“I wanted a career that would allow me to help others.” 
 

Cathy Cook, DNP, MSN, APRN, CNM, teaches full-time at Frontier Nursing University. Cathy is currently working as an educator of advanced practice nurses for FNU. She loves seeing students’ excitement about becoming an APN.

• She worked as a certified nurse-midwife in Galesburg, specializing in natural childbirth, before transitioning to full-time teaching.  
• She earned an MSN from Case Western Reserve, her CNM from Frontier Nursing University (FNU) in 1998 and DNP from FNU in 2020.

 
Creating Change for APNs

As part of her commitment to helping others, Cathy joined the ISAPN board in 2021. She wants to help create change for APNs in Illinois.

“Legislation to ensure APNs can function to their scope is important. And, of course, fair pay for work is a big one!”
 

Teaching & Service

Cathy has a long history of service to others. She was awarded the Distinguished Service to Alma Mater Award by FNU in 2022.

Along with her faculty role, Cathy has served as preceptor to more than 260 students over the years.

In an interview with FNU about being a preceptor, she says, “Students teach us as much as we teach them.

“They help us see things through new eyes. Some of us that have been practicing for a long time may not know the newest items in healthcare. Students can teach us those things if we are open and willing to learn from them.”