Adjunct Associate Professor
Texas A&M Health Science Center
College of Nursing

362-SRPH Administration Building
MS-1266
College Station, TX 77843-1266
Email: benson@tamhsc.edu

Education and Post-Graduate/Specialty Training

• Ed.D., Organizational Leadership, University of La Verne (2004)

• M.S., Medical-Surgical Nursing (Clinical Specialty in Cardiovascular Nursing), Texas Woman's University (1976)

• M.Ed., Non-certificated Secondary Education, Memphis State University (1973)

• B.S., Nursing, Texas Woman's University, (1968)

Professional Appointments

• 1990-2009:  Department of Nursing, Humboldt State University, Arcata CA. Retired Associate Professor (tenured).

• 1985-1986:  San Francisco State University, Clinical faculty & lecturer, Nursing MultiMedia Lab Coordinator

• 1979-1982:  University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, Assistant Professor, Medical Surgical Nursing

• 1971-1979:  Memphis State University, Assistant Professor, Medical-Surgical Nursing, Tenured

• 1968-1971:  Mississippi Gulf Coast Jr. College, Instructor, Medical Nursing & Fundamentals

Licensure and Board Certifications

• Texas RN: #22201, expires 9/30/10.

• California RN: # 366974, expires 10/31/09.

Honors & Awards

• Valedictorian, Doctoral Program in Organizational Leadership, University of La Verne, May 2004.

• Sigma Theta Tau, 1971-present; Charter member: Beta Beta Chapter, Texas Woman’s University; Charter member: Omicron Omega Chapter, Humboldt State University

• Nominated "Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities", Texas Woman's University, 1975.

Areas of Research Interest

• Modeling and Role-Modeling theory development in the area of group application; modalities of leadership education in nursing;

Clinical Experience

• 1985-Present: Dreamwalker Enterprises; Bryan, Eureka, San Francisco, Private practice as nursing consultant, educator, reviewer, and author.

• 1983-1985:  St. Mary's Hospital, San Francisco, CA, Cardiovascular Clinical Nurse Specialist

• 1975-1986:  Tucson, AZ; Memphis, TN; & San Francisco; Variety of full/part-time positions as staff nurse and clinical faculty in ICU, home health, and medical-surgical settings

Professional Affiliations

• Sigma Theta Tau: 1970-present. Omicron Omega Chapter: Leadership positions included: Formation Steering Committee (1994-1995); Chair, Nominating Committee, 1995; Charter Secretary, 1995-June 1998.  Omicron Omega Chapter: Charter Secretary 1998-2000. Counselor/Board member 2003-2009.

• American Association of Critical Care Nursing: 1974-present. San Francisco Chapter Secretary & Program Committee, 1983-86; Charter Member & Charter President, Redwood Empire Chapter, 1988-1989. Task force reactivating charter for local Redwood Empire chapter: Current board member 2002-2007.

• Society for the Advancement of Modeling and Role-Modeling, 2001-present. Nominating Committee: 2006-2008.

Selected Publications

• Chapter: Adaptive Potential of Groups, in Modeling and Role-Modeling Research Findings and Measurement Issues, Erickson, Helen (Ed.), Unicorns Unlimited Publishing, (in press).

• Chapter: Pharmacotherapy of Severe Pain and Migraines, in Pharmcotherapy: Connections to Practice, Michael Adams (Ed.), Prentice-Hall, (in press).

• Chapter: Adaptation: Coping with Stress, in Modeling and Role-Modeling: A View from the Client’s World, Erickson, Helen (Ed.), Unicorns Unlimited Publishing, 2006.

• Chapters: Fundamentals of nursing phamacology, Drugs and the autonomic nervous system, and Drugs and the central nervous system, in Straight A’s in Nursing Pharmacology: A Review Series, Comerford, Karen C. (Ed). Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams, & Wilkins, 2004.

• Care plans: Acute pain, chronic pain, DIC, diabetes, hypoglycemia, diabetic ketoacidosis, & hyperosmolar hyperglycemic non-ketotic state in Medical-Surgical Care Planning, 4th ed. By Nancy Holloway, Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins, 2003.

• NURSING  Meds '91-92, 2nd  Edition, Appleton-Lange, 1992. Alphabetical quick reference on 1000 most common generic drugs, featuring expanded nursing implications and client education.

• Nursing for Cardiovascular Health, Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1984.  550 pages.  Major text/reference:  65% author & 35% editor.