Nursing faculty and students recognized at annual conference
By Kristen Cook, UArizona Health Sciences Office of Communications
It was a great showing for the University of Arizona College of Nursing at this year’s Western Institute of Nursing Conference.
Faculty and students were honored, with 24 students presenting at the annual event held in Salt Lake City, Utah, on April 17-20.
Ruth Taylor-Piliae, PhD, RN, a professor and interim PhD program director, and Timian Godfrey, DNP, APRN, an Associate Clinical Professor, were inducted into the Western Academy of Nurses, which recognizes and honors nurses who have been actively engaged in WIN and have demonstrated excellence in all aspects of nursing, from research to practice and education.
Deidre Chase, a PhD student, received the Ann M. Voda American Indian/Alaska Native/First Nation Conference Award.
“I am exceptionally proud of both Drs. Taylor-Piliae and Godfrey for their inductions,” said Dean Brian Ahn, PhD. “Their work is a shining example of the faculty here at the UArizona College of Nursing. I am also pleased that our nursing students – including Deidre Chase – have been recognized for their hard work in the classroom and community.”
More than half of the UArizona College of Nursing’s PhD students presented at the conference. One honors undergraduate student and one student with the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program also presented.
“I am incredibly proud of our 22 PhD students who presented their research,” Taylor-Piliae said. “It was gratifying to witness their growth in knowledge during the 2023-24 academic year and then disseminate this knowledge to advance nursing science and improve health outcomes.”
New and emerging nursing knowledge is shared at WIN’s annual conference. It’s one of four regional nursing research organizations in the United States whose members include individual researchers, clinicians, educators, students, academic institutions and health care organizations. According to its website, WIN’s mission is to improve the health of the public through visionary leadership in nursing research, practice and education.
Godfrey, who has been a WIN member since 2000, said she’s learned so much from incredible leaders and has formed many meaningful relationships with other like-minded scholars thanks to the organization.
“I hope to share the experience I’ve had in WIN with the students I teach and mentor,” she said.
Taylor-Piliae has been a member of WIN for 21 years and said it was an honor to be inducted into the Western Academy of Nursing.
“I am grateful for all of the opportunities that come with being a WAN member, enabling me to contribute my nursing leadership expertise to support the nursing profession and, in particular, to provide mentorship, guidance and support to our PhD nursing students and early career nurse scientists so that they achieve their research and career goals,” she said.