Caroline Elizabeth Littleton
Assistant Clinical Professor
Dr. Littleton joined the Auburn University College of Nursing faculty in June 2025 as part of the E.A.G.L.E.S. Center team. As Certified Academic Clinical Nurse Educator (CNEcl) and Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator (CHSE), Dr. Littleton has special passion for lab, simulation, and experiential learning. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in 2014 and her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with a focus in Nursing Education in 2018, both from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). She completed her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in 2024 at Samford University, with a Nursing Administration focus and a subspecialty in Nursing Education. Her bedside clinical experience includes Surgical Stepdown, GI Surgery, General Surgery, Surgical Oncology, and Maternal-Newborn care. Since transitioning to academia in 2018, Dr. Littleton has enjoyed teaching pre-licensure lab, didactic, and clinical courses, as well as graduate courses in nursing education. She is committed to helping students become proficient, compassionate nurses and supporting them throughout their academic and professional journeys.
Education
- Doctor of Nursing Practice - Samford University - 2024
- Master of Science - University of Alabama at Birmingham - 2018
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing - University of Alabama at Birmingham - 2014
Certifications
- Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator
- Certified Nurse Educator
Licenses
- Registered Nurse
Interests
- Adult Health
- Clinical Simulation
- Simulation in Nursing Education
- Technology
- Interprofessional Education
- Curriculum Development and Evaluation
- Acute Care
- Nursing Education
- Active Learning
Teaching Areas
- Physical Assessment
- Fundamentals
- Nurse Educator
- Clinical Simulation
- Obstetrical and Newborn Health
- Medical-Surgical Nursing
- Adult Health Nursing
- Undergraduate Nursing
- Clinical Skills
Publications
- Ashley McMath, Mary Maloney, Rebekah Day & Caroline E. Littleton (2025) Debriefing for skill mastery in nursing Nurse Educator DOI: 10.1097/NNE.0000000000001856
- Caroline E. Littleton (2025) If you give a patient a cookie: Applying clinical judgment through cascading consequences. Teaching and Learning in Nursing DOI: 10.1016/j.teln.2024.11.008
- Caroline E. Littleton, Victoria Bolus, Tara Wood, James Clark, Nancy Wingo & Penni Watts (2023) What would you do? Engaging remote learners through stop-action videos. Nurse Educator DOI: 10.1097/NNE.0000000000001332
Presentations
- Tonya Judson, Holly Earnest, Caroline E. Littleton & Benjamin Galatzan (2025, February). Evaluation of digital health literacy in nursing students Podium session presented at 2025 Alabama League for Nursing Conference, Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
- Ashley McMath, Mary Maloney, Rebekah Day & Caroline E. Littleton (2025, February). Debriefing for skill mastery in nursing Podium session presented at 2025 Alabama League for Nursing Conference, Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
- Laura Steadman, Caroline E. Littleton & Nanci Claus (2025, February). Beyond borders: Pioneering pedagogy in the online classroom Poster session presented at 2025 Alabama League for Nursing Conference, Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
- Caroline E. Littleton, Joey Hall, Somali Nguyen, Rebekah Day & Jennifer Ledlow (2024, November). The impact of virtual reality (VR) on bedside clinical judgment and confidence in prelicensure nursing students Poster session presented at 2024 UAB School of Nursing Innovation Challenge, Birmingham, Alabama.
- Rebekah Day & Caroline E. Littleton (2024, November). Skill mastery quest: Monthly challenges for continuous development Poster session presented at 2024 UAB School of Nursing Innovation Challenge, Birmingham, Alabama.
- Jennie Alspach & Caroline E. Littleton (2024, November). Collaborative testing: A pedagogical approach to foster clinical judgment and collaborative skills in nursing education Poster session presented at 2024 UAB School of Nursing Innovation Challenge, Birmingham, Alabama.
- Dorri Bierley, Tiffany Ervin, Caroline E. Littleton, Shea Polancich & Laura Steadman (2024, October). Student toileting patrols: Fall prevention pilot Poster session presented at 2024 UAB Medicine Quality Week Conference, Birmingham, Alabama.
- Caroline E. Littleton, Lee Hardin & David James (2024, October). Facilitating patient mobilization through implementation of a mobility menu Poster session presented at 2024 Alabama State Nurses Association Conference, Birmingham, Alabama.
- Caroline E. Littleton (2024, August). The role of the DNP student Podium session presented at Samford University, Homewood, Alabama.
- Caroline E. Littleton (2024, July). Facilitating patient mobilization through use of a mobility menu Podium session presented at UAB Medicine Accountable Care Team, Birmingham, Alabama.
- Caroline E. Littleton, Matthew Jennings & Jennie Alspach (2024, July). Quiz busters: Level up learning with mastery paths Podium session presented at InstructureCon 2024, Las Vegas, Nevada.
- Caroline E. Littleton (2024, April). Role of the lab course coordinator Podium session presented at , Birmingham, Alabama.
- Tonya Judson, Benjamin Galatzan & Caroline E. Littleton (2023, July). Hospital electronic health record (EHR), do students need access? Poster session presented at 32nd Summer Institute in Nursing Informatics Conference, Balitmore, Maryland (Virtual).
- Caroline E. Littleton (2023, March). Create to remember: Flipping Bloom's taxonomy to encourage critical thinking Poster session presented at 2023 Alabama League for Nursing Conference, Auburn, Alabama.
- Jennifer Ledlow, Caroline E. Littleton & Jennie Alspach (2022, June). Immersive clinical experiences: Preparing first-semester nursing students for client care Poster session presented at 2022 QSEN International Forum, Denver, Colorado.
- Rachael Bruce, Jennifer Ledlow & Caroline E. Littleton (2022, March). From simulation to the bedside: A senior nursing student practicum Poster session presented at 2022 Alabama League for Nursing Conference, Birmingham, Alabama.
- Caroline E. Littleton & Victoria Bolus (2022, March). Many as to one: Using technology to teach sterile technique to large groups Poster session presented at 2022 Alabama League for Nursing Conference, Birmingham, Alabama.
- William Crossland & Caroline E. Littleton (2022, March). Get out! Using gamification principles in a hybrid escape room experience for large group lecture Poster session presented at 2022 Alabama League for Nursing Conference, Birmingham, Alabama.
- Caroline E. Littleton, Victoria Bolus, Tara Wood & James Clark (2021, November). What would you do? Engaging distance accessible students through unfolding video case studies Podium session presented at Teaching with Technology Mini-Conference, Birmingham, Alabama.
- Tara Wood, Katherine Dudding, Caroline E. Littleton, Allyson Sanders, Victoria Bolus, Becky Suttle & Bordelon Curry (2021, September). Transition to practice simulation: Interprofessional engagement to promote realism Poster session presented at Interprofessional Education and Simulation's 3rd Annual Interprofessional Healthcare Symposium, Birmingham, Alabama.
- April Love, Taryn Temples, Victoria Bolus, Caroline E. Littleton, Allyson Sanders & Shanna Smith (2021, March). Blazer breakout: The case of the missing SBAR Podium session presented at 2021 Alabama League for Nursing Conference, Huntsville, Alabama (Virtual).
- Penni Watts, Victoria Bolus, Kelly Dailey, Montana Damrongsak, Sherrie Hafley, Rebecca Jacobs, Jennifer Ledlow, Caroline E. Littleton, Allyson Sanders & Shanna Smith (2021, March). Live from the sim lab: A rapid transition to remote simulation experience Podium session presented at 2021 Alabama League for Nursing Conference, Huntsville, Alabama (Virtual).