Two Texas Woman's nursing faculty named national fellows

HOUSTON - July 21, 2017 - PRLog -- Two Texas Woman's University College of Nursing faculty members have been named as Fellows in the American Academy of Nursing.  Anita Hufft, Ph.D., RN, Dean of the College, and Anne Koci, Ph.D., RN, FNP-BC, WHNP, a professor at the TWU Houston Center, are among the prestigious 173 nurse leaders in the class of 2017 fellows who will be inducted during an October ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Hufft came to TWU as the Dean of the College of Nursing encompassing the Denton, Dallas and Houston campuses, in 2014 having previously served in academic nursing leadership positions at Valdosta State University, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, and Indiana University Southeast. A TWU alumna and former nurse in the United States Army, Hufft's clinical expertise is in forensic psychiatric nursing.

"The Academy serves as the stronghold or "brain trust" for the profession, providing direction, clarity and integrity to the development of professional nursing practice through scholarship and leadership," Hufft said. "I will be joining a very distinguished group of nurse leaders and scholars. It is my hope to be able to continue to build a legacy of a strong theoretical foundation for forensic nursing and graduate nursing education through my work with the Academy."

As a professor at TWU's Institute of Health Sciences in Houston, Koci's primary teaching area is in advanced practice nursing as the director of the Family Nurse Practitioner program. Her research has focused on women's health and she has been heavily involved in a study on domestic violence outcomes on women and children for a number of years.

"I am humbled and grateful to be selected as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nurses. Throughout my nursing career I have always viewed Fellows in the Academy as the movers and shakers of nursing, committed nurses making significant contributions to the profession of nursing and positively impacting our nation's health," said Koci. "To be inducted in the Academy is the pinnacle of my career in nursing. To have my women's health research regarding marginalization and my life's work in nursing acknowledged and accepted by the Academy is a great honor for me."

Fellows are selected based on their significant contributions to nursing and health care. In total, there are now more than 2,500 Fellows, representing all 50 states and 29 countries.

"I am proud to welcome this talented cohort of nurses as they join the ranks of the nation's foremost health care thought leaders," said Academy President, Bobbie Berkowitz, Ph.D., RN, NEA-BC, FAAN. "They bring a rich variety of expertise to the table, and we look forward to recognizing their accomplishments at our policy conference, and then working with them to transform health policy, practice, and research by applying our collective nursing knowledge."

Hufft and Koci join five other faculty Fellows from TWU including Robin Britt (professor emerita), Sandra Cessario, Ph.D., RNC, FAAN, Joan Edwards, Ph.D., RNC, CNS, FAAN, Judith McFarlane, DrPH, RN, and Ainslie Nibert, Ph.D. Several university alumni also are Fellows.

To learn more about TWU, visit http://www.twu.edu.


Cutline: Pictured are Hufft (left) and Koci (right).