Photo of Sperry, Amanda

Amanda Sperry, DNP, RN, PEL-CSN, NCSN

Clinical Assistant Professor

Department of Population Health Nursing Science

Pronouns: She/Her

Contact

Building & Room:

UIC College of Nursing, Urbana Regional Campus

Address:

625 S. Wright St. Suite 223, Champaign, IL 61820

Office Phone:

217.244.1795

About

Dr. Amanda Sperry is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health Nursing Science at UIC College of Nursing, Urbana Regional Campus. Since 2019, Dr. Sperry has guided future nurses in the classroom and clinical settings in the baccalaureate and graduate programs. Dr. Sperry serves as a practice mentor for UIC DNP students and is a member of the UIC Faculty Executive Committee, Transitions to Nursing, and IT Committees.

Dr. Sperry is an experienced Certified School Nurse who focuses on advocating for the health of school-aged children and the school nursing profession. She holds national certification and an Illinois professional educators license in school nursing. She has worked in schools for 19 years and shares her expertise in school nursing by precepting school nurse certificate students at UIC and Illinois State University. She also serves as a school nurse consultant for the Regional Office of Education serving the Illinois counties of Champaign, Ford, and Vermilion. Dr. Sperry continues to focus on the orientation, training, and preparation of school nurses in Illinois.

Dr. Sperry is a member of the National Association of School Nurses in addition to the Illinois Association of School Nurses where she has served as executive board Treasurer since 2022. She is a member of the Illinois Rural Health Association, the Association of Public Health Nurses, Midwest Nursing Research Society, Sigma Theta Tau, and the Association of Community Health Nursing Educators where she serves as a member of their Awards Committee. Dr. Sperry was recently recognized as a 2023 Illinois Board of Higher Education fellow and grant recipient.

Selected Grants

Illinois Nurses Foundation; Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, STD Toolkits for Schools, Principle Investigator

University of Illinois Chicago, Office of Global Engagement, Study Abroad Program Development Grant: NUEL 394 Cultrue and Population Health: summer elective in Ireland, Co-faculty

Illinois Board of Higher Education, 2023 Nurse Educator Fellow, Awardee

Selected Publications

Sperry, A., & Yonkaitis, C. F. (2024). Establishing a school nurse mentoring network. NASN School Nurse, 39(4), 192-197. doi:10.1177/1942602X231222028

Service to Community

UNIVERSITY SERVICE

2024 – present            Faculty Executive Committee, College of Nursing

2023 – present            Urbana Advisory Council for Curricular Revision Implementation, College of Nursing

2023, Fall                    GE Curricular Revision Workgroup, College of Nursing

2023 – present            WHO/PAHO Term of Reference Activities workgroup, College of Nursing

2023 – present            Information Technology Committee, College of Nursing

2023, Spring               BSN Curricular Revision Workgroup, College of Nursing

2023, Fall                    Mentor/Preceptor, Teaching/Learning in Nursing and Health Sciences Certificate Program student, College of Nursing

2023, Spring               Preceptor, School Nurse Certificate Program student, College of Nursing

2021 – present            Transitions to Nursing Committee, College of Nursing

2020, Spring               Preceptor, School Nurse Certificate Program student, College of Nursing

2020 – present            Pre-Licensure Course Coordinator Committee, College of Nursing

2019 – 2020                Practice Mentor, DNP student, College of Nursing

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE

2024, Fall                    Preceptor, School Nurse Certificate Program student, Illinois State University, Bloomington, IL

2024 – present            Nursing Experts: Translating the Evidence Phase 6 (NExT6) Committee

2024 – present            Partnership Toolkit Committee, Association of Community Health Nursing Educators and Association of Public Health Nurses

2023 – present            Awards Committee, Association of Community Health Nursing Educators

2022 – present            Treasurer, Illinois Association of School Nurses, Board of Directors

2021                               Inquiry & Innovation Committee, Illinois Association of School Nurses

2020, Fall                    Preceptor, School Nurse Certificate Program student, Illinois State University, Bloomington, IL

Education

Bachelor of Science in Nursing - University of Illinois Chicago, Urbana Campus, Illinois

School Nurse Certificate Program - University of Illinois Chicago, Illinois

Master of Science in Nursing Education - Olivet Nazarene University, Bourbonnais, Illinois

Doctor of Nursing Practice, Advanced Population Health Nursing - University of Illinois Chicago, Illinois

Licensures and Certifications

RN -Registered Nurse - Illinois Department of Professional Regulation, Illinois

PEL-CSN - Professional Educator License - Certified School Nurse, Illinois State Board of Education, Illinois

NCSN - National Board for Certification of School Nurses

Professional Memberships

IASN - Illinois Association of School Nurses

NASN - National Association of School Nurses

APHN - Association of Public Health Nurses

ACHNE - Association of Community Health Nurse Educators

IRHA - Illinois Rural Health Association

SST - Sigma Theta Tau International Society of Nursing

Selected Presentations

NATIONAL PODIUM (senior author underlined) 

Sperry, A., Yonkaitis, C. F., & Moss, E. (2024). Transitioning to school nursing: An orientation toolkit. Association of Community Health Nursing Educators 2024 Annual Institute, Chicago, IL.

REGIONAL PODIUM (senior author underlined)

Sperry, A. & Noga, M. (2024, October). Delegation in the school setting. Illinois Association of School Nurses 67th Annual Conference, Bloomington, IL.

Sperry, A. (2024, October). School nurse network: Champaign County in-service. Regional Office of Education SchoolWorks, Champaign, IL.

Sperry, A. & Moss, E. (2024, August). School Nurse Orientation Workshop: Pilot Study Year 2, Springfield, IL.

Sperry, A. & Moss, E. (2023, August). School Nurse Orientation Workshop: Pilot Study Year 1, Urbana, IL.

Sperry, A. (2023, October). School nurse network: Vermilion County in-service. Regional Office of Education SchoolWorks, Bismarck, IL.

Sperry, A. (2023, April). School nurse network: End-of-year updates. Regional Office of Education SchoolWorks, Champaign, IL.

 Sperry, A. (2023, January). School nurse network: Mid-year updates. Regional Office of Education SchoolWorks, Champaign, IL.

Sperry, A. (2022, November). School nurse network: Updates. Regional Office of Education SchoolWorks, Champaign, IL.

Sperry, A. (2022, October). School nursing: Acronym soup. Regional Office of Education #11, Charleston, IL.

Sperry, A. (2022, August). School nurse network: Back to school tips. Regional Office of Education SchoolWorks, Champaign, IL.

Sperry, A. (2022, May). School nurse network: End-of-year reports. Regional Office of Education SchoolWorks, Champaign, IL.

POSTER PRESENTATIONS (senior author underlined) 

Sperry, A., Yonkaitis, C. F., & Moss, E. (2024). Transitioning to school nursing: An orientation toolkit. Midwest Nursing Research Society 48th Annual Research Conference DNP Student Poster Session, Minneapolis, MN. 

Sperry, A., Yonkaitis, C. F., & Moss, E. (2023). Transitioning to school nursing: An orientation toolkit. Illinois Association of School Nurses 66th Annual Conference, Joliet, IL.

Betka, A., & Sperry, A. (2019). Running to reduce obesity in a rural school. Illinois Association of School Nurses 62nd Annual Conference Poster Session, Hoffman Estates, IL.

Research Currently in Progress

Orientation Practices in School Nursing