Nursing

September 5, 2019

School of Nursing faculty members honored as fellows

Six Vanderbilt University School of Nursing faculty have been named fellows by the American Academy of Nursing, American Association of Nurse Practitioners and American College of Nurse-Midwives.

Six Vanderbilt University School of Nursing faculty have been named fellows by the American Academy of Nursing (AAN), American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) and American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM).

Pam Orebaugh Jones, DNP, April Kapu, DNP, and Jennifer Ezell Wilbeck, DNP, will be inducted as American Academy of Nursing fellows (FAAN) during ceremonies at the Academy’s annual policy conference in Washington, D.C., in October.

Jones is VUSN senior associate dean for Clinical and Community Partnerships and Wilbeck is professor of Nursing and academic director of VUSN’s Emergency Nurse Practitioner specialty. Kapu is professor of Nursing and associate nursing officer/director of Advanced Practice Nursing at Vanderbilt University Adult Hospital.

Invitation to fellowship is one of the highest recognitions bestowed by AAN. Fellows are recognized for their commitment to the promotion of the public’s health through evidence and innovation. They are selected based on their contributions to increase access, reduce cost and improve quality through nursing theory, practice and science.

VUSN assistant professor Laurie Connors, DNP, and associate professor Karen Hande, DNP, were inducted as Class of 2019 Fellows by the AANP in recognition of their accomplishments and leadership. The two were honored at ceremonies held during the group’s national conference in June.

AANP fellows (FAANP) are nurse practitioner leaders who have made outstanding contributions to health care through clinical practice, research, education or policy. Fellows are committed to the development of future NP leaders and advancing the NP profession.

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 within and outside of the midwifery profession. VUSN instructor Diana Dowdy, DNP, was inducted as fellow during the ACNM’s annual conference in May.