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Tiffany Ealy
Ohio University Lancaster is proud to welcome Tiffany Ealy as a new assistant professor of instruction in the School of Nursing .
With more than a decade of experience in nursing practice, education, and healthcare leadership, Ealy brings both clinical expertise and a passion for teaching to her new role.
Ealy is currently pursuing her Doctor of Nursing Practice in Executive Leadership at Franklin University, with expected completion in December 2025. She holds a Master of Science in Nursing Education and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Indiana Wesleyan University, as well as an Associate of Science in Nursing from Southern State Community College. She has been a licensed registered nurse in Ohio since 2009.
“Professor Ealy is eager to share her knowledge and perspectives with our nursing students. Her passion for teaching and commitment to lifelong learning will enrich our program and campus alike,” said Danielle Schabel, associate director for nursing on the OHIO Lancaster campus . “We welcome her and look forward to her contributions to our team.”
Sharing her knowledge, experience with OHIO Lancaster students
Ealy’s career spans a wide range of experiences, beginning as a staff RN, charge RN, and preceptor at West Chester Hospital and later at the OSU James Comprehensive Cancer Center, where she specialized in caring for postoperative oncology patients. She also served as a clinical instructor for Chamberlain University, where she guided BSN students in adult, pediatric and community health settings for six years. Ealy further expanded her impact in nursing as a risk consultant with OhioHealth and most recently as a senior learning consultant at Riverside Methodist Hospital, where she collaborated with healthcare teams to design evidence-based education for clinicians and leaders.
While her professional accomplishments are many, Ealy says her calling to become a nurse educator is rooted in a powerful personal experience.
“While pursuing my ASN in 2007, during some lecture, I vividly remember thinking to myself, ‘Yeah right, I could never be an educator, why would anyone choose to be a nurse educator?’ I now know that this is the exact moment that God called on me to serve as a nurse educator,” Ealy said.
Ealy credits her mother, an LPN, with inspiring her journey into nursing.
“As a child, my mother would take my sisters and me to work with her at a long-term care facility,” she said. “I enjoyed doing activities with the residents and admired my mother’s hard work, compassion and commitment to quality care. I was inspired by the respect that she received from colleagues, patients and families.”
Joining OHIO Lancaster’s Nursing Program felt like a natural next step for Ealy.
“I love being a nurse educator and was looking for a reputable nursing program that was close to home,” she said. “I’m also really looking forward to the stairs—I’m happy to be getting some extra steps in!”
Advice for nursing students
When asked what advice she would give to students, Ealy emphasized trust and perseverance.
“Have faith that you were called to serve as a nurse in some capacity, even if it’s the thing that scares you the most," Ealy said. "Stay curious.”
As she begins her first semester at OHIO Lancaster, Ealy is eager to share her experiences and encourage students to see nursing not just as a profession, but as a calling. With her residence in Canal Winchester, Ealy is eager to give back to Fairfield County.
“God didn’t give me all this wisdom to keep to myself,” she said. “Ask me anything! I’d love to share all the wisdom I have gained.”
When asked if Ealy had a favorite quote, motto, or saying that guides her work in nursing, she responded with a scripture found in Proverbs 3:5: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”