From Bedside to Bold Reformer
Keith Rischer, PhD, RN, CEN, spent over 25 years as an expert bedside nurse before stepping into the classroom as a novice educator.
MEET KEITH
What he experienced as a new nurse educator changed everything.
- Lengthy care plans with precisely worded 3-part NANDA statements
- Lectures packed with “infobesity”
- A culture focused on NCLEX, not practice readiness
So he took action.
Drawing from his current clinical practice, Keith integrated Tanner’s Clinical Judgment Model and Benner’s Educating Nurses research to create a new kind of case study:
- Grounded in clinical reasoning.
- Built with real-world relevance.
- Designed around open-ended thinking, not multiple choice, so students could safely practice decision-making.
That first case study launched KeithRN in 2012.
Today, Keith is a recognized thought leader in nursing education, author of the Think Like a Nurse workbook series, and creator of hundreds of clinical reasoning case studies in our Think Like a Nurse membership, a platform used by thousands of educators.
His core belief validated by educators, hasn’t changed:
When you put first things first, by teaching for practice readiness,
NCLEX success follows.
MEET MARIA
What began as a hesitant step into teaching evolved into a lifelong passion.
Over the past two decades, Maria has taught at every level, directed nursing programs, and consulted with schools nationwide. Her mission has always been clear:
Help overwhelmed faculty succeed.
With a background in med-surg and geriatric nursing, Maria brings a deeply relational lens to everything she does — along with a fierce commitment to preparing educators to lead with clarity and purpose.
As KeithRN’s Nurse Educator Consultant, she helps faculty move from survival mode to student-centered, clinically grounded teaching.
She specializes in:
- Active learning strategies backed by learning science
- Curriculum alignment that supports clinical judgment
- Practical support that meets educators where they are
Outside of work, Maria finds joy in travel, photography, and caring for her ever-growing family of four-legged companions.
Advocate for Nurse Educators
Maria Flores-Harris, DNP, RN, CNE, knows how challenging the transition from clinician to educator can be — because she has lived it.
OUR WHY
Restoring the Heart of Nursing Education
At KeithRN, we exist for one purpose:
To equip nurse educators to teach the way nurses actually practice.
While most vendors focus on helping students pass the NCLEX, we focus on helping you — the educator — prepare students for practice.
Because passing a test isn’t enough.
Graduates need professional identity, compassionate care, and the confidence to make safe decisions at the bedside.
Our tools aren’t just convenient.
They’re transformational — rooted in how students actually learn and think.
We help you:
- Teach clinical reasoning with clarity
- Save time with ready-to-use case studies
- Build confident, competent, practice-ready nurses
Today, thousands of educators trust KeithRN to close the academic-practice gap and return nursing education to its original purpose:
Forming nurses who deliver compassionate, patient-centered care.
Ready to Teach the Way Nurses Practice?
Join thousands of educators inside KeithRN resources who are transforming how they teach. Explore our time-saving tools that engage students and build confident, practice-ready nurses.
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