Dr. Hicks has nearly 30 years of nursing experience, ranging from staff nurse in critical care through nursing administration, to nurse researcher, to nurse educator. As an educator, Dr. Hicks has worked extensively with MSN and Doctoral students. Dr. Hicks holds national certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner and dual recognition as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and a Fellow of the American Academy of Nurses.

Dr. Hicks spent 8 ½ years as a researcher with the United States Pharmacopeia where he studied the many causes of medication errors. His work has influenced many advances for patient safety and has been included in works by Joint Commission, The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, AORN, ASPAN. Dr. Hicks has more than $1 million in external funding and has published more than 100 articles.