Debra Witmer

Debra Witmer, Honours Bachelor of Science - Nursing (BScN)

Debra Witmer

RN, BScN, MHSc
Professor and Program Coordinator (year two), Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing

Email: deb.witmer@georgiancollege.ca

Phone: 705.728.1968, ext. 5425

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Biography

Debra Witmer began her career at Georgian College in 2001 and currently teaches in the first year of both the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) and Practical Nursing programs in the simulation environment. She also co-ordinates the second year of the BScN program.

Debra’s interests include simulation, debriefing, maternal and newborn health, as well as breastfeeding.

She has nursing experience in the hospital, public health, consulting, nursing regulation and academia.

Debra obtained a Master of Health Sciences (Health Promotion) degree from the University of Toronto, and a BScN degree from McMaster University.

Nursing offers the privilege and responsibility of helping others to improve, maintain or protect their health. This occurs at the individual, family, community or global level. The same privilege extends from my nursing practice to my teaching practice, where the privilege to work with future nurses and colleagues to facilitate their learning exists. Students challenge us as teachers to be open to new perspectives, to be creative and to strive to always be at our best.

Debra Witmer
Educational credentials and qualificationsGeorgian College Chevron
  • Master of Health Science (MHSc), University of Toronto, Toronto ON, 1991
    • Concentration: Health promotion and health administration
  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN), McMaster University, Hamilton ON, 1987
Career highlightsGeorgian College Chevron
  • Teaching Excellence Award, 2017
  • Program Accreditation Lead, Georgian College and York University collaborative BScN program
  • Quality Assurance Program Lead, College of Nurses of Ontario
ResearchGeorgian College Chevron

Research interests

  • Simulation
  • Face-to-face and virtual simulation
  • Debriefing

Research projects

  • Exploring the impact of a virtual asynchronous debriefing method after a virtual simulation game to support clinical decision-making
    • Role: Co-Primary investigator
    • Year funded: 2021
    • Funded by: Georgian College Research, Innovation, Scholarship, Entrepreneurship (RISE)
  • Getting to the root of it: How do faculty address professional boundaries, role expansion and intra-professional collaboration?
    • Role: Researcher
    • Year funded: 2018
    • Funded by: Registered Practical Nurses Association of Ontario (RPNAO)
PublicationsGeorgian College Chevron

Featured publications

  • Atthill, S., Witmer, D., Luctkar-Flude, M., & Tyerman, J. (2021, January). Exploring the impact of a virtual asynchronous debriefing method after a virtual simulation game to support clinical decision-making. Clinical Simulation in Nursing, 50(C), 10-18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecns.2020.06.008
  • Limoges, J., Jagos, K., Lankshear, S., Madorin, S., & Witmer, D. (2018). Getting to the root of it: How do faculty address professional boundaries, role expansion and intra-professional collaboration? Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 8(9). Doi: https://doi.org/10.5430/jnep.v8n9p113