Judy Didion named dean of Oakland University's School of Nursing

ROCHESTER, Mich. - May 25, 2016 - PRLog -- Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost James Lentini announced that Judy Didion, Ph.D, RN, has accepted the University's invitation to become the next Dean of the School of Nursing. The appointment will be effective Monday, July 25, 2016, pending approval by the Board of Trustees.

Presently, Dr. Didion is dean of the College of Nursing and a professor of nursing at Lourdes University in Sylvania, Ohio. There she has overseen curriculum development including the Master of Science in Nursing with a Nurse Anesthesia Concentration and a Registered Nurse to Master of Science in Nursing program.

Prior to her service at Lourdes University, Dr. Didion held positions at Medical College of Ohio - now known as the University of Toledo College of Nursing - Bowling Green State University, Farleigh Dickenson University, the University of Texas Health Science Center and Owens Technical College in Toledo, Ohio.

Dr. Didion's clinical work experience includes positions as a public health care coordinator mentor, co-coordinator of an anonymous HIV testing site, an adolescent pregnancy prevention specialist, a critical care staff nurse and an assistant head nurse in a medical surgical unit.

She has been active in 10 local, state and national professional associations, led or contributed to a dozen research initiatives, authored scores of scholarly articles and presentations, and maintains a rigorous agenda of university and community service, as well as continuing professional education.

Dr. Didion has accepted numerous awards and recognitions, including the 2012 American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Innovations in Professional Nursing Education Award.

She began her career after earning a Ph.D. in nursing from Duquesne University, a master of science in nursing with a Clinical Nurse Specialist and Administration specialty from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and a bachelor of science in nursing from the University of Toledo.

She also completed leadership development programs including the AACN-Wharton Executive Leadership Program and the AACN Leadership for Academic Nurses.