By Laura Lesley
Seven students from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing received academic scholarships from the Alabama State Nurses Association (ASNA)’s Alabama Nursing Foundation (ANF) in 2019.They are among 20 recipients from across the state of Alabama.
Any Alabama resident enrolled in undergraduate or graduate education leading to a nursing degree is eligible for ANF scholarship assistance. Scholarship funding is raised through statewide nursing car tag sales. The seven UAB School of Nursing students recognized include Colleen Anusiewicz, Kristin Ashley, Ryan Matthew Barnett, Amy Beasley, Melissa Garrett, Frederick Richardson and Shameka Rodgers.
Anusiewicz, a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Nursing student, is a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Future of Nursing Scholar. Her research examines the relationships among nurses and patients, nurses and nurses, and nurses and other health care providers and staff, as well as the health of nurses in general. She seeks to determine whether new applications of current practices can improve the work environment and job satisfaction among nurses.
“My long-term goal is to become a leading nurse scientist in health systems and outcomes research,” said Anusiewicz. “I look forward to enhancing my research skills and developing as an independent nurse scientist.”
Ashley, a third-year PhD in Nursing student and instructor in the Department of Acute, Chronic and Continuing Care, recently received an award for her research poster at the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses National Conference. The poster, titled “Predictors of Employment in Middle-Aged and Older Adults with HIV: Implications for Occupational Health Nursing,” was selected from a pool of national submissions. Ashley is a fellow of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
“My goal is to begin a program of research in employment outcomes for stroke survivors and to obtain a tenured academic position at a research institution,” said Ashley. “I plan to continue my career as a nurse educator and advance nursing by training nursing students.”
Barnett, a third-semester Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) student, is a recent UAB School of Nursing “Student of the Month.”
“The quality of instruction and the level of support and knowledge offered at the UAB School of Nursing is unparalleled,” said Barnett. “After graduation, I hope to work in pediatrics and always be an inspiration to both my patients and my peers.”
Beasley, a PhD in Nursing student, currently teaches in the undergraduate nursing program at the University of Alabama and has a clinical background in hospice care. She serves as treasurer on the Hospice & Palliative Credentialing Center board of directors and her research interest focuses on palliative care in rural and underserved populations.
“My dissertation focuses on a needs assessment for Alabama that will help me fulfill my long-term goal of intervention studies for rural Alabamians with serious illnesses,” said Beasley.
Garrett and Richardson are Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN) students. Richardson was recently named among the National Black Nurses Association’s “40 and Under” awardees for 2019. He is enrolled in the School’s Nursing Health Systems Administration Specialty, which is ranked sixth in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for 2020.
“As a nurse, I am able to help other improve their health by providing safe and therapeutic care,” said Richardson. “I want to make Alabama the greatest state in which nurses practice.”
Garrett’s focus is on making a difference in her community and advocating for the specific needs of each patient. “I also hope to make nurse practitioners a stronger player in the interdisciplinary team,” she said
Rodgers is a UAB Graduate School Blazer Fellow who earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the UAB School of Nursing. She is now on track to become a three-time alumna upon completion of the PhD in Nursing program. Rodgers’ research focus is on decreasing health disparities in underserved and minority populations. Her dissertation focuses on the associations between sleep quality, adiposity and blood pressure in school-aged children in rural areas.
“My goal is to decrease health disparities in rural and underprivileged areas, and I plan to become a faculty member at a research university so I can combine my love of teaching, research and providing healthcare to the underserved,” said Rodgers.
All scholarship awardees were recognized on April 16, 2019 at Eastmont Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama.