Matthew Depenbrock
Fort Mitchell
Summary
Doctor of Nursing Practice candidate and Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner student, with advanced clinical experience in a Level IV neonatal intensive care unit within a quaternary pediatric academic medical center. Demonstrated leader in evidence-based practice, professional education, and quality improvement, with a sustained focus on palliative and end-of-life care, interdisciplinary collaboration, and culturally responsive communication. Founder and project lead of a scalable educational initiative with regional and international dissemination, translating doctoral scholarship into clinical practice, and system-level impact. Recognized for mentorship, peer leadership, and service to vulnerable patient populations, with a clear trajectory toward continued scholarly dissemination, institutional leadership, and advancement of pediatric nursing practice.
Overview
5
5
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Project Lead, Project HEALS
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
06.2025 - Current
- Founded and led an evidence-based educational initiative initially focused on neonatal palliative and end-of-life care within a Level IV NICU.
- Designed an asynchronous, modular framework emphasizing nurse professionalism, self-efficacy, communication, cultural humility, and quality improvement.
- Intentionally developed for scalability and adaptation across pediatric palliative and end-of-life care settings beyond the NICU.
- Incorporates validated evaluation tools to assess changes in knowledge, confidence, and perceived competence.
- Project HEALS materials and broader doctoral coursework are being utilized in support of the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing’s CCNE reaccreditation, following a direct faculty invitation to use submitted academic work for program evaluation and accreditation documentation.
- Recognized through regional and international dissemination, with a peer-reviewed manuscript in preparation.
- Led cross-functional teams to achieve project milestones and deliverables.
- Developed and implemented comprehensive project plans, schedules, and budgets.
- Monitored compliance with regulatory standards in healthcare projects.
- Facilitated regular meetings to discuss updates and challenges, ensuring team alignment.
- Managed stakeholder communications to maintain focus on project goals.
- Implemented process improvements to enhance collaboration and efficiency.
- Performed risk assessments, developed mitigation strategies, and monitored risk statuses.
- Tracked and communicated project status through reports to stakeholders.
Registered Nurse II, Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Cincinnati
09.2021 - Current
- Delivered comprehensive care to critically ill neonates in academic medical center.
- Certified in Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing (RNC-NIC).
- Completed professional development programs to support advanced clinical practice.
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to create individualized treatment plans.
- Participated in quality improvement initiatives to enhance patient care practices.
- Trained and mentored new RNs on best practices and hospital standards.
- Advocated for patients’ rights, values, and beliefs during care.
- Developed educational materials for patient and family teaching sessions.
Member, Critical Care Guiding Principles Committee
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
01.2023 - Current
- Collaborated with ICU attendings, medical directors, and executive leadership on critical care principles.
- Contributed innovative solutions to improve team performance and patient outcomes.
- Engaged with diverse coworkers to address product-related issues and achieve objectives.
- Achieved project goals by closely collaborating with team members.
- Coordinated efforts with cross-functional teams to meet organizational targets.
- Maintained current knowledge through continuing education and advanced training.
- Provided guidance to colleagues, fostering a collaborative work environment.
- Conducted research and data analysis to support strategic planning and decision-making.
Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) Skin Representative, NICU
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
01.2022 - Current
- Served as NICU subject-matter expert for neonates with Epidermolysis Bullosa.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to develop and implement care policies for neonates.
- Coordinated communication between medical staff and families to ensure clarity of information.
- Educated families on treatment plans and hospital procedures as needed.
- Participated in training sessions to enhance job performance and skills.
- Engaged in team meetings to review performance metrics, strategies, and objectives.
- Assisted in developing and applying new policies with interdisciplinary team members for best practices.
House-Wide Skin Champion
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
01.2022 - Current
- Spearheaded evidence-based skin integrity initiatives for neonatal and pediatric populations.
- Contributed innovative strategies to optimize team performance and project outcomes.
- Collaborated with diverse teams to achieve objectives and resolve product-related challenges.
- Worked alongside cross-functional teams to ensure project goals and deadlines were met.
- Maintained current knowledge through ongoing education and advanced training opportunities.
- Provided support and guidance to colleagues, promoting a collaborative work environment.
- Earned recognition for exceptional patient care from management and interdisciplinary teams.
- Utilized advanced technical skills to troubleshoot complex issues and implement effective solutions.
Adjunct Faculty / Clinical Nursing Instructor – Pediatric Nursing
Northern Kentucky University
01.2024 - 01.2025
- Supervised and mentored undergraduate nursing students during pediatric clinical rotations.
- Facilitated hands-on clinical training across diverse settings to enhance student readiness.
- Developed course materials aligned with nursing program requirements at regional university.
- Evaluated student performance through assessments and feedback sessions to ensure competency.
- Organized simulation exercises to prepare students for real-world patient care scenarios.
- Collaborated with faculty to innovate curriculum and instructional strategies for nursing education.
- Coordinated healthcare facility partnerships for optimal student clinical placements.
- Conducted lectures and labs, covering various topics related to clinical nursing practice.
Registered Nurse, Medical Intensive Care Unit
St. Elizabeth Healthcare, Edgewood Campus
12.2020 - 09.2021
- Delivered care to critically ill adult patients in high-acuity medical ICU.
- Developed expertise in ventilatory support, hemodynamic monitoring, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to create and implement individualized care plans.
- Provided emotional support and education to patients' families during critical times.
- Evaluated patient outcomes through data collection and analysis of clinical indicators.
- Identified potential treatment issues and implemented corrective actions promptly.
- Contributed to development and revision of ICU policies for improved workflow efficiency.
- Trained new nursing staff, sharing knowledge of best practices in critical care.
Education
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) - Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
University of Cincinnati, College of Nursing
05.2026
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) -
Northern Kentucky University
12.2020
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
University of Kentucky
08.2015
Skills
- Pediatric acute care
- Patient education
- Project management
- Evidence-based practice
- Team collaboration
- Quality improvement
- Data analysis
- Effective project management
- Mentoring
- Project coordination
- Stakeholder management
- Project regulations
- Leadership skills
- Innovation skills
- Project planning
- Process improvement
- Project development
- Multi-stakeholder asset management
- Continuous improvement
Teaching And Mentorship
Adjunct Faculty / Clinical Nursing Instructor – Pediatric Nursing, Northern Kentucky University, 2024 – 2025, Supervised and mentored undergraduate nursing students during pediatric clinical rotations., Supported clinical readiness, professionalism, and transition to practice in pediatric settings.
Scholarly Dissemination
- TriState Nursing Excellence Conference (TNEC), Poster Presentation, Regional
- International Council of Nurses NP/APN Network Conference, Poster Presentation, International
Professional Certifications And Affiliations
- Registered Nurse (RN)
- RNC-NIC
- Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing
Credentials
- BSN
- RN
- RNC-NIC
Clinical Email
matthew.depenbrock@cchmc.org
Scholarship And Academic Contributions - Doctoral Scholarly Project
Project HEALS – Helping Educate and Advocate Life with Support, Founded and lead an evidence-based educational initiative initially focused on neonatal palliative and end-of-life care within a Level IV NICU., Designed an asynchronous, modular framework emphasizing nurse professionalism, self-efficacy, communication, cultural humility, and quality improvement., Intentionally developed for scalability and adaptation across pediatric palliative and end-of-life care settings beyond the NICU., Incorporates validated evaluation tools to assess changes in knowledge, confidence, and perceived competence., Project HEALS materials and broader doctoral coursework are being utilized in support of the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing’s CCNE reaccreditation, following direct faculty invitation to use submitted academic work for program evaluation and accreditation documentation., Recognized through regional and international dissemination, with a peer-reviewed manuscript in preparation.
Leadership Experience
- Project Lead, Project HEALS, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Summer 2025 – Present
- Member, Critical Care Guiding Principles Committee, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, 2023 – Present, Sole nursing representative collaborating with ICU attendings, medical directors, and senior executive leadership on system-level critical care principles.
- Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) Skin Representative, NICU, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, 2022 – Present, Serve as NICU subject-matter resource for neonates with Epidermolysis Bullosa.
- Resource Nurse and Unit Preceptor, Level IV NICU, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, 2022 – Present, Selected for advanced clinical and mentorship role within first year of employment.
- House-Wide Skin Champion, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, 2022 – Present, Lead and support evidence-based skin integrity initiatives across neonatal and pediatric populations.
- Registered Nurse III (RN III), Clinical Advancement Program – In Progress, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Certification
Registered Nurse (RN) – State of Ohio
Registered Nurse (RN) – Commonwealth of Kentucky
RNC-NIC® – Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing Certification
Basic Life Support (BLS) – American Heart Association
Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) – American Heart Association
Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) – American Academy of Pediatrics
Registered Nurse (RN) – Commonwealth of Kentucky
RNC-NIC® – Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing Certification
Basic Life Support (BLS) – American Heart Association
Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) – American Heart Association
Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) – American Academy of Pediatrics
Timeline
Project Lead, Project HEALS
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
06.2025 - Current
Adjunct Faculty / Clinical Nursing Instructor – Pediatric Nursing
Northern Kentucky University
01.2024 - 01.2025
Member, Critical Care Guiding Principles Committee
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
01.2023 - Current
Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) Skin Representative, NICU
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
01.2022 - Current
House-Wide Skin Champion
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
01.2022 - Current
Registered Nurse II, Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
09.2021 - Current
Registered Nurse, Medical Intensive Care Unit
St. Elizabeth Healthcare, Edgewood Campus
12.2020 - 09.2021
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) - Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
University of Cincinnati, College of Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) -
Northern Kentucky University
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
University of Kentucky