Robin Mermer
Spotlight on Nursing's Robin Mermer
Robin Mermer is an assistant professor of nursing in the Associate Degree of Nursing program at Kent State East Liverpool.
She received her ADN from Kent State Ashtabula, her BS in nursing from Youngstown State University and her MSN (PNP concentration) from Kent State.
Mermer started her nursing career as a licensed school nurse, during which she worked for nine years in the public school system. From there, she worked as a staff nurse on the orthopedic/med-surg floor at University Hospital’s Geauga Campus, while also starting her master’s degree courses at Kent State.
She specialized in pediatric nurse practitioner training for her MSN and also completed a post-master’s certification program to become a nurse educator. This past spring, she completed a certificate program at the Cleveland Clinic specializing in wound, ostomy and continence nursing.
“I have wanted to be a nurse for as long as I can remember,” Mermer shared. “Not long ago, I came across an essay I wrote about being a nurse when I grew up – I was 10 years old at the time. My Aunt Jeanette was a nurse in the late 1930s and she used to tell us exciting stories about her nursing career, which had a great impact on me.”
As much as Mermer loves being a nurse, she also loves teaching future nurses and watching them enter the profession.
“I wanted to become a nurse educator after the many teaching opportunities I had during my years as a school nurse,” she said. “The experiences sparked a true interest in teaching and inspiring students and adults to learn new skills and concepts, and watching them attain personal goals.
So, how did Mermer find herself teaching at Kent State East Liverpool?
“As I was growing up, my parents would take day trips down to the potteries in East Liverpool and drive along the Ohio River, so East Liverpool has always held a special place in my heart,” she noted. “When I heard that the nursing department was hiring, I jumped at the chance to apply here. Kent East Liverpool offers students some exciting opportunities in several disciplines, including nursing, occupational and physical therapy assistant, along with many other programs….I would recommend the East Liverpool campus to any student who is looking for quality education.”
When Mermer is not teaching or studying, she said she enjoys Bible study, gourmet cooking, gardening (she’s a master gardener) and art (stained glass, fused glass, painting and zentangle). “Believe it or not,” she added, “I was a professional musician at one time!”