitioner studentsduring the COVID-19 pandemic. Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain,61(S1),158-159. https://headachejournal.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/head.14130
- Reyes, I., Clement, D., Sheridan, T., Abraham, C., & Wright, P. (2019, July, in press: E-Pub.) Connecting with Students: Using audio-enhanced discussion boards in a nursing curriculum. Nurse Educator, 45(2) 71–72. doi: 10.1097/NNE.0000000000000714
- Clement, D. (2018). Factors Influencing Georgia Legislators’ Decision-Making on Nurse Practitioner Scope of Practice. Policy, Politics, & Nursing Practice, 19(3–4), 91–99. doi: 10.1177/1527154418817036
- Branch, R., Cole, K., Gibbons, W., Clement, D.M., & Wands, L.M. (2025, March). Piloting an interdisciplinary simulation-based educational experience with Nurse Anesthesia, Nurse Midwifery, and Pre-licensure Nursing students. Clinical Simulation in Nursing, 100, 101690. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecns.2025.101690
- Li, Y., Howell, J. & Clement, D.M. (2024, December 14). Comment on Rheindorf et al. “Getting midwives back to hospitals: A discrete choice experiment.” International Journal of Nursing Studies. Comment posted on 19 September 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2024.104984
- Giordano, N., Phan, Q., Kimble, L., Chicas, R., Brasher, S., Wiltse Nicely, K., Sheridan, T., Starks, S., Ferranti, E., Moore, E., Clement, D.M., Weston, J.B., Febres-Cordero, S., Chance-Revels, R., Woods, E., Baker, H., Muirhead, L., Stapel-Wax, J., Jones, K.D., & Swan, B. (2024). The nurse-led equitable learning framework for training programs: A framework to grow, bolster and diversify the nursing and public health workforce. Journal of Professional Nursing, 53, 25-34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2024.04.006
- Brockett-Walker, C., Moore, E., Okolie, V., Moss, E., Meissen, H., & Clement, D.M. (2026, April). From clinician to educator: An evidence-based guide for APRNs transitioning to academic roles- The PEIS Model. The Nurse Practitioner, 51(4), 32-38. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NPR.0000000000000423
Awards & Affiliations
- 2025 State Award for Outstanding Contributions, American Association of Nurse Practitioners on behalf of the state of Georgia
- 2022 Fellow of American Academy of Nursing
- 2022 Fellow of American Association of Nurse Practitioners
- 2022 National Teaching Award- "Excellence in Teaching Award",American College of Nurse Midwives
- 2022 Excellence in Leadership Award, Emory University Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing
- 2021 MSN Heart of the Students Award, Emory University Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing
- 2019, Fellow, American College of Nurse Midwives
- 2018 Fellow, Institute of Developing Nations (IDN) Thought Leader Fellowship (Emory University Faculty Nomination)
- 2017 Award Nomination, Jean Thomas Creativity in Teaching Award, Alpha Epsilon Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International (Emory University Faculty Nomination)
- 2015 Scholarship Award, Elijah Nevins Kirkpatrick Scholarship for Exceptional Academic Merit (Vanderbilt University)
- 2011 Award Nomination, Atlanta Journal Constitution (AJC): Excellence in Nursing (Midwife, Kaiser Permanente Medical Group)
- 2004 Honor Induction, Cambridge Who’s Who Registry of Executives & Professionals
- 2002 Honor Induction, Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities & Colleges
- 2001 Honor Induction, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing
- 2001 Scholarship Award, Helene Fuld Scholar (University of Maryland)