Nicholas Inducted into American Academy of Nursing
Congratulations to Patrice K. Nicholas, DNSc, MPH, RN, ANP, FAAN, who was inducted as a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (AAN) this fall. The AAN comprises approximately 1,500 noted nursing leaders from education, management, research and practice sectors with a mission to anticipate national and international trends in health care and address resulting issues of health care knowledge and policy. Induction as an AAN fellow recognizes accomplishments within the nursing profession and affords the opportunity to work with other leaders in health care to address the issues of the day.
Nicholas’ major contributions to nursing are in the areas of global health and symptom-based management of HIV/AIDS. As director of Global Health and Academic Partnerships, she has strong interdisciplinary ties and a joint appointment in the Center for Nursing Excellence and the Division of Global Health Equity, working with Paul Farmer, MD, PhD, Jim Yong Kim, MD, PhD, and Howard Hiatt, MD, in the development of the Global Nursing Program.
Nicholas also holds an appointment as professor at the MGH Institute of Health Professions in the graduate program in Nursing, where she has taught in the international health course as well as primary care courses. She was twice selected as a Fulbright Senior Scholar, first in Germany with a subsequent manuscript published in Population Research and Policy Review about demographic challenges and health issues, and then for research and lecturing in South Africa where she was a professor at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and visiting professor at the University of Zululand.
Nicholas’ program of research is in symptom management in HIV/AIDS, with a major interest in peripheral neuropathy. As a member of an international nursing research group, she pioneered the work on HIV-related neuropathy and has shared her seminal work in the area of distal sensory polyneuropathy in both clinical and research-based manuscripts and presentations. She also was invited to serve on three Fulbright Senior Review Panels for the U.S. Department of State and the Council for International Exchange of Scholars.
Nicholas already has influenced global nursing and interdisciplinary international efforts in significant ways. Now, she is a member of the AAN Global Nursing and Health Expert Panel. This panel represents the Academy and performs critical knowledge analysis, summary and integration for transforming health care policy and practice to enhance global health. Nicholas was nominated by Ann Hurley, DNSc, RN, FAAN, nurse scientist emeritus at BWH.