Valerie Swigart, Ph.D. R.N.

Dr. Valerie Swigart serves as Professor Emeritus at the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, with a 30-year academic career focusing on technology, healthcare ethics, and human behavior. Through her highly successful Coursera course "Clinical Terminology for International and U.S. Students," which has enrolled over 124,000 learners, she helps international healthcare students master clinical terminology and cross-cultural communication. Her expertise spans qualitative research methods, teaching with technology, and mindful meditation applications in healthcare. Her work has earned multiple honors, including two Nursing Excellence in Teaching with Technology Awards (2006, 2014) and the Dean's Distinguished Teaching Award (2008). As a member of the Center for Bioethics and Health Law, she frequently lectures on clinical ethics and social justice issues. Her research includes NIH-sponsored studies on surrogate decision-making, life-sustaining technology, and healthcare access for underserved populations. She continues to consult on qualitative research, ethics, and mindful meditation while maintaining her commitment to international nursing education.