Dr. Ella T. Heitzler is an Associate Professor in the School of Nursing. Dr. Heitzler’s current clinical research explores how reproductive healthcare providers (physicians, midwives, and nurse practitioners) who specialize in women's and gender-related healthcare screen their patients (both cisgender and transgender) for history of sexual violence. Her most recent educational research focused on mentoring DNP and PhD students engaged in scholarly projects and dissertations. Ella's on-going research interests center around sexual violence and the science of nursing education. Dr. Heitzler is an Associate Editor for Research Articles in the Clinical Journal for Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health (CJNPWH).
Ella is Fellow of NPWH (FNPWH), a board-certified women’s health nurse practitioner (WHNP-BC), and holds additional certifications as a family nurse practitioner (FNP-BC) and in in-patient obstetrical nursing (RNC-OB). Her clinical background includes practice in free clinic and private office settings, focusing on gynecological and primary care. She serves as the Governance Chair for the Tau Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International. She is also a member and past-Chair of the Research and Quality Improvement Committee of the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health (NPWH).
Dr. Heitzler has been in academia since 2005, teaching all levels of students both on-line and in-person. Currently, she is a member of the GUSON Appointments, Promotions, and Tenure Committee; a member of the GUSON Faculty Governance/Steering Committee; a member of the GUMC Caucus of the Faculty Senate; a member/senator of the Faculty Senate; and the Program Director/Principal Investigator for Georgetown University's U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Nurse Faculty Loan Program grant. Dr. Heitzler completed her PhD in Nursing at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas where she earned the Yaffa Dahan Award for her dissertation research which focused on increasing the cultural competence of practicing OB and neonatal nurses. In 2025, Dr. Heitzler received the NPWH Inspiration Award for Education from the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health.
Academic Appointment(s)
- Primary
- Associate Professor, SON - Nursing Academic Department