• Ph D, Occupational therapy, Texas Woman's University, 2017
• MS, Occupational Therapy, The University of South Dakota, 2006
• BS, Psychology, The University of South Dakota, 2004

• Board Certified Telehealth Professional (BCTP-III), telehealth.org
• essentiALZ, Alzheimer's Association
• Adult Mental Health First Aid, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
• Saebo certified clinician, Saebo Inc.
• We Need to Talk Facilitator , AOTA and AARP
• South Dakota licensure to practice Occupational Therapy, South Dakota Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners
• Occupational Therapist Registered, The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.

• Participation in Psychologically Rewarding Occupations: Implications for Well-Being, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation2020)
• Characteristics of Daily Activities for People with Lifestyle Diseases: Implications for Preventive Interventions, Sanford Data Collaborative2020)

• Health Utilization and Needs of Caregivers, USD School of Health Sciences Research Committee, (2021 - 2022)
• School of Health Sciences Research and Scholarship Seed Grant, USD School of Health Sciences, (2015 - 2015)

Citations listed below are presented in a standardized, modified format for display purposes only. They do not necessarily reflect the preferred style and conventions of the faculty member or discipline.

• Naber, Allison, and Nissen, Ranelle. Dementia and Home Safety: Tips for Caregivers. Prairie Doc, 2026.
• Nissen, Ranelle, and Naber, Allison. Beyond memory loss: The human side of dementia. Prairie Doc, 2026.
• Nissen, Ranelle, Lucas Molitor, Whitney, and Naber, Allison. Service-learning clinics: A pathway to improve student learning outcomes. Vol. 10, Iss. 1 Journal of Occupational Therapy Education, 2026.
• Nissen, Ranelle, McHugh, Jessica, Feldhacker, Mackenzie, Lucas Molitor, Whitney, and Naber, Allison. A Retrospective Study of Healthcare Needs of Unpaid Caregivers in the United States , 1-16. Vol. 12, Iss. 3 Open Journal of Occupational Therapy, 2024. (DOI: https://doi.org/10.15453/2168-6408.2217)
• Nissen, Ranelle. Setting the Student Up for Success. In Fieldwork Educator’s Guide to Level II Fieldwork, 137-160. Routledge, 2024. (DOI: 10.4324/9781003524175-6)
• Nissen, Ranelle. Book Review: AN OCCUPATIONAL PERSPECTIVE ON LEADERSHIP: THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL DIMENSIONS, 3RD EDITION (2022), 156-157. Vol. 38, Iss. 1 Occupational Therapy in Health Care, 2023. (DOI: 10.1080/07380577.2023.2255268)
• Naber, Allison, Nissen, Ranelle, Lucas Molitor, Whitney, Puumala, Susan, and Shepherd, Jewel. Exploring Occupational Therapy Student and Entry-Level Practitioner Perceptions of Mental Health Accommodations. Vol. 7, Iss. 3 Journal of Occupational Therapy Education, 2023. (DOI: https://doi.org/10.26681/jote.2023.070304)
• Nissen, Ranelle, McHugh, Jessica, Feldhacker, Mackenzie, Lucas Molitor, Whitney, and Naber, Allison. Analysis of the Utilization & Needs of Caregivers in the United States, 7711505108p1-7711505108p1. Vol. 77, Iss. Supplement_2 The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 2023. (DOI: 10.5014/ajot.2023.77s2-po108)
• Nissen, Ranelle. Setting the Student Up for Success. In Fieldwork Educator’s Guide to Level II Fieldwork. Slack Inc, 2022.
• Lucas Molitor, Whitney, Ikiugu, Moses, Nissen, Ranelle, Avoseh, Mejai Bola Mike, Kenyon, DenYelle, and Kupershmidt, Sabina. Development of Learning Materials to Address Social and Medical Factors Impacting A Minority Population . Vol. 6, Iss. 3 Journal of Occupational Therapy Education, 2022.
• Nissen, Ranelle, Ikiugu, Moses, Barash, Brenna, , Kathol, MaKenzie, and Oorlog, Arianna. Perceptions of occupational therapy educators about the educational preparation of occupational therapists for designation as Qualified Mental Health Professionals. Occupational Therapy in Health Care, 2022. (DOI: 10.1080/07380577.2022.2031371)
• Lucas Molitor, Whitney, Ikiugu, Moses, Nissen, Ranelle, Avoseh, Mejai Bola Mike, and Kenyon, DenYelle. Evaluating Interprofessional Competencies and Knowledge of and Confidence in Addressing Social Determinants of Health. In Journal of Occupational Therapy Education, 1-19. Vol. 5, Iss. 4 (DOI: 10.26681/jote.2021.050408)
• Nissen, Ranelle, and Serwe, Katrina. Survey of Occupational Therapy Education in Telehealth . Vol. 5, Iss. 2 Journal of Occupational Therapy Education, 2021.
• Ikiugu, Moses, and Nissen, Ranelle. Pragmatism: A Transactional Perspective of Occupational Therapy . In Philosophical Foundations for Occupational Therapy Education, Research, and Practice, 83-90. Thorofare, New Jersey: Slack, 2021.
• Lucas Molitor, Whitney, and Nissen, Ranelle. Correlation between use of high fidelity simulation and fieldwork performance. Vol. 4, Iss. 2 Journal of Occupational Therapy Education, 2020. (DOI: https://doi.org/10.26681/jote.2020.040209)
• Nissen, Ranelle. Telehealth. In Occupational Therapy in Community and Population Health Practice, editors Marjorie E. Scaffa & S. Maggie Reitz. Iss. 3rd Philadelphia, PA: FA Davis, 2020.
• Nissen, Ranelle, and Serwe, Katrina M.. Occupational Therapy Telehealth Applications for the Dementia-Caregiver Dyad: A Scoping Review, 366-379. Vol. 36, Iss. 4 Physical & Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics, 2018. (DOI: 10.1080/02703181.2018.1536095)
• Nissen, Ranelle, Hersch, Gayle, Tietze, Mari, and Chang, Pei-Fen. Persons with Dementia and Their Caregivers’ Perceptions About Occupational Therapy and Telehealth: A Qualitative Study. Vol. 36, Iss. 6 Home Healthcare Now, 2018.
• Naber, Allison, Berg-Poppe, Patti, Lucas Molitor, Whitney, MacCabe, Angela, and Nissen, Ranelle. USD Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy Service Learning. In Heathcare Workforce Collaborative.
• Lucas Molitor, Whitney, and Nissen, Ranelle. Clinician, educator, and student perceptions of entry-level academic degree requirements in occupational therapy education, 23. Vol. 2, Iss. 1 Journal of Occupational Therapy Education, 2018. (DOI: https://doi.org/10.26681/jote.2018.020102)
• Lucas Molitor, Whitney M., and Nissen, Ranelle. Clinician, Educator, and Student Perceptions of Entry-level Academic Degree Requirements in Occupational Therapy Education. Vol. 2, Iss. 1 Journal of Occupational Therapy Education, 2018. (DOI: 10.26681/jote.2018.020102)
• Berg-Poppe, Patti J., Karges, Joy R., Nissen, Ranelle, Deutsch, Susan, and Webster, Kendra. Relationship between Occupational and Physical Therapist Students’ Belongingness and Perceived Competence in the Clinic using the Ascent to Competence Scale. Vol. 1, Iss. 1 Journal of Occupational Therapy Education, 2017. (DOI: 10.26681/jote.2017.010303)
• Berg-Poppe, Patti, Karges, Joy, Nissen, Ranelle, Deutsch, Susan, and Webster, Kendra. Relationship between occupational and physical therapist students' belongingness and perceived competence in the clinic using the Ascent to Competence Scale. Vol. 1, Iss. 3 Journal of Occupational Therapy Education, 2017. (DOI: https://doi.org/10.26681/jote.2017.010303)
• Nissen, Ranelle, and Brockevelt, Barbara. The Effect of Education on Student Perceptions about Telehealth, 5-10. Vol. 4, Iss. 4 International Journal of Health Sciences , 2016.
• Nissen, Ranelle. Delivering Occupational Therapy Services Through Telehealth to Older Adults: Current Considerations, 20-22. Vol. 1, Iss. 4 Bethesda, MD: SIS Quarterly Practice Connections, 2016.
• Nissen, Ranelle, and Ikiugu, Moses. Intervention Strategies Used by Occupational Therapists Working in Mental Health and Their Theoretical Basis, 7011505091p1-7011505091p1. Vol. 70, Iss. 4_Supplement_1 The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 2016. (DOI: 10.5014/ajot.2015.70s1-rp303a)
• Ikiugu, Moses, Westerfield, Madeline, Lien, Jamie, Cerny, Shana, and Nissen, Ranelle. Empowering People to Change Occupational Behaviours to Address Critical Global Issues ., Editors Helen J. Polatajko. Ottawa, Ontario: Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 2015. (DOI: 10.1177/0008417414567529)
• Hove, Kelsee , Nissen, Ranelle, Feldhacker, Diana, and Kuhl, Nicole. A Professional Development Assessment of Optimizing Student Readiness for Level II Fieldwork. Journal of Emerging Scholars in Occupational Therapy.
• Lucas Molitor, Whitney, Ikiugu, Moses, Nissen, Ranelle, Avoseh, Mejai Bola Mike, Kenyon, DenYelle, and Kupershmidt, Sabina. Evaluating Interprofessional Competencies and Knowledge of and Confidence in Addressing Social Determinants of Health. In Journal of Educational Therapy Education. Vol. 5, Iss. 4 Journal of Occupational Therapy Education.
• Nissen, Ranelle. Best Practice Considerations for the use of Telehealth to Deliver Occupational Therapy Services to Older Adult Clients . Hoffman Estates, IL: OnCourse Learning.
• Ikiugu, Moses, Nissen, Ranelle, Bellar, Cali, Maassen, Alexya, and Van Peursem, Katie. Clinical Effectiveness of Occupational Therapy in Mental Health: A Meta-Analysis., Editors Lorie Richards. Bethesda, Maryland: American Journal of Occupational Therapy.

• Professor of the Game, USD Academic Affairs, 2023
• Dorothy Anne Elsberry Award of Merit , South Dakota Occupational Therapy Association , 2015

• McHugh Conlin, Jessica, and Nissen, Ranelle, Bridging maternal well-being gaps during the perinatal period: Implications for occupational therapy. Presented at the AOTA Inspire 2026, Anaheim, CA. (April 25, 2026)
• Nissen, Ranelle, Becker, McKayla, Myers, Leah, and Yoder, Ashlyn, Barriers to support cervices for care partners of persons living with dementia: A scoping review. Presented at the AOTA Inspire 2026, Anaheim, CA. (April 23, 2026)
• McHugh, Jessica, and Nissen, Ranelle, Implementation of a Year-Long Postnatal Women & Infant Program. Presented at the AOTA Inspire 2025, Philadelphia, PA. (April 05, 2025)
• Nissen, Ranelle, and McHugh, Jessica, Collaborations for Program Funding: Bridging the Gap Between Practice & Academia. Presented at the AOTA Inspire 2025, Philadelphia. (April 03, 2025)
• Naber, Allison, Nissen, Ranelle, Lucas Molitor, Whitney, Puumala, Susan, and Shepherd, Jewel, Addressing Mental Health Concerns During Transitions from the Classroom to Fieldwork or Capstone and Entry-level Practice. Presented at the 2023 AOTA Education Summit, Denver, CO. (November 11, 2023)
• Nissen, Ranelle, McHugh, Jessica, Feldhacker, Mackenzie, Lucas Molitor, Whitney, and Naber, Allison, Analysis of the Utilization and Needs of Caregivers in the United States . Presented at the AOTA Inspire 2023, Kansas City, Missouri. (April 21, 2023)
• Nissen, Ranelle, and Ikiugu, Moses, Educational preparation of occupational therapy practitioners for designation as Qualified Mental Health Professionals. Presented at the 2022 AOTA Inspire, San Antonio, TX. (April 2022)
• Nissen, Ranelle, and McHugh, Jessica, Familiarity and Use of Sensory-Based Theories by Occupational Therapists Practicing in Various Settings Across the United States. Presented at the 2022 AOTA Inspire, San Antonio, TX. (April 2022)
• Nissen, Ranelle, Ikiugu, Moses, Herdman, Brenna, Johnson, MaKenzie, and Oorlog, Ariana, Designation of Occupational Therapy Practitioners as Qualified Mental Health Professionals: Educational Preparation. Presented at the OT Research Symposium, Virtual. (May 2020)
• Lucas Molitor, Whitney, Nissen, Ranelle, and Naber, Allison, Fostering Student Confidence & Engagement Through Mentored Experiential Learning & Community Engagement. Presented at the American Occupational Therapy Association Education Summit, Las Vegas, Nevada. (October 18, 2019)
• Naber, Allison, Lucas Molitor, Whitney, and Nissen, Ranelle, Community Partnerships in Action: Development of Mentored Service Learning Opportunities . Presented at the Innovation in Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy Education Summit 2019, Omaha, NE. (June 27, 2019)
• Nissen, Ranelle, and Serwe, Katrina, Telehealth Applications for the Caregiver Dyad in Dementia Care. Presented at the AOTA National Conference & Expo, Salt Lake City, UT. (April 20, 2018)
• Nissen, Ranelle, Almanza, Jacob, Brandner, Chase, Conway, Stephanie, and Mather, Cody, Effect of an occupation-based activity program on older adult's quality of life. Presented at the 8th Annual Occupational Therapy Research Symposium, Vermillion, SD. (May 04, 2017)
• Nissen, Ranelle, Holbeck, Michelle, and Johnson, Riley, Student perceptions of an entry-level occupational therapy doctorate. Presented at the 8th Annual Occupational Therapy Research Symposium, Vermillion, SD. (May 04, 2017)
• Nissen, Ranelle, Delivery of Telehealth Occupational Therapy Services for Clients with Dementia and Their Caregivers. Presented at the TWU Doctoral Research Symposium, Dallas, TX. (September 17, 2016)
• Nissen, Ranelle, and Ikiugu, Moses, Intervention Strategies Used by Occupational Therapists Working in Mental Health and Their Theoretical Basis . Presented at the AOTA National Conference, Chicago, IL. (April 09, 2016)
• Nissen, Ranelle, Brockevelt, Barbara, Bailey, Scott, Jackson, Brianna, and Mentzer, Amanda, Student Perceptions of Telehealth. Presented at the USD 6th Annual Occupational Therapy Research Symposium, Lee Medical Building, Vermillion, SD. (May 06, 2015)
• Nissen, Ranelle, Bailey, Scott, Jackson, Brianna, and Mentzer, Amanda, Student Perceptions of Telehealth. Presented at the School of Health Sciences Research Conference, Lee Medical Building, Vermillion, SD. (April 24, 2015)
• Karges, Joy, Berg-Poppe, Patti, Gilkerson, Susan, Webster, Kendra, Nissen, Ranelle, and Zimney, Kory, Examining Relationships Between Physical Therapist and Occupational Therapy Students' Belongingness and Perceived Competence in the Clinic Using the Ascent to Competence Scale. Presented at the 2015 Combined Sections Meeting of the American Physical Therapy Association, Indianapolis IN. (February 06, 2015)
• Nissen, Ranelle, Bourland, Chris , Buxell, Linda, Grabau, Angie, Graves, Cherie, Hanson, Debra, Welke, Kara, and , Maximizing the Benefits of Fieldwork Supervision. Presented at the MOTA 2014 Annual Conference, Bloomington, Minnesota. (November 07, 2014)
• Nissen, Ranelle, Braden, Kristin, Kroupa, Melissa, Rolfes, Amanda, and Parish, Theresa, Ready approach: Identifying sensory deficits in adults with developmental disabilities. Presented at the University of South Dakota Occupational Therapy Research Symposium, Vermillion, SD. (May 08, 2014)
• Nissen, Ranelle, Chrestiansen, Sarah, Sharkey, Blane, Olson, Beryl, Smallfield, Stacy, Drealan, Samantha, and Miller, Amanda, The effectiveness of a community-based program for implementing exercise into daily life with diabetes. Presented at the University of South Dakota Occupational Therapy Research Symposium, Vermillion, SD. (May 08, 2014)
• Nissen, Ranelle, Chrestiansen, Sarah, Olson, Beryl, Smallfield, Stacy, Sharkey, Blane, Drealan, Samantha, and Miller, Amanda, Effectiveness of a community-based program for implementing exercise into daily life with diabetes.. Presented at the 2014 AOTA Annual Conference, Baltimore, MD. (April 03, 2014)
• Nissen, Ranelle, Bourland, Chris, Buxell, Linda, Fleming, John , Grabau, Angie, Hanson, Debra, and Harris, Leah, Fieldwork forum: Aligning your fieldwork program with AOTA's centennial vision. Presented at the MOTA 2013 Annual Conference, Bloomington, MN. (November 08, 2013)
• Ikiugu, Moses, Cerny, Shana, and Nissen, Ranelle, The Effectiveness of Intervention based on an Occupation-Based Theoretical Model in Promoting Occupational Performance Change to Help Resolve Global Human Concerns. Presented at the 12th Annual Research Conference “Occupation & Education”, Lexington, KY. (October 18, 2013)
• Ikiugu, Moses, Cerny, Shana, Nissen, Ranelle, Kranz, Robyn, and Neukirch, Alex, The Effectiveness of Intervention based on an Occupation-Based Theoretical Model in Promoting Occupational Performance Change to Help Resolve Global Human Concerns. Presented at the 2013 Society for the Study of Occupation (SSO):USA Research Conference, Lexington, Kentucky. (October 18, 2013)