Shirley Denise Richardson, a resident of Willingboro, has been appointed dean of Our Lady of Lourdes School of Nursing. She is also dean of St. Francis Medical Center School of Nursing in Trenton, which is a sister school through the hospitals’ parent organization, Trinity Health.
As dean, Dr. Richardson is responsible for the overall implementation and administration of the nursing education curriculum for the school, as well as the school’s budget, policies, faculty and student relations and maintenance of state and national accreditations.
Prior to becoming Dean, Dr. Richardson was a licensed practical nurse (LPN) instructor at Burlington County Institute of Technology, where she wrote curriculum for the LPN program and served as a lead teacher, directing classroom instruction, lectures and clinical rotations.
She began her career providing patient care as a staff nurse with the Oncology and Emergency departments at Lourdes Medical Center of Burlington County, Willingboro. She then served as a charge nurse in Lourdes Burlington’s Emergency department and Oncology unit, where she managed nursing staff assigned to the department.
Dr. Richardson holds a doctor of education degree from Walden University; a master of science degree in nursing education from Drexel University, Philadelphia; a bachelor of science degree in nursing from Eastern University, and an associate degree in applied science degree in nursing from Burlington County Community College. Dr. Richardson is a member of the International Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau and the President of the State Student Nursing Association of New Jersey. Dr. Richardson has a New Jersey Teaching Certification from Rowan University.
Throughout her career, Dr. Richardson has received numerous awards and recognitions, including the Betty Malloy Award for Nursing Excellence from the New Jersey State Nurses Association, the Eastern University Professional Practice Award for Nursing, and the St. Francis Angel Award for service to others.
Dr. Richardson is a member of the New Jersey Nurses Association, the American Nurses Association, and a member and ambassador of the National League for Nursing. She has served as a Nominations Chairperson and on the Board of Directors for the Association of Diploma Schools of Professional Nursing. She is currently the organization’s President.
Our Lady of Lourdes School of Nursing has been preparing men and women for professional nursing positions since 1961.