Meredith Farmer
Bio
Dr. Meredith Farmer is an Assistant Clinical Professor and Director of the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP) Specialty at Emory University's Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing. A board-certified Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Dr. Farmer's career reflects a longstanding commitment to nursing and neonatal health, progressing from Licensed Practical Nurse to earning her Doctor of Nursing Practice in Health System Leadership from Emory University in 2021.
Dr. Farmer began her neonatal career in 2004 at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where early involvement in clinical research sparked a passion for advancing evidence-based neonatal care and strengthening the neonatal nurse practitioner workforce. Her scholarship, leadership, and programmatic initiatives focus on workforce sustainability, role transition, workforce well-being, fatigue and scheduling practices, and innovative educational strategies that support competency development and long-term career success among neonatal advanced practice providers. She is particularly interested in developing evidence-based approaches to improve both provider outcomes and the quality of care for high-risk neonatal populations.
Through her academic and clinical leadership roles, Dr. Farmer is committed to preparing neonatal nurse practitioners to provide high-quality, equitable, and family-centered care while fostering resilient and sustainable careers in advanced practice nursing. Her work emphasizes integrating leadership development, workforce science, and educational innovation to strengthen the future neonatal workforce.
Nationally, Dr. Farmer is an active leader in neonatal and advanced practice nursing organizations. She serves as a Member-at-Large on the National Association of Neonatal Nurses (NANN) Advanced Practice Council and chairs the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) Preceptor Incentive Subcommittee, leading efforts to address preceptor recruitment, engagement, and support across nurse practitioner education. She also contributes to NONPF initiatives that promote inclusive excellence and preceptor development, and serves on the Communications Committee of the Academy of Neonatal Nursing.
Dr. Farmer is an Interprofessional Leadership Fellow with the Woodruff Health Educator Academy and a fellow of Emory University's Course Design and Pedagogy Fellows Program. She served as an Editorial Fellow for the Journal of Perinatal and Neonatal Nursing, is a peer reviewer for multiple nursing and neonatal journals, and contributes to certification and competency assessment as an item writer for the National Certification Corporation.
Through scholarship, leadership, service, and mentorship, Dr. Farmer is dedicated to advancing neonatal nurse practitioner education, strengthening the advanced practice workforce, and improving outcomes for vulnerable infants and their families.
Areas of Interest
- Maternal and Infant Health/Midwifery
- Vulnerable Populations
Teaching
Dr. Farmer's teaching philosophy centers on excellence, innovation, inclusion, and professional formation in neonatal nurse practitioner education. She is committed to preparing future NNPs to deliver evidence-based, equitable, and family-centered care through experiential learning, reflective practice, and mentorship. Her teaching integrates high-fidelity simulation, emerging technologies, and active learning strategies to create immersive educational experiences that strengthen clinical reasoning, diagnostic decision-making, and leadership skills.
As an educator, Dr. Farmer emphasizes developing competent, confident, and resilient advanced practice nurses prepared to thrive in complex healthcare environments. Through individualized mentorship, coaching, and meaningful feedback, she fosters self-directed learning, professional identity development, and lifelong curiosity. Her educational scholarship focuses on innovative approaches to competency development, workforce readiness, and successful transition to advanced practice roles.
Dr. Farmer is dedicated to cultivating inclusive learning environments where diverse perspectives are valued, and every learner feels supported. She believes that excellence in neonatal care begins with excellence in education and is committed to advancing teaching practices that improve learner outcomes, strengthen the neonatal workforce, and ultimately enhance care for vulnerable infants and their families.
Research
Dr. Farmer's program of scholarship focuses on neonatal health and the advancement of the neonatal nurse practitioner workforce. Her research explores workforce sustainability, role transition, professional well-being, competency development, and practice innovation among neonatal nurse practitioners. Through studies of education, mentorship, leadership development, and workforce strategies, she seeks to improve provider resilience, retention, and effectiveness while advancing the quality, safety, and equity of care for high-risk infants and their families.
Publications
1. Farmer, M. L., Bell, T. R., Baker, L. A., Hull, W. L. (2026). Point-of-Care Ultrasound Education in Advanced Practice Nursing: A Scoping Review of Educational Strategies. Nurse Educator https://doi.org/10.1097/NNE.0000000000002279.
2. Hull, W.L., Farmer, M. L., Bell, T. R., Jones, J. M., Bordelon, C. (2026). Radiology Revisited: A Practical Guide for Neonatal Care Providers. Neonatal Network 45(3). DOI: 10.1891/NN-2025-0062.
3. Weiss, A. B., Farmer, M. L., Jones, J. M., Bell, T. R., Hull, W. L. (2026). NNP Enrollment Gaps: Insights from NICU Nurses. Advances in Neonatal Care. ():10.1097/ANC.0000000000001379
4. Bell, T. R., Farmer, M. L., Fitzgerald, J., Hoffman, J., Hull, W., Jones, J., Savin, M. (2026). A Collaborative Writing Group Model for Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Faculty. Nurse Educator. DOI:10.1097/NNE.0000000000002211.
5. Farmer, M.L., Hoffman, J., Gomez, J., Imes, C., & Bell, T. R. (2026). Neonatal Nurse Practitioners’ Perspectives on Fatigue, Safety, and Collaboration During 24-hour Shifts in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Journal of Perinatology. DOI: 10.1038/s41372-026-02736-4.
6. Farmer, M. L., Jones, J. M., Hull, W. L., Weiss, A. B., Bell, T. R. (2026). Building the future NNP workforce: Review barriers and strategies to enrollment. Neonatal Network 45(2). DOI: 10.1891/NN-2025-0061
7. Farmer, M. L., Hull. W., Bell, T.R. (2025). Understanding the emotional and psychological impact of parental stress in the NICU. Neonatal Network 44(6). DOI: 10.1891/NN-2025-0024
8. Hull, W. L., Jones, J., Bell, T., Farmer, M.L., Staggs, J., & Hoffman, J. (2025). Distinguishing the role of the neonatal nurse practitioner in neonatal care. J Perinatol. DOI: 10.1038/s41372-025-02489-6.
9. Bell, T. R., Hoffman, J., Farmer, M. L. (2025). Beyond 12 hours: A national survey of neonatal nurse practitioners’ perception of shift length and professional practice. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioenrs.8(4):236-242. DOI:10.1097/JXX.0000000000001203.
10. Jones, J., Hull. W. L., Farmer, M. L. (2025). Strengthening the Neonatal Workforce: Why the Future of Neonatal Care Depends on Investing in NNPs. The Journal of Pediatrics. DOI:10.1016/j.jpeds.2025.114730
11. Culnan, S., Carlson, A., Farmer, M. L. (2025). Bridging Knowledge and Practice: Insights into Hirschsprung’s Disease and Home Management. Neonatal Network 41(3). DOI:10.1891/NN-2024-0067
12. Farmer, M. L., Hoffman, J., Vance, A.J., Li, Y., Bell, T. R. (2025). Examining Shift Length and Fatigue: A National Study of Neonatal Advanced Practice Providers. Advances in neonatal care:official journal of the National Association of Neonatal Nurses, 25(1): 70-76. DOI:10.1097/ANC.0000000000001220.
13. Farmer, M. L. (2024). Fetomaternal hemorrhage and choriocarcinoma: A case report. Advances in Neonatal Care. 24(5):417-423, DOI: 10.1097/ANC.0000000000001192.
14. Vance, A. J., Farmer, M. L., D'Agata, A., Moore, T., Esser, M., & Fortney, C. A. (2024). NANN membership recommendations: Opportunities to advance racial equity within the organization. Advances in neonatal care: official journal of the National Association of Neonatal Nurses, 24(1), 71–77. doi.org/10.1097/ANC.000000000000111.
15. Farmer M. L. (2021). A neonate with vertical transmission of COVID-19 and acute respiratory failure: A case report. Advances in neonatal care:official journal of the National Association of Neonatal Nurses, 21(6), 482–492. https://doi.org/10.1097/ANC.0000000000000954.
16. Bagwell, G., Duncan, S., & Farmer, M. L. (Guest). (2026, July 16). Voices For Change: Advocating For the Neonatal APRN Role. [76]. In NANNcast, the National Association of Neonatal Nurses Podcast. https://nanncast.podbean.com/e/voices-for-change-advocating-for-the-neonatal-aprn-role/?token=b10d3f130e6da50e2bc7dc7f723a0ad8
Awards & Affiliations
2025: Excellence in Leadership Award; Emory University NHWSON
2025: Rising Star Award; National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculty
2024: MSN Heart of the Student Award; Emory University NHWSON