Laura Plantenberg

Biography

Laura Plantenberg, DNP, RN, NCSN, is a Clinical Instructor for the Traditional BSN program at Western Carolina University (WCU) and is the Health Services Coordinator for The Catamount School, a lab school operated by WCU for 6^th, 7^th, and 8th-grade students.<br><br>Dr. Plantenberg brings 16 years of prior clinical nursing experience to her positions at WCU. Her primary areas of concentration are maternal/newborn nursing and school nursing, the specialty area in which she holds national certification. Past clinical roles include serving as a school nurse at Swain East and West Elementary schools in Bryson City, NC, and as a staff nurse at Harris Regional Hospital in Sylva, NC, and Mission Hospital in Asheville, NC. She also serves as a volunteer nurse at a residential camp for children during the summer months.<br><br>Dr. Plantenberg completed an Accelerated BSN program through the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh in 2007, received her MSN in Nursing Education from WCU in 2019, and completed her Doctor of Nursing Practice at UNC Charlotte in 2023. Her doctoral work focused on supporting LTBGQ+ and gender-diverse students in the school setting.<br><br>Dr. Plantenberg is a member of the National Association of School Nurses, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, and The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. She resides in Bryson City, NC with her husband, Aaron, and daughter, Anna.

Education

• MSN, Western Carolina University
• BSN, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh

Teaching Interests

School Nursing, Maternal/Newborn Nursing, Camp Nursing

Research Interests

LGBTQ+ youth, school health, camp nursing, pediatric health and wellness promotion