Summary
Alexa Curtis is a nursing scholar with expansive experience in nursing education, research, APRN clinical practice, and academic leadership. Her career prioritizes improving access to quality healthcare for underserved populations with a particular focus on rural communities, integrated behavioral health in primary care, the prevention and management of substance use disorders, and adolescent health. Her work includes multiple funded workforce development projects designed to expand access to care and improve the pipeline of nurse practitioners prepared to provide quality healthcare for underserved communities. As the co-chair of the California Association for Nurse Practitioners Health Policy and Practice committee, she was instrumental in the passage of AB 890 in California, a historic bill that removed barriers to nurse practitioner practice. She is the co-editor of Nurse Practitioner Clinical Education: A Guide for Educators, Preceptors, and Clinical Partners and a collaborative designer of the Research Step by Step series for the American Journal of Nursing. She maintains a clinical practice in integrative behavioral health in primary care within a rural FQHC. Dr. Curtis was the 2020 recipient of the California Association of Nurse Practitioners Bridging Healthcare Needs award and is an American Association of Nurse Practitioners Fellow.
Academic experience
- Associate Dean for Research and Innovation & Endowed Professor: University of Nevada, Reno (2024-present)
- Associate/Assistant Dean and Professor: University of San Francisco, School of Nursing and Health Professions (2020-2024)
- Director of Nurse Practitioner Programs and Associate Professor: University of San Francisco, School of Nursing and Health Professions (2013-2020)
- Graduate Nursing Coordinator and Assistant Professor: California State University, Sacramento (2007-2013)
Funded projects (select)
- Improving the Holistic Health of Migrant and Immigrant Populations Through Collaborative Binational Nursing Teaching and Scholarship. Project Director (2023). USF Jesuit Foundation; $5,000
- Granite Wellness Youth Resiliency Project. Project Director (2021-2022; 2019-2020). California Department of Health Care Services, Youth Opioid Response, CA (DHCS: 18-95471). $1,000,000
- Nurse Practitioners and Communities Together (NPCT): Providing Accessible Behavioral Health Care Through Engaged Clinical Training. Project Director (2019-2024). Health Resource and Services Administration (HRSA): T94HP32907-01-00. $2,419,864
- Advancing Drug & Opioid Prevention and Treatment (ADOPT). Co-PI (2018-2021). Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): 1H79T1081654-01. Co-PI. $149,339.
- Song Brown California Healthcare FNP Workforce Development Award. Project Director (2015, 2017). California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD): 14-10616/16:7787. Project Director. $298,000.
- San Francisco SBIRT Interprofessional Training Collaboration. Co-PI. (2014-2017). Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): 1U79TI025404-01. $315,000.
Peer-reviewed journal publications
- Keeler, C., & Curtis, A. C. (2024). Descriptive and inferential statistics in nursing research. American Journal of Nursing, 124(1), 48-52.
- Curtis, A. C., & Keeler, C. (2023). Sample size planning in quantitative nursing research. American Journal of Nursing, 123(11), 43–46.
- Satterfield, J. M., Kryzhanovskaya, I., Werder, K., Reynolds, S., & Curtis, A. C. (2022). Transforming an educational ecosystem for substance use disorders: A multi-modal model for continuous curricular improvement and institutional change. Substance Abuse, 43(1), 1953–1962
- Keeler, C., & Curtis, A. C. (2023). Introduction to statistical hypothesis testing in nursing research. American Journal of Nursing, 123(7), 53–33.
- Keeler, C., & Curtis, A. C. (2023). Architecture of a research study. American Journal of Nursing, 123(5), 59–62.
- Curtis, A. C., & Keeler, C. (2022). Interpretive methodologies in qualitative nursing research. American Journal of Nursing, 122(10), 45–49.
- Curtis, A. C. & Keeler, C. (2022). An introduction to qualitative methods for the nurse researcher. American Journal of Nursing, 122(8), 52–56.
- Curtis, A. C., & Keeler, C. (2022). Diagnostic studies: Measures of accuracy in nursing research. American Journal of Nursing, 122(6), 44–49.
- Curtis, A. (2022). Practicing gratitude to combat despair: Discovered joy in addictions nursing. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 34, 786–788.
- Werder, K., Curtis, A., Reynolds, S., & Satterfield, J. (2022). Addressing bias and stigma in the language we use with persons with opioid use disorder: A narrative review. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, 28(1), 9–22.
- Curtis, A. C., Werder, K., Reynolds S., & Satterfield, J. (2021). Questioning precedent in unprecedented times: Psychosocial interventions supporting medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD). Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 59(4), 2–4.
- Keeler, C., & Curtis, A. C. (2022). Case-control studies. American Journal of Nursing, 122(2), 51–56
- Keeler, C., & Curtis, A. C. (2022). Secondary data in nursing research. American Journal of Nursing, 122(4), 58–61.
- Curtis, A. C., & Keeler, C. (2021). Measurement in nursing research. American Journal of Nursing, 121(6), 56–60.
- Curtis, A. C., & Keeler, C. (2021). Sampling design in nursing research. American Journal of Nursing, 121(3), 53–57.
- Curtis, A. C., Satre, D., Sarovar, V., Ly, K., Wamsley, M., & Satterfield. J. (2019). A mobile app to promote alcohol and drug SBIRT skill translation among multi-disciplinary health care trainees: Results of a randomized controlled trial. Substance Abuse, 11, 1–10.
- Curtis, A. C., Khanh, L., Satre, D. D., Wamsely, M., & Satterfield, J. (2019). Implementation of alcohol and drug screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT): Nurse practitioner learner perspectives on a mobile app. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 31(4), 219–225.
- Wamsley, M., Satterfield, J., Curtis, A. C., Lundgren, L., & Satre, D. D. (2018). Alcohol and drug screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT) training and implementation: Perspectives from four health professions. Journal of Addiction Medicine, 12(4), 262–272.
- Curtis, A. C., & Sattler, B. (2018). Organophosphate insecticide exposure: A clinical consideration of chlorpyrifos regulation. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 30(5), 299–304.
- Hobson, A., & Curtis, A. C. (2017). Improving the care of veterans: The role of nurse practitioners in team-based population health management. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 9(11), 644–650.
- Satre, D. D., Ly, K., Wamsley, M., Curtis, A. C., & Satterfield, J. M. (2017). A digital tool to promote alcohol and drug use SBIRT skill translation from classroom to clinic: Protocol for mobile app development and randomized control trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 6(4), e55.
- Curtis, A. C. (2015). Defining adolescence. Journal of Adolescent and Family Health, 7(2).
- Curtis, A. C., Waters, C. M., & Brindis, C. D. (2010). Rural adolescent health: The importance of prevention services in the rural community. Journal of Rural Health, 27(1), 60–71.
Awards and honors
- DAISY Nurse Leader Award in Advancing Compassionate Care in Policy with the ACNL Health Policy Committee (2024)
- Professional Educator Annual California State Award (2022)
- Fellow: American Association of Nurse Practitioners (2021)
- Bridging Health Care Needs California Association for Nurse Practitioners Annual Practice Leadership Award (2020)
- Best Legislative/Government Article 2019, Silver Award: American Society of Healthcare Publication Editors (2019)
- Hometown Hero Award for Service to Community Youth (2001)
- Silver Springs Outstanding Community Partner Award (1998)
Education
- Ph.D. Nursing: University of California, San Francisco
- M.S.N.: Family Health Clinical Specialist/Family Nurse Practitioner, University of San Diego
- M.P.H.: University of San Francisco
- B.S.N: University of Pennsylvania
Professional certifications
- Train New Trainers (TNT) Primary Care Psychiatry Fellowship: University of California, Irvine School of Medicine
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Post-doctoral Certificate: University of San Francisco
- Family Nurse Practitioner: ANCC
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner: ANCC
- Addictions Registered Nurse, Advanced Practice: ANCB
- Public Health Nurse: California
- Registered Nurse: California/Nevada