proof positive - UCLA School of Nursing

NURSING
school of
T R A N S F O R M I N G N U R S I N G S C I E N C E
letter from the dean
IN JUNE, I STOOD IN FRONT of almost 400 graduating nursing students (including
the first cohort of traditional bachelor’s students in 15 years), realizing that these amazing
individuals are the future of health care. They have a multitude of paths to choose from and
some have already begun their journey. I look forward to charting their progress and know
that the education and opportunities we provided them at the UCLA School of Nursing
will make all the difference in launching their successful careers.
The picture on the cover and the stories in this issue got me thinking about how much
the profession of nursing has changed over the past few decades, and yet we still have so
far to go to get the acknowledgement we deserve as a profession.
For most individuals, the picture of a nurse continues to be one of a caretaker and an
individual who takes orders from a physician. That view is reinforced by what we see on
television, in the movies and in the theater.
But we are so much more. We are researchers, scholars, advocates, advanced practice
clinicians, healers and administrators. We manage patient care and facilitate quality of life.
The health and well being of individuals, groups, and communities rests on the continuous,
patient-centered, evidence-based care that is coordinated and implemented by nurses.
On a recent trip, when I told the person seated next to me that I was a nurse (that
alone drew a comment of surprise), she mentioned how great the nurses were who cared
for her mother who was suffering from Alzheimer’s. That is certainly one role for nurses,
I replied. But, as I explained, while nurses are taking care of your mother, there are other
nurses behind the scenes who are looking at ways to improve the care delivered to
the patient through therapeutic touch therapy, identifying the potential for dehydration,
school of nursing administration
courtney h. lyder, n.d., g.n.P., f.a.a.n.
DEAN
margaret (Peggy) compton, Ph.d., r.n., f.a.a.n.
ACTING ASSOCIATE DEAN, ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Bryant ng, m.B.a.
ASSOCIATE DEAN, ADMINISTRATION
adey m. nyamathi, a.n.P., Ph.d., f.a.a.n.
ASSOCIATE DEAN, INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH AND
SCHOLARLY ACTIVITIES
ann Bartley Williams, ed.d., f.n.P., f.a.a.n.
ASSOCIATE DEAN, RESEARCH
suzette cardin, d.n.sc., r.n., f.a.a.n.
ASSISTANT DEAN, STUDENT AFFAIRS
heidi crooks, m.a., r.n.
ASSISTANT DEAN, CLINICAL ADMINISTRATION; CHIEF NURSING
OFFICER/SENIOR ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AND
PATIENT CARE SERVICES, UCLA HEALTH SYSTEM
deborah Koniak-griffin, ed.d., r.n., f.a.a.n.
lynn doering, d.n.sc., r.n., f.a.a.n.
SECTION CHAIRS
linda sarna, d.n.sc., r.n., f.a.a.n., a.o.c.n.
CHAIR, FACULTY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
matthew durkan
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI RELATIONS
laura Perry
DIRECTOR, COMMUNICATIONS
teresa Valenzuela
DIRECTOR, ALUMNI AFFAIRS AND OUTREACH
shelli shepherd
PRELICENSURE STUDENT SERVICES COORDINATOR
in this issue:
6
14
Transforming
Nursing Science
A school with a history of
blazing the trail for nursing
research continues to push
the boundaries — and
improve health.
Nursing
Unplugged
SON faculty explore the
potential for wireless
technology to improve health.