Kathleen M. Fear, MSN, DNP, CRNA, ARNP

Kathleen Fear, DNP, CRNA, ARNP, is a nurse anesthesia educator and academic leader in the College of Nursing at Creighton University. Her scholarship focuses on simulation-based mastery learning, competency assessment, clinical education, student wellness, and innovative approaches to preparing advanced practice nurses for safe, evidence-based practice.

Dr. Fear earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice, Master of Science in Nursing with specialization in anesthesia, and Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Iowa. Her scholarly work examines how objective assessment, deliberate practice, simulation, and structured remediation can strengthen clinical competence and promote lifelong professional development. Current projects include the development and evaluation of simulation-based mastery learning approaches for high-risk, low-frequency anesthesia skills and competency-based clinical assessment strategies.

Through her scholarship and educational leadership, Dr. Fear seeks to advance nurse anesthesia education beyond traditional measures of participation toward demonstrated mastery, while preparing resilient clinicians committed to continuous learning, patient safety, and excellence in practice.