About the Authors

Wilda Rinehart received an associate’s degree in nursing from Northeast Mississippi Community College in Booneville, Mississippi. After working as a staff nurse and charge nurse, she became a public health nurse and served in that capacity for a number of years. In 1975, she received her nurse practitioner certification in the area of obstetrics-gynecology from the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi. In 1979, she completed her bachelor of science degree in nursing from Mississippi University for Women. In 1980, she completed her master of science degree in nursing from the same university and accepted a faculty position at Northeast Mississippi Community College, where she taught medical-surgical nursing and maternal-newborn nursing. In 1982, she founded Rinehart and Associates Nursing Consultants. For the past 28 years, she and her associates have worked with nursing graduates and schools of nursing to help graduates pass the National Council Licensure Exam for Nursing. She has also worked as a curriculum consultant with faculty to improve test construction. Ms. Rinehart has served as a convention speaker throughout the southeastern United States and as a reviewer of medical-surgical and obstetric texts. She has coauthored materials used in seminars presented by Rinehart and Associates Nursing Review. As the president of Rinehart and Associates, she serves as the coordinator of a company dedicated to improving the quality of health through nursing education.

Dr. Diann Sloan received an associate’s degree in nursing from Northeast Mississippi Community College, a bachelor of science degree in nursing from the University of Mississippi, and a master of science degree in nursing from Mississippi University for Women. In addition to her nursing degrees, she holds a master of science in counseling psychology from Georgia State University and a doctor of philosophy in counselor education, with minors in both psychology and educational psychology, from Mississippi State University. She has completed additional graduate studies in healthcare administration at Western New England College and the University of Mississippi. Dr. Sloan has taught pediatric nursing, psychiatric mental health nursing, and medical surgical nursing in both associate degree and baccalaureate nursing programs. As a member of Rinehart and Associates Nursing Review, Dr. Sloan has conducted test construction workshops for faculty and nursing review seminars for both registered and practical nurse graduates. She has coauthored materials used in the item-writing workshops for nursing faculty and Rinehart and Associates Nursing Review. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau nursing honor society.

Clara Hurd received an associate’s degree in nursing from Northeast Mississippi Community College in Booneville, Mississippi (1975). Her experiences in nursing are clinically based, having served as a staff nurse in medical-surgical nursing. She has worked as an oncology, intensive care, orthopedic, neurological, and pediatric nurse. She received her bachelor of science degree in nursing from the University of North Alabama in Florence, Alabama, and her master of science degree in nursing from the Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, Mississippi. Ms. Hurd is a certified nurse educator. She currently serves as a nurse educator consultant and an independent contractor and has taught in both associate degree and baccalaureate degree nursing programs. She was a faculty member of Mississippi University for Women; Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee; Tennessee State University in Nashville; and Northeast Mississippi Community College. Ms. Hurd joined Rinehart and Associates in 1993. She has worked with students in preparing for the National Council Licensure Exam and with faculty as a consultant in writing test items. Ms. Hurd has also been a presenter at nursing conventions on various topics, including item-writing for nursing faculty. Her primary professional goal is to prepare the student and graduate for excellence in the delivery of healthcare.

About the Contributing Authors

Rosemary Marecle, MSN, BSN, RN. Ms. Marecle received an associate degree in nursing from Northeast Mississippi Community College, a bachelor of science degree in nursing from the University of Alabama (Huntsville), and a master of science degree in nursing from the University of Mississippi. She is a professor of nursing at Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, Mississippi.

Robin Phillips, MSN, BSN, RN. Ms. Phillips received an associate degree in nursing from Northeast Mississippi Community College, a bachelor of science degree in nursing from Mississippi University for Women, and a master of science in nursing Education from Alcorn State University, (Natchez). She is an instructor in medical surgical nursing at Itawamba Community College.

About the Technical Editors

Jamie C. Burns, RN, JD, MPH, has extensive experience in the practice of health law with emphasis on the discipline of radiology. Ms. Burns was one of the original founders of National Imaging Associates, Inc. (NIA), a radiology benefit management company acquired by Magellan Health Services, Inc. (MGLN) in January 2006. At NIA, she held the position of chief legal and compliance officer. She now has a private consulting practice for specialty utilization and care management clients faced with compliance, quality, and accreditation matters.

Maura Cappiello received her bachelor’s degree from Boston College and her master’s degree in healthcare administration from Seton Hall University. She is also a certified case manager and has worked as a staff RN in the NICU and the pediatric home care environment. Currently, she works as the director for staff development for Alere, a case management company.

Jacqueline Ruckel graduated from Boston College with a bachelor’s degree in nursing. She obtained her master’s in nursing from the University of California, San Francisco. She worked for six years as a preoperative nurse practitioner in anesthesia at both University of California San Francisco and the San Francisco Veterans Affairs (VA) medical center. She is currently working at the San Francisco VA as a nurse practitioner in cardiology.

MaryEllen Schwarzbek graduated from Boston College with a BSN and from New York University with a master’s degree in nursing education. She is also certified in oncology nursing. She has worked as a staff RN in medical/surgical and general pediatrics and currently works as a clinical nurse specialist in the genitourinary department of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. She also as an employee wellness educator at Morristown Memorial Hospital.