Academic programs lead in U.S. News & World Report rankings
The UAB School of Nursing remains a leader in nursing education as reflected in the most recent U.S. News & World Report rankings. The School's BSN and DNP programs are among the top 15 in the nation, and the MSN program is among the top 10. Six graduate specialties across administration, leadership and nurse practitioner education also are ranked in the top 10.
"We are proud that our School and its programs are recognized as among the best. Our faculty, staff, students, alumni and supporters are committed to excellence and to setting our programs, pathways and specialties apart," said UAB School of Nursing Dean and Fay B. Ireland Endowed Chair Maria R. Shirey, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, ANEF, FACHE, FNAP, FAAN. "Our future is bright with the next generation of nurse leaders, led by our faculty, who are providing innovative learning opportunities with a world-class education."
School receives second designation as NLN Center of Excellence
The UAB School of Nursing has once again been designated as a National League for Nursing Center of Excellence. This second designation recognizes the School for distinguishing itself for the teaching expertise of faculty. It was honored for its demonstrated commitment to excellence and resources that have been invested and sustained over a period of time.
The School is one of 13 nursing education programs recognized in 2024. The designation goes through 2029, and is renewable every five years thereafter. The School received its first designation as an NLN Center of Excellence in 2017, cited for sustained efforts to enhance student learning and professional development. That designation was renewed in 2022 for another five years.
The School was formally recognized at the NLN Education Summit in San Antonio, Texas in September.
AACN recognizes UABSON, JCDH Partnership
The UAB School of Nursing and the Jefferson County Department of Health received the 2023 Exemplary Academic-Practice Partnership Award from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.
The partnership between the School and the JCDH began in 2016 with their shared mission of patient-centered, equitable health care for all residents and a desire to change outcomes regarding the state's infant mortality rates and poor maternal health outcomes that are some of the highest in the nation. In 2017, Nurse-Family Partnership of Central Alabama was initiated with philanthropic support and began partnering pregnant and parenting mothers experiencing adversity related to economic or social barriers with their own personal nurse.
"This award recognizes our community's commitment and the partnership's success in promoting health and improving outcomes in the maternity and pediatric populations, "said Dean and Fay B. Ireland Endowed Chair Maria R. Shirey, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, ANEF, FACHE, FNAP, FAAN. "One of our goals as a School is to transform health, health policy and health care delivery through synergistic alliances and our partnership with the JCDH is making a real impact in the state of Alabama."
Technology and Innovation team receives INACSL award
Members of the School's Office of Technology and Innovation have received the Frontline Simulation Champion Excellence Award from the International Nursing Association of Clinical Simulation and Learning. The award acknowledges exceptional dedication in the day-to-day implementation of simulation, going beyond the ordinary dedication to excellence in the delivery of simulation-based learning in academic, health care institution or community settings.
The team includes Assistant Professor and Coordinator, RN First Assist Subspecialty Tracie White, DNP, CRNP, ACNP-BC, CNOR, CRNFA (MSN 2010, DNP 2017), Instructor Rebekah Day, DNP, CRNP, AGACNP-BC (MSN 2015, DNP 2024), Manager of Clinical Simulation Operations Joey Hall, BS; and Instructors and Simulation Coordinators Sherrie Hafley, MSN, RN, CHSOS (MSN 2022), and Jennifer Ledlow, PhD, RN, CCRN, CNL, CNE (BSN 2014, MSN 2016, PhD 2024).
AAMN awards the School, UAB Medicine and student
The American Association for Men in Nursing has recognized the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing as a 2024 Best School for Men in Nursing, UAB Medicine as a 2024 Best Workplace for Men in Nursing and has awarded Bachelor of Science in Nursing student Nathan Talarico with the 2024 Outstanding Student Award.
This is the sixth year in a row the School has received the distinction of Best School for Men in Nursing and the second year in a row UAB Medicine has been named a Best Workplace for Men in Nursing. Assistant Professor and President of the Birmingham at-Large Chapter of AAMN Somali Nguyen, DNP, CRNP, AGACNP-BC (BSN 2010, MSN 2014, DNP 2019), said that these awards represent a commitment to excellence and community engagement.
"This recognition highlights our dedication to advancing the nursing profession and supporting all students, faculty and staff. For potential students, this award symbolizes a beacon of opportunity and inspiration, highlighting the profound impact in health care that they can achieve by attending a nationally ranked and highly respected school of nursing," Nguyen said.
School highly ranked for NIH research funding
The School has again increased its research funding and maintained a top spot among the National Institutes of Health funding rankings for U.S. schools of nursing, as published by the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research.
The UAB School of Nursing ranks No. 4 in the nation among public schools of nursing and No. 7 overall, with $10.3 million in NIH research funding for fiscal year 2023. The School increased its NIH funding by nearly $1 million from fiscal year 2022. It has an annual total of $20.5 million in all current research, clinical, education and training grants-up by $2.5 million from fiscal year 2022
"These rankings underscore the School's commitment to our research and scholarship missions that are continually fulfilled through the significant work and focus of UABSON faculty, staff and students and the Office of Research and Scholarship" said Dean and Fay B. Ireland Endowed Chair Maria R. Shirey, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, ANEF, FACHE, FNAP, FAAN. "I am proud of the system we've built and invested in that has helped us grow and expand our research base."