Illustration by Colin HarrisAlabama has always held a top spot in Associate Professor Jason Farley’s heart as the place his nursing career began, and now the state has reserved a special place for him as well. Farley was recently inducted into the Alabama Nursing Hall of Fame for his accomplishments and for the honor and fame he has brought to both the profession and the state of Alabama.
Farley’s nursing roots began in Alabama at the University of Alabama Capstone College of Nursing, where the Hall of Fame is now housed. After graduating, he worked with veterans at the Tuscaloosa Veterans Affairs Medical Center as a clinical research nurse, and then soon went back to school to get his master’s of public health in epidemiology from the University of Alabama Birmingham.Far above his Alabama ties though, it’s his work as an epidemiologist, HIV/AIDS researcher, teacher, nurse practitioner, and patient advocate that makes him the ideal candidate for the Hall of Fame. Farley’s global efforts focus on prevention of HIV/AIDS transmission and Staphylococcus aureas colonization among patients in the U.S. and addressing the prevalence of HIV and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis co-infection in South Africa.
He’s developed curriculum to prepare students for HIV care within primary care settings and been a proponent of increased HIV testing. Most recently, his dedication to the prevention of HIV/AIDS has led to his appointment as president of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. He takes office this fall.
Farley says nursing is about the relationships developed with patients. “It’s the chance to change or save a life that makes it worth coming to work every day. I’m proud of my work thus far but eager to be part of a changing healthcare system that is giving nurses more ability to break barriers and practice more fully.”