April Love
Assistant Clinical Professor
Ms. Love brings 10+ years of clinical and higher education experience to the EAGLES Center skills and simulation team. She worked as a Labor & Delivery nurse and clinical educator before entering academia fulltime in 2017. Ms. Love joined the Auburn University College of Nursing in 2023 to focus on simulation development, implementation, and training. She has completed multiple professional development trainings in simulation, including the Center for Medical Simulation’s Instructor and Advanced Instructor courses, and earned her Advanced Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator (CHSE-A) designation in 2026. Her simulation passions include adjusting preparation and/or briefing processes to better serve in-scenario learning; exploring best practices for psychological safety through scenario facilitation; and exposing new learners, such as high school health science educators and their students, to simulation best practices.
Education
- Master of Science in Nursing - University of Alabama at Birmingham - 2013
- Bachelor of Arts - Auburn University - 2006
Certifications
- Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator - Advanced
- Certified Nurse Educator
- Inpatient Obstetric Nursing
Licenses
- Registered Nurse
Research Areas
- Simulation Education, Preparation/Briefing, Simulation Design, Facilitation; Classroom Innovation
Interests
- Maternity Nursing
- Simulation in Nursing Education
- Active Learning
Teaching Areas
- Clinical Simulation
- Obstetrical and Newborn Health
- Undergraduate Nursing
Grants
- Alabama STEM Exosystem, STEM Learning and Workforce Development Incentive STEM Preparation Involving Resource Innovation Training (SPIRIT) $33,892.00 April Love & Hannah K. Peacock
Publications
- Jennie Alspach, April Love & Cathy Roche (2022) Follow the yellow brick road: Teaching strategy for learning the nursing process Journal of Nursing Education DOI: 10.3928/01484834-20220109-06
- April Love & Cathy Roche (2020) Childbirth education for undergraduate nursing students: Midwifery model of care immersion Journal of Nursing Education DOI: 10.3928/01484834-20200122-14
Presentations
- April Love, Brooke Freeman & Leora Wright (2026, June). All in a Day’s Birth: A Multi-Phase Simulation Using the Active Observer Role for Large Cohorts Podium session presented at 2026 International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL) Conference, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
- April Love, Caroline E. Littleton, Seth H. Perry-Maddox & Christopher Martin (2026, June). Shift+Command: A tabletop simulation for strategic nursing across the shift Poster session presented at 2026 International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL) Annual Conference, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
- Brooke Freeman, April Love & Rachel R. Elliott (2026, June). Neonatal Escape Room: Enhancing Clinical Judgment and Teamwork Through Immersive Classroom Simulation Poster session presented at 2026 AWHONN Convention, Orlando, Florida.
- Brooke Freeman, Erin Thornton & April Love (2026, March). Confidence Before Clinical: Using an Early Obstetric and Pediatric Skills Day to Improve Anxiety and Clinical Preparedness Podium session presented at 2026 NCNAC Conference, Auburn, Alabama.
- Brooke Freeman & April Love (2025, December). Enhancing Readiness for Preceptorship: Implementing an Obstetrics Skills Bootcamp to Strengthen Student Competence Podium session presented at 2025 Sigma Theta Tau Delta Evidence-based Practice & Research Day, Auburn University College of Nursing, Auburn, Alabama.
- Meghan C. Jones, April Love & Megan Slatton (2025, June). Collaborating with instructional designers to navigate professional learning and strategies for impactful course design Podium session presented at 2025 International Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL) Annual Conference, Denver, Colorado.
- Brooke Freeman, April Love & Leora Wright (2025, June). Classroom Simulated-Based Training for Postpartum Hemorrhage Management: Enhancing Clinical Skills and Preparedness Poster session presented at 2025 INACSL Conference, Denver, Colorado.
- Brooke Freeman, April Love & Leora M. Wright (2025, April). Classroom Simulated-Based Training for Postpartum Hemorrhage Management: Enhancing Clinical Skills and Preparedness Poster session presented at ATI National Nurse Educator Summit, Orlando, Florida.
- April Love (2025, April). Hidden gems: Building psychological safety across the simulation experience Podium session presented at Laerdal Mini Simulation User Network (SUN) Conference, Auburn, Alabama.
- April Love (2023, November). Once upon a time: Case study transformation for student engagement Podium session presented at American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Transform Faculty Leadership Network Pre-Conference, Orlando, Florida.
- April Love & Taryn Temples (2023, March). Raising the bar: Summative simulation as a competency-based learning strategy Podium session presented at 2023 Alabama League for Nursing Annual Conference, Auburn, Alabama.
- Taryn Temples & April Love (2023, March). Becoming a professional influencer: Improving professional behaviors in GenZ learners Podium session presented at 2023 Alabama League for Nursing Annual Conference, Auburn, Alabama.
- Taryn Temples, April Love, 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).
- Jennie Alspach, April Love & Cathy Roche (2020, December). Follow the yellow brick road: An innovative teaching strategy for learning the nursing process Podium session presented at 2020 American Association of Colleges of Nursing Annual Conference, Washington, D.C. (Virtual).
- Clare Kranz, April Love & Cathy Roche (2018, March). How to write a good test question: Nine tips for novice nurse educators Podium session presented at 2018 Alabama League for Nursing Annual Conference, Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
- Sylvia Britt, Taryn Temples, April Love & Cathy Roche (2018, March). A 5-minute video short: Using technology to enhance maternal newborn community education with prelicensure nursing students Podium session presented at 2018 Alabama League for Nursing Annual Conference, Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
- Taryn Temples & April Love (2018, March). Teaching through the screen: The use of debate as innovation in distance education Podium session presented at 2018 Alabama League for Nursing Annual Conference, Tuscaloosa, Alabama.