AUSTIN, Texas — The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) recently acknowledged The University of Texas at Austin’s efforts to transform health and health care by bestowing the university with 2018’s Innovations in Professional Nursing Education Award in recognition for its work in Interprofessional Practice and Education (IPE).

 

This prestigious award recognizes the efforts of UT Austin faculty from health professions programs and, in particular, faculty health IPE champions who design and teach Foundations of Interprofessional Collaborative Practice (FICP), the course that demonstrates innovation in education that merited AACN’s distinguished award for UT Austin. These faculty leaders - Barbara Jones, PhD, MSW; John Luk, MD; Gayle Timmerman, PhD, RN; and Veronica Young, PharmD, MPH - are also notable for advocating for the successful launch of the UT Center for Health Interprofessional Practice and Education (IPE), which seeks to educate student nurses, pharmacists, doctors, and social workers through cross-collaborative initiatives.

 

FICP contributes to the transformation and improvement of health care education by preparing students to lead and effectively contribute to team-based care. It brings together students from medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and social work in interprofessional teams to engage in hands-on activities and simulations designed to provide opportunities to develop interprofessional education collaborative competencies. The FICP course successfully addresses the ongoing challenge of providing large-scale, sustained, high-quality, team-based IP education. The Innovations in Professional Nursing Education Award reflects UT Austin’s alignment with AACN’s mission and vision to transform health care and improve health outcomes.

 

AACN, which has a membership of more than 800 baccalaureate and graduate schools of nursing, will host an award ceremony on Monday, October 29, 2018 during its Academic Nursing Leadership Conference. Dr. Timmerman and Dr. Alexa Stuifbergen, Dean of the School of Nursing, will be present to accept this award.

 

Ranked nationally and internationally among the top schools of nursing for educational and research excellence, The University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing comprises a strong and extraordinary community of high-achieving students, well-prepared faculty, dedicated staff, and supportive alumni and friends committed to addressing today's significant health care challenges through education, research and service.

 

The UT Austin Center for Health Interprofessional Practice and Education’s mission is to lead innovative interprofessional education, practice, and scholarship that advances collaborative person-centered health care and population-oriented health. The Center for Health is housed out of the School of Nursing at 1710 Red River Street. Veronica Young may be reached at youngv@austin.utexas.edu and at 512.475.9755. Lauren El-Assad may be reached at lauren.el-assad@austin.utexas.edu and at 512.471.9606.

 

For more information, please contact:

Kathryn Wiley

Director of Communications, School of Nursing

(512) 471-9908

 

Lauren El-Assad

Program Manager, Center for Health IPE

(512) 471-9606