Linda Cook, DNP, MPH, APRN, NNP-BC, CNL
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Linda L. Cook, DNP, APRN, NNP-BC, CNL, was the program director for the clinical nurse leader track in the Davis & Henley College of Nursing at Sacred Heart University until 2022 when she took on the role of chair for the graduate programs. She was also the program director for the MSN online programs from 2023 until 2025 when she retired from full-time teaching.
Dr. Cook earned her BSN at Ohio State University, her MPH at New York Medical College, her Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Certificate at Georgetown University, and a DNP at the University of Connecticut. Her professional and research interests include neonatal care, obstetrics, pediatrics, compassion and caring in online teaching and the Clinical Nurse leader. Dr. Cook is a certified CNL, Certified Neonatal Nurse, and a Certified Neonatal Nurse Practitioner along with several other newborn and neonatal related certifications. Dr. Cook has been in practice as a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner since 1990.
She joined the nursing faculty of Sacred Heart University as a clinical assistant professor in 2011 teaching in both the undergraduate and graduate online programs. Dr. Cook received the AACN/CNC Clinical Nurse Leader Educator Award in 2025. She was nominated in the Final 4 for the Dr. Marian Calabrese Outstanding Faculty Award in 2017 and 2022. She received the Council for Accelerated Programs (CAP) Excellence in Teaching Award in 2015 and was awarded the Outstanding Doctoral Student DNP Award from the Mu Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau in 2010, the Nightingale Award for Excellence in Nursing in 2009 and the Nurse Exemplar Award in 2003.
Degrees & Certifications
- DNP, University of Connecticut
- MPH, Health Care Policy and Management, New York Medical College
- Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Certificate, Georgetown University
- BSN, Ohio State University
- Certified Clinical Nurse Leader
- Sloan Consortium (Online Learning Consortium) Certified Online Teaching
- Certificate in Nursing Education - University of Connecticut
- Certified Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
- Certified Neonatal Nurse
- Certified Instructor Neonatal Resuscitation Program - American Academy of Pediatrics
- Certified in Baby Friendly Initiative
- NIDCAP Certification
- Certified in Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program
Research Interests
- Faculty and Student Caring and Compassion in Online Teaching
- Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
- Heparin versus Saline in Neonatal Intravenous and Central Lines
Awards & Fellowships
- American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Commission on Nurse Certification (CNC) CNL Educator Award (2025)
- Nominated in Final 4 for Outstanding Faculty Award (2022)
- Nominated in Final 4 for Dr. Marian Calabrese Outstanding Faculty Award (2017)
- CAP 2015 Excellence in Teaching Award (2015)
- Outstanding Doctoral Student DNP Award from the Mu Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau (2010)
- Nightingale Award for Excellence in Nursing (2009)
- Nurse Exemplar Award (2003)
Presentations
- 2023 CNL Summit - Co-authored Poster Presentation with Michelle Martin, “Highlighting the CNL Role While Addressing the Quadruple Aim in a Cardiac Stress Testing Unit”
- 2021 CNL Summit - Co-authored Poster Presentation with Dr. Leasca "The Entrepreneurial Clinical Nurse Leader”
Book Reviews
- Advanced Practice Nursing: Essential Knowledge for the Profession (5th edition)
- Initiating and Sustaining the Clinical Nurse Leader Role: A Practical Guide (3rd edition)