The Kaplan Team is often cited as why schools stay with Kaplan, year after year. At Kaplan, there’s an expert at the heart of everything we do, whether it’s leading a class or developing innovative tools to help your students achieve their career goals. We stand behind our motto of, “For nurses, by nurses.” With our “Meet the Kaplan Experts” blog series, we introduce you to Kaplan’s extensive network of faculty, nursing, and educational experts and delve into their diverse areas of expertise so that you can learn even more about your Kaplan team. This week, we're pleased to introduce you to Brenda L. Maynor, MS, RN, LNC, Content Manager.

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF

I’ve lived most of my life in Upstate New York. As a child I had a tremendous fascination with airplanes. I just wanted to fly, so in 11th grade I signed up and joined the United States Air Force. Three weeks after graduation I was off to Lackland AFB in Texas then Williams AFB in Arizona, an Air Training Command. While I never learned how to fly, I was surrounded by what I loved.  

My mother was a licensed practical nurse and when my time ended in the military, I turned to her to guide me in life’s next journey, nursing!  I obtained my nursing degrees in segments; my AD from Fulton Montgomery Community College, my BS from SUNY Plattsburgh, and finishing at Sage Graduate School with my Master’s in Adult Health with a concentration on Nursing Education. 

From my first day of nursing school, I knew I wanted to be an educator. With that deep rooted desire, no matter where I was working, I always embraced new staff and students that I could take under my wing to teach and mentor…..leading me to be steadfast in being to become part of the academic setting.

What is your particular area of expertise?

I have been a nurse for almost 30 years with a potpourri of experience in many nursing arenas. The majority of my career has been grounded in nursing education, adult medical-surgical care, and senior leadership, focusing on transitional care across the continuum. 

I’ve been a professor for both traditional and concept-based nursing programs. In addition to  clinical and didactic nursing instruction, I have constructed a concept-based curriculum, simulation scenarios, examinations, and student/program outcomes for first year nursing students.  

I have 2 passions: animals and tennis!  Even at an early age, we always had a family dog or cat (my brother liked to add gerbils, rabbits, fish, frogs, snakes, baby birds (in their nests) to the mix). The center of our family is our cat Bella and labrador retrievers, Savannah and Ryder.  (Zoey and Skiler are in our hearts). My passion for tennis developed in junior high. I still play whenever I get the chance and watch all the tournaments! Those are my superbowls!

If you could spend an evening with anyone - living or deceased - who would it be and why? 

It would be with my mom. She has been gone for more than half of my life and I would want her to know how her love and influence has shaped me into the person I am today. I owe her for everything.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A NURSE EDUCATOR

Why is it so important for institutions to prepare students to “think like a nurse?”

When you prepare students to ‘think like a nurse’, you are asking them to accept the ultimate, life-long responsibility to utilize a level of clinical judgment and reasoning to provide safe and effective care for every patient. Nursing educators strive to instill a level of knowledge for each student, but to “think like a nurse” requires reflection for continued professional growth.

How long have you worked for Kaplan and what drew you to your current role?

I joined the Kaplan Nursing Team as a Content Developer in October of 2021, recently I have been promoted to Content Manager. Over the years of providing both traditional clinical and classroom education, I have had many opportunities to evolve as an educator. For the past few years I’ve had the opportunity to learn and construct an unique educational method of learning through the concept-based nursing curriculum. Being a part of this new, structured framework required a personal level of rewiring my teaching techniques to incorporate educational methods that affords today’s nursing students the ability to apply knowledge and risk assessments, critically think, and use clinical judgment in a variety of care settings to patients across the continuum.  

My relationship with Kaplan came about a few years back through an AD program. Kaplan resources (i-Human Patients, Focused and Integrated Tests, Q-bank) were embedded in both the course and clinical program that enhanced the students' learning experience by fostering and heightening foundational skills to provide safe and competent care.

In your opinion, what is the number one thing that sets Kaplan apart in the industry?

The heart of Kaplan Nursing is to help each student embrace a level of personal success that ultimately builds a skillful foundational level of proficiency in providing care at the patient’s bedside.

What will the future of education be like for students and faculty? 

As we continue to adapt to generational changes in the academic world, nursing in particular will have a unique opportunity to transform how students learn and engage in the profession. Nursing educators will not only teach, but will become a mentor and coach to their students to strengthen the basic, but extremely important, role that collaboration, technology and communication play in the delivery of safe patient care. 

ADVICE

If you could offer one piece of advice for students preparing for their board exams, it would be:

Stay the course!  Keep practicing, keep studying and the night before, relax and get a good night's sleep!

And finally, is there anything else that you would like to share with our readers?

I like to compare the profession of nursing to ‘diamond in the rough.’ Throughout your career you will continue to learn and grow—always polishing your knowledge, expertise and skills.  Share that knowledge. Take new nurses under your wing and mentor them. Nurses not only care for patients, we care for one another.

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