Two Arizona Nursing Faculty Selected as Fellows in The American Academy of Nursing
Drs. Sheila M. Gerhart and Ruth E. Taylor-Piliae will be welcomed into the academy during its annual policy conference in Washington, D.C.
Sheila M. Gephart, PhD, RN, and Ruth E. Taylor-Piliae, PhD, RN, FAHA (Arizona Nursing).
The American Academy of Nursing (AAN) recently announced that two University of Arizona College of Nursing professors will join 231 other distinguished nurse leaders in the academy’s 2019 class of fellows. Associate Professors Sheila M. Gephart, PhD, RN, and Ruth E. Taylor-Piliae, PhD, RN, FAHA, will be welcomed into the AAN during the Academy's annual policy conference, Transforming Health, Driving Policy, Oct. 24-26, in Washington, D.C.
Comprised of more than 2,600 nurse leaders in education, management, practice, policy and research, the AAN serves the public and the nursing profession by advancing health policy, practice and science through organizational excellence and effective nursing leadership. The academy's fellows are nursing's most accomplished leaders in education, management, practice and research, recognized for their extraordinary commitment to the promotion of the public’s health through evidence and innovation.
Through a competitive process, Drs. Gephart and Taylor-Piliae were selected based on their contributions to increase access, reduce cost and improve quality through nursing theory, practice and science. Induction into the academy is a significant milestone in a nurse leader’s career.
“Induction as a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing is one of the most prestigious honors for nursing leaders and is based on specific evidence of outstanding contributions to the improvement of nursing and health care at a national or international level,” said UA Nursing Dean Ki Moore, PhD, RN, FAAN. “Dr. Gephart’s and Dr. Taylor-Piliae’s exceptional accomplishments make them uniquely qualified for this highly competitive national award. We are so proud of Shelia and Ruth – congratulate them on this well-deserved recognition – and look forward to celebrating with them in October.”
Dr. Gephart studies technical and parent-engaged solutions to reduce the burden of necrotizing enterocolitis, a devastating disease that affects the intestines of premature infants. Her methodological expertise using informatics, especially clinical decision-support technologies, has included algorithm development and testing of tools to measure unintended consequences related to the electronic health record. Dr. Taylor-Piliae’s research seeks to increase physical activity among older adults with heart disease and stroke through the implementation of innovative interventions, such as Tai Chi, to improve physical function, reduce fall rates and improve quality of life.
“I am proud to welcome this incredible class of leaders to the American Academy of Nursing," said Academy President Karen Cox, PhD, RN, FACHE, FAAN. "Their amazing accomplishments have changed health and health care across the country and around the globe. I look forward to celebrating the new fellows at our 2019 policy conference and working with them in the future so that our collective knowledge can impact and influence health policy."
About the University of Arizona College of Nursing
Established in 1957, the University of Arizona College of Nursing has been transforming nursing education, research and practice to help people build better futures for more than 60 years. Consistently ranked among the best programs in the nation, the college is strengthening health care’s largest workforce and the public’s most trusted profession through its undergraduate and graduate programs, offered online and on-campus in Tucson and Phoenix. Headquartered in Tucson, Ariz., where integrative health has been pioneered, the UA College of Nursing is home to the world’s only Integrative Nursing Faculty Fellowship. With key focal strengths in integrative health, cancer prevention and survivorship, and nursing informatics, the college has more than 7,000 alumni worldwide promoting health and wellness in their workplaces and communities. For more information: www.nursing.arizona.edu
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About the American Academy of Nursing
The American Academy of Nursing serves the public and the nursing profession by advancing health policy, practice, and science through organizational excellence and effective nursing leadership. The Academy's more than 2,600 fellows are nursing's most accomplished leaders in education, management, practice, and research. They have been recognized for their extraordinary contributions to nursing and healthcare. For more information: www.AANnet.org