University of Miami empowers future nurses with Sherpath Vantage

“The most important feedback that I get is the confidence aspect.”

Helping to shape the next generation of nurses is what drives Dr. LaToya Lewis in her work as Associate Professor of Clinical at the University of Miami’s School of Nursing and Health Studies. With more than two decades of clinical and leadership experience, Sherpath Vantage has become one of her go-to tools on her journey of building student confidence, enhancing learning, and preparing students for real-world care.

From hospital floors to the classroom

Dr. Lewis’s journey began in Trinidad, eventually bringing her to California, New York, and Miami, where she earned her nursing degree and spent a number of years at Jackson Memorial Hospital, where she rose from staff nurse to ICU manager, all while completing her doctoral degree and discovering a passion for helping nursing students.

“My work gives me the opportunity to do a full circle of mentorship, support, and essentially, I get to also tap into my hospital-based resources to see what health care demands right now,” she explains.

A more adaptive and engaging teaching experience

When Dr. Lewis first piloted Sherpath Vantage, she immediately recognized its strengths.

She explains: “I was in one of the groups that tested it out, and I loved it because it was more interactive. I like how things are organized and my students give good feedback on the case studies that are helpful for them.”

She appreciates how Sherpath Vantage supports different learning styles and offers students autonomy in their education, with numerous opportunities for student-driven learning.

“It enhances their connection to the profession and enhances their connection to their future roles,” Dr. Lewis added.

Sherpath Vantage combines evidence-based content with interactive tools like adaptive quizzing, Osmosis videos, and Shadow Health simulations to create a more engaging, personalized learning experience.

Faculty can assign focused content, assess readiness, and track student progress with built-in analytics, making it easier to teach, measure, and support clinical preparedness.

A supportive education platform launch

Dr. Lewis credits her Elsevier team with helping her implement Sherpath Vantage smoothly.

Learning with innovation and clarity

At the University of Miami, innovation is part of the culture. “We're focused on the holistic needs of students,” she said, citing the University’s five-story, 41,000 square foot simulation hospital offering on-site, virtual, and extended-reality simulation opportunities as an example.

Sherpath Vantage fits right into their innovative offerings by making content accessible, relevant, and actionable. “Students have increased comfort because they can access Sherpath Vantage through multiple ways to get evidence-based information.”

Strong connections with EAQs

One of the most important benefits of Sherpath Vantage for Dr. Lewis is the integration with Elsevier Adaptive Quizzing (EAQ).

“Case studies and EAQs that can directly link to a certain chapter or a certain section have been very beneficial,” she explains. “We always emphasize the EAQs. I write practice questions prior to going into regular EAQ.

“Sherpath Vantage can help pivot and pinpoint some of the areas in which they need support, and students can access it quickly,” Dr. Lewis added.

Lined up and ready to go

Dr. Lewis recounted a story of a student who benefited deeply from Sherpath Vantage.

“She already knew about creating her own EAQs, but in regards to the case studies and getting the transcript of some of the videos, she definitely loved the new Sherpath AI,” she said.

“It gave her the opportunity to have multiple ways to understand a certain illness, because HESI case studies were always there, but they were more of a separate entity, compared to Sherpath Vantage, where everything is lined up and ready for you to go,” she added

That's common feedback I always get: ‘I'm thankful everything is there.’”