Patricia A. Patrician, PhD, RN, FAAN, Donna Brown Banton Endowed Professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Nursing, and received the AcademyHealth Interdisciplinary Research Group on Nursing Issues (IRGNI) Research’s 2015 Mentorship Award, which recognizes the contributions of a senior scientist to the career development of young investigators who are engaged in research focused on interdisciplinary health services research on nursing issues.To be considered for this award, mentors must engage with their mentee in a variety of ways: including the mentee as a participant on a research team; assisting the mentee with developing scholarly publications in peer-reviewed journals, co-authoring with mentee, and/or recommending mentee as a reviewer for journals; sharing information about and serving as consultant or sponsor for training and research grants; and consulting and guiding mentee on development of career plans, decision making about potential opportunities, setting priorities; and participating in service opportunities.
The nomination letter submitted by her mentees said, “A preeminent educator and researcher, Dr. Patrician conveys the discipline, zeal, and excitement, and yes, even the toil and frustration of scientific inquiry to her DNP and PhD students... she has diligently mentored nurses and professional colleagues resulting in the publication of 20 papers, submission of five federal grant proposals, and presentation of over 20 poster and podium scholarly products at local, national, and international venues. It is because of her caring, attentive mentoring style that she is sought out to mentor pre and post-doctoral Veteran’s Administration (VA) Quality Scholars (four currently), military nurses attending the UAB DNP Program or working throughout the Department of Defense (three presently), and 10 current PhD students. She serves on two doctoral advisory committees in the SON and six committees in the School of Health Professions. A reflection of her personalized and meticulous guidance is the graduation of four DNP and four PhD students within the past year. An esteemed faculty member for the TriService Nursing Research Program Evidence-Based Practice and Research curricula for over five years, she has helped train inexperienced yet ambitious nurses in grantsmanship and the conduct of rigorous and meaningful research. Army nurses who have an opportunity to work with her have a more rewarding post-doctoral experience conducting research and are highly successful transitioning to independence. Recognized as a visionary and influential educator whose reach extends well beyond the walls of the UAB SON and the VA, Dr. Patrician devotes countless hours of preparation and consultation to nurses in the PhD program and to those who share her passion for health services research in the community.
Dr. Patrician genuinely cares about people, their career goals, and aspirations; she is relentless in her efforts to make a difference and to help others do the same. She epitomizes the roles of educator, researcher, and mentor.”
Dr. Patrician joined the UAB faculty in August 2008 after having served 26 years in the US Army Nurse Corps, where she held clinical, administrative, educational, and research positions. Her final position prior to military retirement was Chief, Department of Nursing Science, Academy of Health Sciences, Ft. Sam Houston (San Antonio), TX. At UAB, she teaches in the Nursing Health Systems Administration MSN Specialty Track and PhD Program.
Dr. Patrician was recognized with the presentation of a plaque and a $500 honorarium at the IRGNI Annual Meeting, June 13 in Minneapolis.
AcademyHealth was established in June 2000 following a merger between the Alpha Center and the Association for Health Services Research (AHSR). Founded in 1976, the Alpha Center grew to be recognized as one of the nation’s leading health policy resource centers providing research analysis, facilitation, education and training, strategic planning, and program management. AHSR was formed in 1981 as a non-profit professional society for individuals and organizations with a commitment to health services research. AHSR’s mission included educating consumers and policymakers about the importance of health services research, disseminating information generated by health services researchers, securing funding for the field, and providing networking and professional development opportunities. AcademyHealth, drawing upon the strengths of its two predecessor organizations, is advancing the fields of health services research and health policy through the transfer of relevant information across the research and policy arenas.
