Erika M. Schwelnus, DNP, APRN, ACNP, CNL

Dr. Schwelnus is an Advanced Practice Nurse specializing in Trauma and Acute Care and began her professional career receiving an Associate’s degree in Nursing from the State University of New York. While enrolled in the S.U.N.Y system obtained a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing, graduating from Syracuse University with a full teaching scholarship along with a Master’s of Science in Nursing. Erika specialized in transplantation at New York Upstate Medical Center on their Kidney transplant unit.

In 1989 she relocated to Manhattan joining the staff at Mount Sinai hospital’s Liver and Kidney transplant unit. She relocated to Chicago and accepted a position as assistant unit leader of Rush University Medical Center’s Liver and Kidney transplant unit. She became a Unit Leader creating Rush’s short stay unit. Dr. Schwelnus holds post-masters from Loyola University as an ACGNP and a Doctorate of Nursing Science from Rush University.

Dr. Schwelnus is an Assistant Professor in the College of Nursing at RUMC joining the faculty in 1991. Erika’s primary teaching responsibilities are in the direct entry master’s program and focuses on clinical directed patient care targeting up to date research and evidence based practice. Erika also sets aside 2 days per month, functioning as a nurse practitioner at a Rush Urgent Care Walk-In Clinic.