Across the United States, nursing schools are facing a dual challenge: a shortage of qualified faculty paired with a surge in student enrollment. This national trend is evident at Ball State University, where more than 500 freshmen and transfer students have declared nursing as their major for the Fall 2024 semester.
Amid this growing demand, Ball State embarked on a nationwide search to find a successor for Dr. Linda Siktberg, who retired last Spring after more than 40 years of dedicated service as director of the School of Nursing. Finding the right leader to guide the program through this critical period was essential.
During the search, Dr. Karrie Osborne, a longtime member of the School of Nursing faculty, stepped in as interim director. Her commitment to the school and her decade-long service did not go unnoticed.
On July 1, Dr. Osborne officially assumed the full-time director role, marking the next chapter in her deep and positive connection with Ball State.
“A number of candidates were screened. However, we recognized the talent from within,” said Dr. Scott Rutledge, dean of the College of Health. “Dr. Karrie Osborne has shown her commitment to the School of Nursing for more than a decade.”
Her Ball State Journey
Dr. Osborne graduated from Ball State in 2001 with an undergraduate degree in nursing. Post-graduation, she started her career at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital, where she remained for the next 20 years, primarily working in critical care areas such as the ICU, open heart recovery, and the cardiac intensive care unit.
In 2012, she completed her master’s degree in the educator track at Ball State’s School of Nursing and began teaching at the University the following year. Dr. Osborne watched as the new College of Health took shape, bringing together several health-related programs and departments to provide comprehensive education in health and wellness disciplines. She was heavily involved in the planning for the Health Professions Building, which opened in 2019. Her previous role was the director of nursing simulation, and she is particularly proud of the new simulation labs that aid in student education.
“The space we have now is incredible,” Dr. Osborne said. “We have so much clinical simulation space with natural light. It will also give us the room we need to grow and expand. We are doing many of the same things we always have, but now we’re able to do them better.”
Dr. Osborne also noted the benefits of sharing space with other health disciplines and collaborating with other departments in ways they hadn’t been able to before. Also, with a new building comes new technology and tools.
“We have an exciting new birthing simulator. And she [the simulator] is pretty cool because her eyes will track you— actually move to track people in the environment,” Dr. Osborne said. “She can give birth, which is pretty interesting. When we hook her up to the fetal heart monitor, we can do some simulations and different changes that might indicate complications with the birth. Or you can even look at what’s normal with a fetal heart monitor, so it’s a little more realistic. She also looks more real. Her hair, her skin—it all looks more life-like.”
Dr. Osborne’s commitment to education and nursing continued as she pursued her doctoral degree, which she completed in 2022. Her research focused on nursing student engagement, specifically in clinical and simulation experiences.
Looking Ahead
With her extensive background in practical nursing and academic research, Dr. Osborne brings a wealth of experience to her new role as the director of the School of Nursing. From a dedicated nurse to a passionate educator and researcher, her commitment to the field of nursing and to the students and faculty she will now lead is clear.
“I want to find new ways to support undergraduate students—bridging those gaps before they apply to the School of Nursing in their sophomore year,” Dr. Osborne said. “I want to streamline some application processes to make them more user-friendly. I also plan to look at facilitating growth within our faculty, supporting their goals, and getting them to the next level.”
As she steps into this role, Dr. Osborne’s blend of practical experience and academic expertise positions her to make significant contributions to the program and its students.
“I could not be more pleased to continue to work with Dr. Osborne, who served as director of simulation for several years,” Dr. Rutledge said. “She has proven to be collaborative, unflappable, and very knowledgeable about local and state health needs. She won the support of her colleagues and will no doubt help us achieve even greater recognition of the skills our nursing alumni bring to our communities.”
