Dr. Elizabeth Espinoza, D.N.P., CPNP-AC, was awarded the Outstanding Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Educator Award from the Association of Faculties of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (AFPNP) during their annual conference in March 2023.

American Nurses Association President announced

Congratulations to Dr. Mensik Kennedy!

She said, "I am excited to serve the nursing profession as the next ANA President. I look forward to continuing the work of the current president, and will dedicate my time to focus on solutions around workplace violence, engagement, wellbeing, and staffing among other important issues for nurses."

The term of service for Dr. Mensik Kennedy and all other newly elected leaders will begin January 1, 2023.

Seiko Izumi, Ph.D., R.N., FPCN, was inducted into the Western Academy of Nursing at the 2022 Western Institute of Nursing Conference.

Dr. Izumi is pictured with Jane H. Lassetter, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N., Brigham Young University, WIN President.

Nurse-midwife and nurse-leader Patti Hanson, M.S.N., C.N.M., FACNM said, "It is truly an honor to be recognized within this group of remarkable midwives! I have traveled many paths within midwifery. Each path serves the families, students, and fellow midwives who make this world a better place. I look forward to continuing the trailblazing!"

From the ACNM Website: The Fellowship in the American College of Nurse-Midwives (FACNM) is an honor bestowed upon those midwives whose demonstrated leadership within ACNM, clinical excellence, outstanding scholarship, and professional achievement have merited special recognition both within and outside of the midwifery profession.

Patricia (Patti) Hanson has been serving women and their families as a full-scope midwife for 22 years. She is an Assistant Professor at Oregon Health & Science University. Patti has served as practice manager and now financial manager since 2003. She teaches midwifery students in the classroom and clinically. Patti was a National Health Service Corps (NHSC) scholar. She has developed two midwifery practices in Oregon serving marginalized individuals. She has lectured at ACNM’s Midwifery Works and served as ACNM Chapter Chair. She has edited a chapter of the ACNM Administrative Manual. Patti’s career has included clinical practice, advocacy, teaching, and a love of midwifery.

• Patti has served as practice and now financial manager of the OHSU Midwifery Faculty Practice for over 18 years
• Patti started two new midwifery services in Oregon serving marginalized and disadvantaged women and children
• Patti has made significant contributions in shaping new midwives through didactic and clinical teaching at Oregon Health & Science University

Nurse-midwife and nurse-leader, Elise Erickson, Ph.D., C.N.M. said, "It’s an honor and also humbling to be in a community with the amazing 2021 ACNM fellows class. I’m eager to continue to advance science that helps support the work we do as midwives and also understand the origins and complexities underlying maternal health and birth outcomes.”

Photo: Elise Erickson, Ph.D., C.N.M. wearing her fellowship medallion.

From the ACNM Website: The Fellowship in the American College of Nurse-Midwives (FACNM) is an honor bestowed upon those midwives whose demonstrated leadership within ACNM, clinical excellence, outstanding scholarship, and professional achievement have merited special recognition both within and outside of the midwifery profession.

Elise Erickson is an assistant professor at Oregon Health and Science University and an NIH-funded scientist. Her research broadly addresses the physiology of parturition and the intersection between the social environment and perinatal health by using epigenetic methods. She has published seven studies on oxytocin and postpartum health. She also mentors several DNP and PhD students, teaches perinatal physiology, and is active in the faculty practice. Finally, Dr. Erickson has advocated for and organized within the ACNM Oregon Affiliate a scholarship designated for midwifery students of color to help reduce barriers to diversification of the midwifery profession.

• Built a research program examining the relationship between adverse social environments, epigenetic aging, and perinatal health/maternal morbidity among other studies relevant to midwifery care and practice
• Constructed and taught core curriculum in perinatal physiology for DNP students
• Advocated for and organized scholarship supporting midwifery students of color

Katherine Bradley, Ph.D. was awarded the Oregon Public Health Association's 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award. The Award is given to a person who has demonstrated a lifetime commitment to public health and to the improvement of health in Oregon.

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On October 15, Kristen Beiers-Jones, assistant professor at the OHSU School of Nursing,  received the Oregon Public Health Association Policy Award. This award is given to a person or organization that has made an outstanding contribution to advancing public health policy in Oregon.

During the award ceremony Biers-Jones’ nominees said a few words about her tireless work and why she is so deserving of this award.

Over the past 2 years Biers-Jones provided leadership and social justice role modeling for nursing and other interprofessional students. She created strategic partnerships and collaborations with county public health departments, OHA Office of Equity and Inclusion, Oregon Law Project, and many others. She excelled in pulling these groups together to collaborate with legislators to create and pass Senate Bill 698. Going forward with implementation of this bill will not only improve medication bottle labeling and give continued opportunities to advocate on behalf of immigrants and refugees.

Congratulations!

Photo: (L to R) Kate LaForge (former research assistant for I-CAN), Heather Voss, Kristen Biers-Jones, Beth Doyle, and Katherine Bradley.

Outstanding faculty, and the top quality learners they attract, are the greatest asset of an academic institution. Stewarding that asset includes recognizing faculty whose work rises to high level positive impact for the health of the American people and beyond. Honoring top faculty with named Distinguished Professorships is one key way of recognizing such faculty.

A Distinguished Professorship is a lasting tribute to the values and beliefs of donors and of the individuals named in Professorships. The accomplishments of a faculty honored with the title memorializes the key leaders of their time.

At OHSU School of Nursing, Distinguished Professorships signify those faculty whose research and other scholarly work has such impact as to be recognized as exceptional. The impact of these faculty also stands to accelerate the School’s missions and strategic agenda to serve the people of Oregon and the nation.

As Dean, it is my distinct privilege and pleasure to announce three new Distinguished Professors in the School. they are:

• Lissi Hansen, Ph.D., R.N., Professor, School of Nursing will be the May E. Rawlinson Distinguished Professor.
• Joanne Noone, Ph.D., R.N., C.N.E., A.N.E.F., F.A.A.N., Professor, School of Nursing, will be the A.B. Youmans Spaulding Distinguished Professor.
• Cynthia Perry, Ph.D., F.N.P.-BC, F.A.H.A., Associate Professor, School of Nursing, will be the Elizabeth N. Gray Distinguished Professor.

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The Fellowship in the American College of Nurse-Midwives (FACNM) is an honor bestowed upon those midwives whose demonstrated leadership within ACNM, clinical excellence, outstanding scholarship, and professional achievement have merited special recognition both within and outside of the midwifery profession. FACNM represents the commitment of the ACNM to honor our own. In light of the vast wealth of expertise and collective wisdom represented within the body of Fellows, its mission is to serve the ACNM in a consultative and advisory capacity. The ACNM Fellowship program was established in 1994. About 350 ACNM members thus far have been inducted as Fellows.

Nurse leader, Asma Taha, honored as Oregon's only fellow.

This year, Asma Taha, Ph.D., R.N., CPNP-PC/AC, PCNS-BC, was named Oregon’s only fellow in the American Academy of Nursing. Dr. Taha is a faculty member and the Director of the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program at OHSU School of Nursing. She practices as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at Dorenbecher Children’s Hospital CDRC. Her service to children globally and to build nursing education capacity in war torn areas inspires those around her.

The Academy selected 231 “highly distinguished nurse leaders as its 2019 class fellows.”

Dr. Susan Bakewell-Sachs, Dean and vice president of nursing affairs says of the honor, “I am very proud that Dr. Taha’s accomplishments are being recognized with induction as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing. The invitation to fellowship is a high honor of which Dr. Taha deserves and will offer her additional opportunities to lead in improving health care.” The American Academy of Nursing serves the public and the nursing profession by advancing health policy and practice through the generation, synthesis, and dissemination of nursing knowledge. 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 health care.

Paula Gubrud-Howe, Ed.D, M.S., F.A.A.N. is one of seventeen fellows in the NLN

Dr. Gubrud-Howe, associate professor, has made significant contributions to nursing education as a founding leader involved in establishing the Oregon Consortium Nursing Education (OCNE). As director of OCNE she has developed a sustainable infrastructure designed to lead the vision, mission and strategic initiatives required to maintain an innovative competency-based curriculum supporting a shared baccalaureate curriculum through Oregon Health & Science University School of Nursing and 11 partner community colleges. The impact is seen throughout Oregon and beyond.

In support of this honor, Dean Bakewell-Sachs said, "Recognition as a fellow in the prestigious National League for Nursing Academy of Nursing Education is a top honor reserved for distinguished nurse educators whose contributions have been substantive and impactful. Dr. Gubrud-Howe is most deserving of this award. Long recognized for her knowledge, expertise, and leadership in the OHSU SON, it is appropriate and wonderful to see this national appreciation of her work.” 

Dr. Gubrud-Howe's collaborative leadership helped create the full development of an infrastructure and committees designed to assure the curriculum agreements are upheld by all OCNE partners. She led the development of many of the instruments designed to assess fidelity to the organizational and curriculum agreements. She helped establish the first state-wide simulation collaborative in Oregon: The Oregon Simulation Alliance which several states have replicated. 

Her expertise as an influential educator, scholar and leader promotes progressive education models and simulation-based learning.

From the news release:

"Seventeen distinguished nurse educators have been selected for the thirteenth class of fellows to be inducted into the prestigious National League for Nursing Academy of Nursing Education. Along with previous classes, academy membership now totals 302. These leading nurse educators teach in a range of programs across the spectrum of higher education and are affiliated with leading teaching hospitals and other organizations committed to advancing the quality of health care in the United States and globally. . .

Evaluations take into account applicants' contributions to innovative teaching and/or learning strategies; nursing education research; faculty development activities; academic leadership; promotion of public policy that advances nursing education; and/or collaborative educational, practice, or community partnerships."

Gubrud-Howe has lead through innovation and we are proud of her accomplishments. Congratulations, Dr. Gubrud-Howe.