Defining Nursing from the Inside Out
At Trinity College of Nursing, Tina Decker believes in nurses as professionals, skilled and educated practitioners whose impact reaches far beyond the bedside. That belief has shaped her work for more than 16 years as a nurse educator, where she has dedicated her career to preparing students to deliver safe, compassionate, and high-quality care.
Trinity, Start to End
Decker’s nursing career, while far from complete, begins and comes full circle with Trinity Christian College. Attending Trinity as a nursing student, she developed a strong foundation in providing compassionate care rooted in the college’s mission which incorporates evidence-based teaching and learning strategies to develop professionals who promote the health and well-being of their communities. Her experience within Trinity’s program not only shaped her ability as a care provider, but also inspired her path as a nursing leader and educator.
Starting her professional career as a labor and delivery nurse, Decker supported patients through some of life’s most meaningful moments. Ultimately, she discovered her passion for education from the bedside. Returning to Trinity as an educator, she kicked off a career path that would shape the next 16 years. Over the course of her tenure, including 12 years as department chair, her work has remained grounded in the same values she first learned as a student.
Now, as Trinity’s nursing program prepares to close, Decker’s time there comes full circle. From student to teacher to leader, her entire journey in nursing education has taken place within the same institution, one she has remained committed to through its final chapter.
“Through really high-quality education, students can go on to be compassionate, caring, and safe nurses. And that impact extends far beyond the classroom into the communities they serve.”
Building Nurses Who Can Thrive, Not Just Survive
“Being practice-ready isn’t just about caring for others; it’s about knowing how to care for yourself, invest in your wellness, and prevent burnout so you can sustain your role in the profession.”
At the heart of Decker’s work is a clear and intentional goal: preparing nurses to be truly ready for the realities of practice. And for Decker, “practice-ready” begins with a strong foundation in competence.
She emphasizes that students must graduate with the clinical knowledge and critical thinking skills necessary to provide safe, effective care from the start. Technical ability alone isn’t enough.
“I think there are a couple of different aspects of safe care. It’s extremely important to be ready to provide safe care for others, and that requires competency, so there’s a lot of knowledge that goes into becoming a nurse to be able to give safe care. But then I think that when we’re talking about safe and compassionate care, a graduate has to know how to give safe and compassionate care to themselves as well.”
Caring for Others and Themselves
That commitment extends beyond patient care to include something often overlooked in nursing education: self-care. Through a course she created, Wellness for Helping Professionals, students learn to regularly assess their own physical, emotional, and professional well-being and develop habits that help prevent burnout and sustain long-term careers in nursing.
At the same time, Decker works to shape how students see themselves within the profession. She challenges young nurses to move beyond task-based thinking and instead embrace nursing as a science and a professional discipline.
“There’s still a misconception that nursing is just following orders, but nursing is a science, and a unique one. Nurses assess, advocate, educate, and make critical decisions, and that needs to be recognized.”
Defining Nursing and Defending It
Central to nursing as a professional identity is the ability to advocate, not only for patients, but for the profession itself. That belief is reflected in her curriculum, where students engage directly with policy and legislation through hands-on assignments like tracking real bills and analyzing their impact on nursing practice.
“Students may not come into nursing interested in policy or legislation, but once they engage with it, they begin to understand its value and how it shapes the care they’re able to provide.”
By introducing advocacy early, Decker ensures that graduates understand how deeply healthcare is shaped by policy and how important it is for nurses to have a voice in those decisions.
“Rather than letting others define our profession, we have to define it ourselves and then advocate for that definition at every level.”
Looking ahead, she also prepares students to navigate emerging challenges, including the rapid rise of artificial intelligence in healthcare. While she recognizes its potential, she is clear about its limits. “AI is going to push us to clearly define what belongs to nursing… and that’s going to shape the future of the profession.”
Preparing for the Future of Nursing
Beyond the classroom, Decker’s commitment to the nursing profession extends into advocacy through her active role on the IACN Government Affairs Board. There, she works to help shape legislation and licensure processes that directly impact nursing education and practice.
“Nursing is defined by legislation, which means we have a responsibility to be involved in the legislative process, because it directly impacts how we care for patients and communities.”
As Trinity’s nursing program prepares to close after 40 years, Decker reflects on its legacy with pride while remaining focused on the future.
“The nursing program has been here for 40 years and has done an excellent job, and I’ll continue that commitment to nursing education in whatever comes next.”
Get Involved:
Nursing advocacy starts with awareness and grows through action. Whether it’s staying informed on legislation, connecting IACN, or participating in local and national advocacy efforts, every voice plays a role in advancing the profession.
“Nurses are the largest healthcare profession, but we don’t always have a voice that matches our size. It’s critical that we come together and advocate for ourselves and those we care for.”