Dr. Pickler inducted into the American Academy of Nursing
Rita H. Pickler, PhD, RN, APRN-BC, professor and chair of the Department of Family and Community Health Nursing at the VCU School of Nursing, was inducted into the American Academy of Nursing, as one of the 2008 new Fellows on Nov. 8, 2008. She was nominated for this honor by two current Academy fellows and was selected by the Academy’s 15-member Fellow Selection Committee for her outstanding achievements in the nursing profession. Dr. Pickler was formally inducted as a Fellow with 92 other nurse leaders during the Academy’s Annual Awards Ceremony and Induction Banquet in Scottsdale, Ariz.
The Academy is constituted to anticipate national and international trends in health care, and address resulting issues of health care knowledge and policy. Not only is the invitation to Fellowship recognition of one’s accomplishments within the nursing profession, but also affords an opportunity to work with other leaders in health care in addressing the issues of the day. The Academy’s mission is to serve the public and nursing profession by advancing health policy and practice through the generation, synthesis, and dissemination of nursing knowledge.
Dr. Pickler received her BS and MS in nursing from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, her PhD from the University of Virginia, and a post-master’s certification (PNP) from Virginia Commonwealth University. She has taught nursing for over 25 years and maintains a clinical practice. Dr. Pickler is a funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research at the National Institute of Health for her research on preterm infant feeding. She has served on several NIH research review panels and is on the American Nurses’ Foundation Research Review Committee. She is the Chair of the Research Committee for the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and serves on their Board of Directors. Dr. Pickler has published widely in nursing, health care, and consumer publications. She is also an editor for the Journal of Pediatric Health Care.
For more information about the American Academy of Nursing, please visit their Web site www.aannet.org.