Bio
Monica Tennant is a Senior Clinical Instructor and joined the School of Nursing in 2021 after decades working as an Acute/Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist (CCNS-APRN) at Emory Healthcare and Piedmont Healthcare. She earned a PhD in Nursing Science from the Byrdine F. Lewis College of Nursing and Health Professions (2025), a Master of Science in Nursing from Mercer University (2007), a Bachelor of Science in Food and Nutrition (1998), and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Florida State University (1997). Dr. Tennant's clinical and research areas of focus are mindfulness, burnout, retention, patient safety indicators, acute and critical care nursing practice, and new graduate nurse transition to practice. She is actively involved in several professional organizations, including the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, Sigma Theta Tau International, American Nurses Association, the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists, the American Holistic Nurses Association, and the Georgia Association for Nursing Education.
Areas of Interest
- Acute & Chronic Care
- Caregiver Well-Being
- Teaching & Learning
Teaching
I view teaching in nursing as a dynamic, collaborative process that values diversity, encourages curiosity, and frames mistakes as essential to evidence-based practice and professional growth. I strive to create a supportive learning environment where students connect across backgrounds, integrate their unique experiences into nursing, and develop the confidence to question, improve, and advance patient care.
Research
My current research interests are the lived experiences of medical-surgical bedside nurses, why they continue in bedside positions longer than 5 years and the impact of mindfulness on their practice. My qualitative phenomenological research study emphasized the internal thoughts, feelings, and experiences of BSN-prepared RNs while they were nursing, highlighting retention was due to personal connections with patients, mindful presence, advocacy, and a love of a fast-paced challenging unit. Additional research aims to identify connections between pre-licensure nursing education and nursing experiences as it impacts retention in acute and critical care bedside roles.
Publications
- Spratling, R., Tennant, M. N., & Lee, J. (2024). Symptom and Technology Management Intervention Usefulness for Caregivers of Children With Tracheostomies and Feeding Tubes. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 01939459241240422.
- Tennant, M.N. (2023). Care of the Patient with Stroke. In Woodall, W. (Ed.), Core Curriculum for Medical-Surgical Nursing (6th ed.). (pp. 615-630). Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses.
- Tennant, M.N. (2019). Clinical Nurse Specialist Outcome: Better Safe than Septic.” Georgia Nursing, 79(4).
- Tennant, M.N. (2014). “Utilization of Chlorhexidine wipes in Perineal/Catheter care for Prevention of Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTI)” Clinical Nurse Specialist, 28(2), E1-E53.
- Tennant, M.N. (2011). “Changes in Modifiable Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Post Cardiac Surgery Patients after Cardiac Discharge Education Class” Virginia Henderson International Nursing e-Repository. October 27, 2011.http://www.nursinglibrary.org/vhl/handle/10755/164296
- Oermann, M., Kardong-Edgren, S., Odom-Maryon, T., Hallmark, B., Hurd, D., Rogers, N., Haus, C., McColgan, J., Snelson, C., Dowdy, S., Resurreccion, L., Kuerschner, D., Lamar, J., Tennant, M.N., Smart, D. (2011). Deliberate Practice of Motor Skills in Nursing Education: CPR as Exemplar." Nursing Education Perspectives, 32(5): 311-5.
- Oermann, M. H., Kardong-Edgren, S. E., McColgan, J. K., Hurd, D., Haus, C., Snelson, C., Kuerschner, D. R., Hallmark, B. F., Rogers, N., Ha, Y., Dowdy, S. W., Tennant, M. T., LaMar, J. (2010) Innovative Approach to Teaching Basic Life Support to Nursing Students: HeartCode™ BLS with Voice Advisory Manikins. Nursing Education Perspectives, 7(1).
Awards & Affiliations
- Southern Nursing Research Society (SNRS) 2026 Rising Star
- Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) Nursing Honor Society, Epsilon Alpha chapter, Research Award 2025
- March of Dimes Nurse of the Year Finalist 2018 and 2019