Wed, October 14, 2009

A Valparaiso University nursing professor will be inducted as an American Academy of Nursing Fellow in November, a recognition that will advance her pursuit of better health care for older people.

Dr. Kristen Mauk, Kreft professor for the advancement of nursing science at Valpo's College of Nursing, will be inducted into the AAN during a Nov. 7 ceremony in Atlanta.

"My focus will be joining with other fellows to promote gerontological nursing and quality care of older adults," said Dr. Mauk. "It's a tremendous honor to be counted among the distinguished nurses who have been named fellows in the American Academy of Nurses. This is a lifelong dream of mine and I am so pleased to have been chosen to receive this designation. Many of my colleagues in Valpo's College of Nursing are equally qualified to receive this award, and I am sure we will be seeing them named as fellows in the future as well."

The American Academy of Nursing's approximately 1,500 fellows are leaders in nursing education, management, practice and research. The Academy serves the public and the nursing profession by advancing health policy and practice through the generation, synthesis, and dissemination of nursing knowledge. Every day across America, the Academy and its members create and execute knowledge-driven and policy-related initiatives to drive reform of America's health care system.

Dr. Janet Brown, dean of Valpo's College of Nursing, says Dr. Mauk's induction is an honor for the entire University.

"We are very pleased that Dr. Mauk is being recognized in this very public way," Dr. Brown said. "Her induction into this prestigious group validates that Valpo's nursing students are being taught by some of the best faculty in the nation."

Dr. Brown said the invitation into a fellowship is more than recognition of one's accomplishments within the nursing profession. She said AAN Fellows also have a responsibility to contribute their time and energy to the Academy, and to engage with other health care leaders outside the Academy in transforming America's health care system by:

• Enhancing the quality of health and nursing care.
• Promoting healthy aging and human development across the life continuum.
• Reducing health disparities and inequalities.
• Shaping healthy behaviors and environments.
• Integrating mental and physical health care.
• Strengthening the nursing and health care delivery system, nationally and internationally.

Dr. Mauk says as she becomes engaged in the fellowship of AAN, she will gain access to more resources, experienced mentors and projects of national significance within which she can advance her desire to help the aging population of the United States.

"Fellows are encouraged to join task forces or work groups in their area of interest," said Dr. Mauk. "There are a few large projects through AAN that promote excellent care for older adults in a variety of settings. I hope to join these groups that work to change practice and policy in gerontological nursing and rehabilitation."

Dr. Mauk has written the 2006 textbook "Gerontological Nursing: Competencies for Care" and three other books, "Gerontological Rehabilitation Nursing" (which won The American Journal of Nursing's 1999 Book of the Year award), "Congregational Health" and "Spiritual Care in Nursing Practice." She is a frequent presenter at national and international conferences, and is an educational consultant for the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. In 2004, Dr. Mauk was one of 20 nursing scholars in the country selected to participate in a week-long seminar sponsored by the Hartford Foundation to encourage geriatric research.

In 2004, Valpo's College of Nursing was presented the Award for Baccalaureate Education in Geriatric Nursing, a prestigious national honor sponsored by the Hartford Foundation and American Association of Colleges of Nursing to recognize excellence in the preparation of future nurses to care for the elderly. The College of Nursing offers several innovative options for undergraduate students including a four-year BSN curriculum, accelerated BSN option, and RN-BSN and RN-MSN options. The College of Nursing also offers the master's of science in nursing degree with a focus on nursing education, a joint MSN/MBA program and a doctor of nursing practice program.