Mrs. Bourne graduated from Saint Francis College in Fort Wayne, IN in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.  She obtained her Master of Science in Nursing from Western Kentucky University in 2012.  She is currently enrolled at the University of Kentucky where she is working towards her PhD in Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing (OEHN).

She began teaching her teaching career in 2003 when she taught a clinical section for Licensed Practical Nurses at Kentucky Community and Technical College Services (KCTCS) for one semester.  She returned to teaching in 2011 for Western Kentucky University as a part-time clinical instructor in the pre-licensure BSN program.  She became a full-time instructor in the pre-licensure program in August, 2013.  She moved to the RN to BSN program in August, 2014.  She currently teaches Transcultural Nursing and Public Health Nursing in the RN to BSN program. 

Mrs. Bourne’s nursing experience includes time spent as a charge nurse/staff nurse in extended care facilities, as an ICU nurse in a small community hospital, as a flight nurse for Air-Evac, as an Emergency Room nurse and as a House Supervisor.  She currently holds her Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) credential, her Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) credential, and her Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Basic license.  She also holds certifications in Advance Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC).  She is an active instructor (as well as holding certifications) in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) and Basic Life Support (BLS).   She continues to stay current in practice as an Emergency Room nurse and House Supervisor.

Mrs. Bourne’s membership affiliations include: American Nurses Association (ANA), Kentucky Nurses Association (KNA), Emergency Nurses Association (ENA), International Association of Health Care Professionals (IAHCP), National League for Nurses (NLN), Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI)-Kappa Theta Chapter, and American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN).  She is currently serving her third term on KNA’s Research and Education Cabinet.  Mrs. Bourne is also the chairperson for the local KNA chapter, REACH, and is a marketing and membership committee member for AAOHN.

Her research interests include occupational health and safety (specifically related to commercial truck drivers), violence against female drivers, obesity in over the road truck drivers, and medication errors by licensed nurses.