Paula Cuthrell, DNP, APRN-CNP, is a nurse practitioner and APRN education consultant within the Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. During her 22 years as a practicing APRN, she has focused her clinical role on the care of pediatric and young adult patients in the areas of bone marrow transplantation, immunology and hematology / oncology practice. Paula completed eight years as an APRN lead within the Department of Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Her interests and Doctor of Nursing Practice research endeavors have been concentrated on the professional development of post graduate APRNs with Master’s Degree preparation and the study of their successful transition to practice needs within the Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute. Following completion of her DNP, Paula has developed a monthly education series for APRNs and Nurses entitled “CBDI Education Series”. This program offers continuing education credit and APRN pharmacology credit for the nurse practitioners and nurses within Cancer Blood Diseases Institute and across other departments. This education series has also been added to the CME cloud for access year round. Future work will be focused on developing a continuing education Simulation Program that will be developed to enhance critical thinking skills of all APRNs and RNs within Oncology practice.

Paula has worked as Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center's director of nursing on the Inpatient BMT unit and the outpatient Hem/Onc/BMT Clinic during her past roles in nursing leadership over the course of the past 36 years. Overall accomplishments include development of the OR #25 for the Cancer Blood Diseases Institute patients who needed clinical procedures with sedation in the Outpatient Hem/Onc/BMT clinic and completion of a Quality Improvement Project (I2S2) regarding changes leading to an upfront triage system where nurses assessed the immediate needs of patients as they entered the clinic setting, prior to going into an exam room. The OR #25 and the triage system remains in support of patient care to this day.