Joining the nursing faculty at Southern Utah University in 2007, Aja brings 23 years of emergency room and intensive care unit experience, as well as 16 years of flight nursing as her background.
Aja graduated from Belleville Area College with an Associates of Arts degree in Biology in 1984. In 1987, she earned her Bachelors of Science in Nursing from the University of Southern Mississippi, and graduated from Syracuse University with a Masters of Science in Nursing as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in 1997. Simultaneously, she earned a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix – Las Vegas.
Currently, Aja is a provider of Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, Neonatal Resuscitation, and an instructor in Basic Trauma Life Support through the American Heart Association. Aja maintains certification as a Certified Emergency Nurse and Certified Flight Registered Nurse through the Emergency Nurses Association, as well as a Critical Care Registered Nurse through the American Association of Critical Care Nurses. She has completed the Trauma Nurse Core Course and the Flight Nurse Advanced Trauma Course, and maintains current Paramedic licensure through the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.
Aja has taught nursing at SUNY-Morrisville in upstate New York, and has been an integral part of CareFlite's (Dallas/Fort Worth, TX) Education Department teaching EMS and nursing education to internal and external customers. She was also CareFlite's Quality Management Coordinator prior to moving to Utah and joining SUU's faculty. Formerly Education Director for Classic Lifeguard,, Aja recently joined the LifeFlight air medical transport team as a rotor wing nurse here in southern Utah.
Other interests include running, swimming, triathlons, and water sports. Aja enjoys American history, especially from the American west, and shares an active interest in flying since earning her Private Pilots license in 1994. She enjoys volunteering her time in America's National Parks, and loves to travel overseas as time allows.
| Aja James |