Sara Banzhaf, DNP
Dr. Banzhaf is an assistant professor at Creighton University College of Nursing. She teaches psychiatric—mental health nurse practitioner specialty courses as well as didactic and practicum courses. She is also a track leader for the psychiatric—mental health nurse practitioner degree.
Dr. Banzhaff enjoys supporting students on their individual journeys by supporting their professional growth in self-awareness, knowledge acquisition and their ability to identify their unique strengths and contributions in the promotion of health, healing and hope.
Her teaching philosophy is summed up in this quote by St. Catherine of Siena:
“One who knows more, loves more. Be who God wants you to be and you will set the world on fire."
Dr. Banzhaff is also a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner at the Porto Urgent Care Clinic in Omaha, Nebraska that serves an ethnically diverse population.
The combination of teaching and practicing mental health offers the opportunity to integrate advanced practice and research to facilitate the provision of quality, evidence-based interventions both in the specialty of psychiatric mental health and nursing education.
Dr. Banzhaff graduated from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska in 2012 with a master of science in nursing and family psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. She completed a doctorate in nursing in May of 2017 from Creighton University College of Nursing.
Current research interests include the promotion of quality mental health services,
integration of spirituality and reflective practice in nursing and health care professional practice and integration of comprehensive, interprofessional strategies to promote quality of life and outcomes. She is dedicated to supporting the development of an ongoing workforce to meet the needs of psychiatric-mental health.
When she is not teaching or practicing nursing, Dr. Banzhaff enjoys spending time with family and friends, being a dance and soccer mom, taking walks, kayaking and watching movies.
View a full listing of Dr. Banzhaff's publications and honors.