Sandra Mixer

Sandra Mixer

Associate Professor

Biography

Sandra J. Mixer, PhD, RN, CTN-A is an Associate Professor in the College of Nursing at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She earned her PhD in nursing education/transcultural nursing cognate from the University of Northern Colorado, master’s degree from the University of Texas at Arlington, Bachelor’s degree from Saginaw Valley State University and Diploma from Mercy Central School of Nursing.

Dr. Mixer’s scholarship uses the framework of culture care and academic-community-practice partnerships to improve the health of vulnerable populations, enhance quality of life, foster dignified death, and develop health care providers’ cultural competency. The framework of culture care fosters culturally congruent care that incorporates peoples’ values, beliefs, and practices, is meaningful, promotes health and wellbeing, and helps people face disability or death. An expert qualitative researcher, Dr. Mixer uses ethnonursing and community-based participatory methodologies and collaborates with quantitative researchers. Her research has been supported by several grants, including a $2.6 million HRSA award to transform RN roles in community-based integrated primary care settings caring for underserved populations and others that help persons/families understand and use end-of-life care services and advance care planning. Dr. Mixer leads partnerships in urban and rural areas with faith and community leaders, residents, practice partners, and interdisciplinary team members.

Dr. Mixer teaches transcultural nursing and leadership in undergraduate and graduate programs.