Alicia M. Fielder, DNP, RN, CCM

Dr. Alicia M. Fielder brings over 28 years of distinguished nursing experience to her role as Assistant Professor, including 18 years in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at RUSH University Medical Center. Her career spans a broad spectrum of nursing practice, including clinical care, staff education, case management, and professional development.

Dr. Fielder is deeply committed to advancing nursing excellence and has led numerous initiatives to improve onboarding, orientation, and continuing education for healthcare professionals. While serving as a Professional Development Specialist, she played a pivotal role in streamlining orientation programs—reducing them from five days to two—allowing new hires to integrate into clinical units more efficiently. She also developed and taught preceptor training programs for both Registered Nurses and Patient Care Technicians, and chaired the committee responsible for creating an advanced preceptor course.

Her dedication to compassionate care has been recognized with prestigious honors, including the Nursing Excellence Award for Compassionate Care and the DAISY Award. Dr. Fielder has also contributed to continuing education efforts at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital, where she presented on topics such as implicit bias in healthcare, including her acclaimed session, “Hospitalization Through the Lens of the African American Patient.” She has served on panels addressing the legacy of Henrietta Lacks and the experience of being Black at Northwestern.

A passionate mentor and advocate for professional growth, Dr. Fielder frequently speaks at community events hosted by her sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and holds leadership roles within both the sorority and the Order of the Eastern Star. Her commitment to empowering future nurses is evident in her teaching philosophy and her engagement with students.

Dr. Fielder is also a proud mother to a son who serves as a Dean at a charter school on Chicago’s West Side, and a devoted grandmother to two spirited grandchildren. Her wealth of real-world experience, leadership, and unwavering dedication to nursing education make her an invaluable asset to the program and a transformative influence on the next generation of nursing professionals.