Meet Dr. Susan Fuentes
Degrees and Experience
- DNP, Visionary Leadership (Colorado Christian University)
- M.S.N., Nursing Education (Azusa Pacific University)
- B.S.N. (Point Loma Nazarene University)
- Clinical Nurse Specialist in Maternal/Child (Azusa Pacific University)
- Public Health Nurse Certificate (Point Loma Nazarene University)
Biography and Professional Achievements
Dr. Fuentes is an assistant professor and the Assistant Director of Program Effectiveness, Assessment, and Accreditation in the School of Nursing and Health Professions at Colorado Chrisitan University. Dr. Fuentes is also the Faith Community Nursing Foundations Course Education Planner and Lead Faculty. Prior to this, she worked as a regional director of population health in a large non-profit health plan and a large medical group for ten years. During that time, she specialized in inpatient and ambulatory care management and high-risk programs. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Point Loma Nazarene University and a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with an emphasis on nursing education from Azusa Pacific University. She also earned a clinical nurse specialist (CNS) in parent/child nursing.
Dr. Fuentes has over 40 years of experience in obstetrics nursing in acute care and community health nursing. She has participated in several community-based research projects. She has authored two book chapters on faith community nursing and several articles in peer-reviewed journals. She has also developed an online course, Faith Community Nursing Foundations, for CCU. Dr. Fuentes is a past treasurer and leader of the Health Ministries Association. She has taught nurses and students, sharing her passion for helping vulnerable and underserved areas through community health approaches such as faith community nursing. Her DNP project involved faith community nursing as a public health approach to improve community health.
Fuentes teaches population health and provides nursing leadership to the nursing students. She feels called to prepare compassionate Christ-centered nurses of excellence. She is thrilled to be part of CCU's ministry to students, healthcare providers, communities, and the world.
Publications
- Fuentes, S. K. (2025). Faith community nursing as an effective public health approach to vaccine hesitancy (publication pending). Journal of Christian Nursing.
- Fuentes, S. K. (2024). Engaging community partners. Journal of Christian Nursing, 41(1), 14. https://doi.org/10.1097/CNJ.0000000000001128
- Kataoka, S. H., Fuentes, S., O'Donoghue, V. P., Castillo-Campos, P., Bonilla, A., Halsey, K., Avila, J. L., & Wells, K. B. (2006). A community participatory research partnership: The development of a faith-based intervention for children exposed to violence. Ethnicity & Disease, 16(1 Suppl 1), S89–S97. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16681132/
- Ricker, C., Lagos, V., Feldman, N., Hiyama, S., Fuentes, S., Kumar, V., Gonzalez, K., Palomares, M., Blazer, K., Lowstuter, K., MacDonald, D., & Weitzel, J. (2006). If we build it… will they come? Establishing a cancer genetics services clinic for an underserved, predominantly Latina cohort. Journal of Genetic Counseling, 15(6), 505–514. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10897-006-9052-5
- Dossett, E., Fuentes, S., Klap, R., & Wells, K. (2005). Obstacles and opportunities in providing mental health services through a faith-based network in Los Angeles. Psychiatric Services, 56(2), 206–208. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.56.2.206
- Fuentes, S. K. (2003). Developing resources. In S. D. Smith (Ed.), Parish nursing: A handbook for the new millennium (pp. 177–191). Hayworth Press.
- Fuentes, S. K. (2003). Program evaluation. In S. D. Smith (Ed.), Parish nursing: A handbook for the new millennium (pp. 165–176). Hayworth Press.
- Fuentes, S. K. (Ed.). (2002). Basic training for health ministers. Health Ministries Coordinators of Southern California.
- Fuentes, S. K. (1997). Foundations for the spiritual subsystem: Clinical example. In Artinian & Conger (Eds.), The Intersystem Model: Integrating theory and practice (pp. 123–128). Sage Publications.
- Fuentes, S. K. (1996). Parish nursing outcomes. The ACPE Research Network Newsletter, 7(3), 3.
Faith and Learning
Dr. Fuentes' faith in Jesus Christ is all-encompassing and not something that can be “added” to her teaching. It must be interwoven into everything she does because it is who she is. Her identity is in Christ, and she aims to reflect Him as purely as possible to turn others to His light. This means seeing students through His eyes and loving them through the talents He has given her. She loves nursing and being part of developing nurses to be ambassadors for Christ in our lost world. “Freely you have received; freely give” (NIV, Matthew 10:8).