About
April Loeffler, DNP, is a clinical associate professor of nursing. She has nearly 20 years of professional nursing experience that includes clinical practice, education and system-level leadership.
She began her career at the bedside in maternal/newborn nursing. After discovering a passion for nursing education, she accepted a position in academia where she served more than 11 years as a full-time faculty in undergraduate nursing education. Her academic experience includes both didactic and clinical teaching, simulation-based education, faculty development, study abroad, multi-campus course coordination and program administration. Most recently, she was a national director of clinical professional development for a multi-state healthcare system, with a focus on clinical competency and interprofessional continuing education.
In each of these roles, Loeffler has found opportunities to make a positive difference in the lives of others, but she finds the most joy and fulfillment in helping people – especially future nurses – develop their potential and achieve their goals.
Loeffler holds national certifications in inpatient obstetric nursing and nursing professional development, and an international certification as a healthcare simulation educator.
Awards & Honors
- Best Overall DNP Project Poster, The University of Oklahoma, 2025
- Third Place for Nurse-Led Innovation Project, Oklahoma Partners in Quality Conference, Sigma Theta Tau, 2025
- Region 2 President, Oklahoma Nurses Association, 2023
- Nightingale Award of Excellence, Oklahoma Nurses Association, 2021
- Excellence in Clinical Teaching Award, The University of Oklahoma College of Nursing, 2019
- National Nominating Committee, Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses, 2016-18
- Nurse of the Year Women’s Health, March of Dimes, 2015
- Excellence in Academic Teaching Award, The University of Oklahoma, 2014
Education
- DNP, The University of Oklahoma
- DNP Project: “Improving the Health of the Work Environment through Nurse Manager Development”
Research Interests & Areas of Expertise
- Nursing professional development
- Leadership
- Nurse manager development
- Competency
- Healthy work environment
- Simulation-based healthcare education
- Interprofessional healthcare education