Education
Lydia A. Bertschi received a BSN from Illinois Wesleyan University in 2005, and her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) with Acute Care Nurse Practitioner specialization from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) in 2012.
Biography
Prior to joining the faculty at Illinois Wesleyan University in 2015, Dr. Bertschi worked as a staff nurse in critical care at OSF St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington, IL (2005-2010). Since 2012, Dr. Bertschi has worked at UnityPoint Health – Methodist as a nurse practitioner with the Pulmonology and Intensivist services. Dr. Bertschi joined the School of Nursing faculty full time in 2015, and continues to teach in her specialty of critical care nursing, which all nursing students take in the fall of their senior year. She also teaches pathophysiology and pharmacology (sophomore level) as well as clinicals for Leadership and Management in Nursing (final semester of the senior year).
Dr. Bertschi has been active in humanitarian and medical relief for Haiti since 1998, including participation in numerous construction and short-term medical mission teams (2006-present). Most recently, she has begun researching risk factors for cardiovascular disease in a rural Haitian population, and hopes to continue this research with a focus on reducing risk for heart attack and stroke.
Honors & Memberships
Dr. Bertschi is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, and the American Association of Critical Care Nurses. Dr. Bertschi was recognized by the American Nurses Association Illinois in 2017 as a recipient of the 40 under 40 Emerging Nurse Leader Award. In addition, in 2019 she received the Illinois Board of Higher Education Nurse Educator Fellowship Award.