Jessica M. Phillips, PhD, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, NPD-BC
Assistant Adjunct Professor; Executive Director, Nursing Practice, Education, and Research, Center of Nursing Excellence, UCLA Health
About
Jessica Phillips, PhD, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, NPD-BC, is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the UCLA Joe C. Wen School of Nursing and the Executive Director of Nursing Practice, Education, and Research in Center for Nursing Excellence at UCLA Health. In that role, she is responsible for the fiscal, human resources, educational, nursing practice, research and innovation, materials management, Magnet®, and communication operations for the Center for Nursing Excellence programs and personnel.
Dr. Phillips has published and presented on a variety of professional development topics, such as; transition to practice (newly licensed, leadership), teaching/learning methodologies, simulation, virtual reality, evidence-based practice, educational neuroscience, health equity, competency management, professional governance, and wellness/healthy workplace environments. Recently, Jessica received the UCLA School of Nursing PhD Dissertation Award 2023 and has two manuscripts in the press and a book chapter on the way. She also supported the team on two recognitions for UCLA Health: the ANCC Nursing Continuing Professional Development (NCPD) Premier Award for 2023-2025 and the Creative Health Care Management Relationship-Based Care (RBC) Designation with Distinction for 2023-2027.
Education and Degree(s)
PhD, University of California, Los Angeles School of Nursing, Los Angeles, CA
MSN, University of California, Los Angeles School of Nursing, Los Angeles, CA
MS, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL
BS, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL
Publications
Phillips, J. M., Anderson. L., Lewis, K., Leclerc, L., Hualde, L., Nunez, A., & Liu, X. (in production). Prospective, longitudinal mixed‑methods study of the effect of Human-Centered Leadership on leaders and direct reports. Journal of Nursing Management, X(X), X-X.
Phillips, J. M., Leclerc, L., & Anderson. L. (in review). Exploring nurse leader experiences with Human-Centered Leadership using an appreciative inquiry lens. JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration, X(X), X-X.
Lewis, K. A. & Phillips, J. M. (in press May, 2026). When quality improvement becomes a loophole: Building capacity for ethical and scholarly nursing inquiry. JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration, X(X), X-X.
Yefimova, M., Kennedy, L., Fazio, S., Williams, C., Cavanagh, S. J., Lewis, K. A., Phillips, J. M., Zhan, L., Abrahim, H. L., and Baggett, M., Davidson, J. E., Bueno, M., Wilhelm, L., Staveski, S., Leutwyler, H., Schell-Chaple, H., Pearson, M., Dawson-Rose, C., & Miaskowski, C. (in press, 2025). Building a nurse scientist collaborative to advance science within academic health systems. Available at SSRN: http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5828076
Phillips, J. M., Harper, M. G., Brecht, M. L., & DeVon, H. A. (2024). Effect of a virtual reality simulation modality on registered nurse knowledge and behavior related to clostridioides difficile prevention: An experimental, cluster randomized controlled trial. Journal for Nurses in Professional Development, 40(2), 75-81.
Galuska, L., Phillips, J. M., Anderson, K., Meyer, A. L., Lor, K., Mahnovski, S., & Miller, P. S. (2024). Evaluating and enhancing nursing caregiver well-being using a systematic approach. JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration, 54(2), 92-101.
Phillips, J. M., Harper, M. G., Brecht, M. L., Li, C. Y., & DeVon, H. A. (2024). Effect of virtual reality simulation versus traditional education on rates of clostridium difficile infection: An experimental, cluster randomized controlled trial and return on investment analysis. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 1-8.
ANPD (Oct 2023). Core Curriculum for Nursing Professional Development, 6th Edition, Will Elevate NPD Practice: Insights From Contributors. Featured Interview with Elizabeth A. Fritz and Jessica M. Phillips. Retrieved October 19, 2023 at https://www.anpd.org/NPD-In-Motion/Article/core-curriculum-for-nursing-….
ANPD (Feb 2023). Health literacy and its role in patient advocacy and health equity. NPD in motion. Featured interview with Jessica M. Phillips & Julie Gaspar. Retrieved Feb 15, 2023 at https://www.anpd.org/NPD-In-Motion/Article/health-literacy-and-its-role….
Phillips, J. M., Harper, M. G., & DeVon, H. (2023). Virtual reality and screen-based simulation learner outcomes using Kirkpatrick’s evaluation levels: An integrative review. Clinical Simulation in Nursing, 79, 49-60.
Phillips, J. M. & Feldman, K. (2023). Core Curriculum for Nursing Professional Development! Upcoming 6th edition, chapter titled Educational Neuroscience (chapter 4).
Phillips, J. M., Feldman, K., Miller, P. S., & Galuska, L. (2021). The impact of boost methodology on nurse knowledge retention. Journal for Nurses in Professional Development, 37(1), 3-11.
Honors and Awards
2024-2025 | ANCC Magnet Re-designations SMUCLA with distinction (3rd) – September 2025, (5th) – RRUCLA – May 2025, and (2nd) RNPH – June 2024
2023-2027 | Creative Health Care Management Relationship-Based Care Designation with Distinction
2023-2025 | ANCC Nursing Continuing Professional Development (NCPD) Premier Award
2023 | PhD Dissertation Award - UCLA School of Nursing
2022 | UCLA Health Nurse Residency Program received the ANCC Practice Transition Accreditation Program® (PTAP) with Distinction for 4 years (until 2026)
2022 | ANCC PTAP Program Director of the Year
2022 | Program Director Forbes and Statista recognized UCLA Health as one of The Best Employers for New Graduates
2018 | Poster award - Collen J. Goode Research into Practice at the 25th National Evidence-Based Practice Conference