Rodger Van Voorhees, BSN, RN, is an instructor of nursing in the traditional BSN program at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, Colorado. He works with students in the Foundations lab and clinical settings and Acute/Chronic clinical rotations with level 2 students. Rodger earned a bachelor's degree in nursing from Mesa State College. He began his graduate work in nursing education at the University of Texas at Arlington before transferring to Colorado Mesa University. He is continuing his studies and is projected to graduate in the spring of 2026.
He has enjoyed a well-rounded career in many areas of nursing. While he has a propensity for med/surg, he has worked in almost every area of nursing and many assignments in emergency medicine.
His teaching philosophy is similar to that of B.F. Skinner’s theory of operant conditioning. This theory involves learning through rewards to increase or decrease behavior through positive and negative reinforcement. He is incredibly optimistic and tends to lean toward positive reinforcement.
Rodger is the president of the Social Committee for Health Sciences at Colorado Mesa University, vice president of the local chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, and member of the Student Nurses Association.
Rodger enjoys an active life with his wife, two horses, three dogs, and six chickens! He has three children who have become good people. He and his wife are avid cyclists and fitness freaks! He believes food is a celebration and has never met a donut he could not outrun!