Alum Earns Prestigious Nursing Award
January 4, 2012
NATCHITOCHES – Dr. Kathleen R. Stevens, a Northwestern State University alumna and a professor in the School of Nursing at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, received the Episteme Award, one of nursing’s most prestigious research honors. Stevens received the honor during Sigma Theta Tau International’s 41st biennial convention. STTI is the international honor society of nursing.
In connection with being named an Episteme Laureate, Stevens will be inducted into the International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame in July 2012 at the society’s 23rd International Nursing Research Congress in Australia.
The Baxter International Foundation’s Episteme Award acknowledges a major breakthrough in the development of nursing knowledge that has resulted in a significant and recognizable benefit to the public. Episteme is the Greek word for knowledge.
Stevens, Ed.D., RN, ANEF, FAAN, earned her undergraduate nursing degree with honors at Northwestern State in 1969 and was president of the Student Nurses Association. She earned a master’s degree in maternal child health at Texas Woman’s University and doctor of education in education administration/health research at the University of Houston/Baylor College. She completed post-doctoral work in informatics at the University of Utah.
“My achievements in my profession definitely were fed by good roots developed at Northwestern State College of Nursing,” Stevens said. “I am proud to be a Northwestern State nurse.”
She is director of the Academic Center for Evidence-Based Practice (ACE), a School of Nursing center of excellence that she founded in 2000. Through ACE, Stevens improves patient care by her efforts to build a workforce and work environments that move research quickly into high-quality care.
“Bridging scientific results to bedside care involves hardwiring new knowledge into care delivery, stimulating clinicians to innovate, evaluate and adopt changes, and embracing patient and family preferences. In short, the goal is to find what research has shown to work best and put it into play for better outcomes,” Stevens said.
To accomplish this, Stevens developed theories of evidence-based practice, established national consensus on new skills needed in clinical care and initiated a series of professional development conferences for clinicians, scientists and hospital leaders. The conferences include the Summer Institute on Evidence-Based Practice, the Educators Evidence-Based Practice Workshop and the Improvement Science Summit. The Summer Institute, launched in 2002, celebrated its 10th annual program in July. Over the past decade, more than5,000 participants have attended the institute, bringing change to hundreds of institutions.
Additionally, Stevens developed the Improvement Science Research Network (ISRN), a national online research laboratory that enables academic and practice associates toconduct improvement research, accelerating the transformation of health care into safe and reliable systems. “The bridge between scientists and clinical service represents an ongoing commitment to excellence in health care and the advancement of nursing science,” she explained.
“The Episteme Award is a tremendous honor. It is the capstone of my career in nursing,” Stevens said. “I stand tall because I stand on the shoulders of the mentors and colleagues who came before me, as well as with those who are working now to improve patient care.”
Sigma Theta Tau International, the Honor Society of Nursing, is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to support learning, knowledge and professional development of nurses committed to making a difference in health worldwide. Its 125,000 members include practicing nurses, instructors, researchers, policymakers, entrepreneurs and others in 90 countries.
Episteme cutline:
NSU Alumna Dr. Kathleen Stevens received the prestigious Episteme Award presented by Sitma Theta Tau International. From left are Patricia Thompson, CEO of STTI; Alice Campbell from the Baxter Foundation, Stevens, and Karen Morin,STTI immediate past president. Photo courtesy of John Hudson Photography.
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