A chance to ‘translate our knowledge into sustainable measures of change’
Patricia Davidson, PhD, MEd, RN, FAAN, has been named a Friends of the National Institute of Nursing Research Ambassador to advocate and advance nursing science. The dean was chosen for her ability to advance health professions and policy-maker awareness of the “critical research agenda linked to the National Institute of Nursing Research.”
Illustration by Marylou Faure“This opportunity is critical at a time when health care reform is imminent and nurses are key players in the future of care,” says Davidson. “Nursing science impacts clinical decision making and how we implement evidence into practice to improve the health of our communities. This is another chance to work with sectors outside the profession and translate our knowledge into sustainable change.”
Davidson will focus specifically on educating congressional leaders about high-impact and cost-effective treatments and quality-of-life enhancements coming from nursing science. The goal is to advance research funding to ensure the training of scientists at a time of such major scientific breakthroughs.
The dean has been a proponent of nursing’s correlation to the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields and strong ties to the scientific community.Davidson has received numerous nursing research awards and was the first nurse to earn the prestigious Australian Museum’s Eureka Prize for Outstanding Mentor of Young Researchers.“Nurses are key players in the future of care.”
— Patricia Davidson, PhD, MEd, RN, FAAN