Dr. Louise Fitzpatrick twice honored by Philadelphia organizations this month

Villanova, PA, December 9, 2008 — M. Louise Fitzpatrick, Ed.D., R.N., FAAN was twice honored this month with awards from Philadelphia organizations. Dr. Fitzpatrick is the Connelly Endowed Dean and Professor of Nursing of the College of Nursing at Villanova University.

On December 1, Dr. Fitzpatrick was recognized as one of 25 Women of Distinction by the Philadelphia Business Journal and National Association of Women Business Owners at an awards banquet in Philadelphia. She was the only honoree in academia. Recipients are among the region's most dynamic women who are making headlines in their professional field and are recognized for their commitment to professional excellence and community involvement.

Dr. Fitzpatrick received the St. Francis Medallion from the St. Francis Country House Women’s Auxiliary at its Golden Ball on December 5 in Philadelphia. She was honored for her dedication, commitment and personal contribution to peace on earth by helping to ensure a high standard of nursing care for patients in the United States and around the globe. Recipients of the Medallion exemplify the highest spiritual, moral, and ethical standards and lead others by example and inspire them by their commitment. St. Francis Country House is a skilled nursing facility in Darby, Pa.

Dr. Fitzpatrick was named Dean of the College in 1978. During her tenure, the College of Nursing has developed into a premier nursing program, recognized by the National League for Nursing as a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education. She recently celebrated with faculty, staff, students, alumni and the Villanova community the dedication of Driscoll Hall, the new $32 million, 75,500 sq. ft., state-of-the-art home of the College.

Dr. Fitzpatrick is responsible for the expansion of the College’s academic programs, including initiating master’s and doctoral programs as well as an accelerated B.S.N. program for second-degree students. She has increased the use of distance learning strategies and clinical simulation laboratory initiatives, and focused on scholarship and research programs—developing the Center for Nursing Research in 2006 and gaining approval for a Center for the Study of Global Health in 2007. Dr. Fitzpatrick has also sought to globalize the College of Nursing community through study abroad and health promotion experiences for its students in such countries as England, Ireland, Japan, Peru, South Africa and Nicaragua, in addition to multicultural experiences in underserved areas in the U.S. such as the Western Shoshone Native American reservation and the Texas-Mexico border. She has also forged partnerships bringing Omani and other international students to the College of Nursing.

A native of New Jersey, Dr. Fitzpatrick is a graduate of The Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and received a bachelor’s degree in nursing from The Catholic University of America. She earned two master’s degrees and a doctorate from Teachers College, Columbia University, and holds a certificate from Harvard University’s Institute for Educational Management. Dr. Fitzpatrick is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and has served as a consultant to numerous schools of nursing and health agencies in the United States and abroad.

Prior to becoming Dean of Villanova University’s College of Nursing, Dr. Fitzpatrick served as an associate professor in the Department of Nursing Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. In this capacity she acted as major advisor for master’s degree students in curriculum development and community health nursing, directed doctoral study in nursing history and nursing education, and worked extensively with international students. Dr. Fitzpatrick has also been involved in higher education accreditation since 1972, serving as an accreditation visitor for the Middle States Association, the National League for Nursing (NLN) and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. She is a former chair of NLN’s Accreditation Committee and its Accreditation Appeal Panel as well as a past president of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Nursing Schools.

Dr. Fitzpatrick’s research preparation, scholarly interests and publications focus on nursing history and nursing education. Her book publications include The National Organization for Public Nursing, Development of a Practice Field, Prologue to Professionalism and Nursing in Society, which she co-authored with Josephine Dolan and Eleanor Herrman. In addition, she has edited several books as well as myriad articles and book chapters. Dr. Fitzpatrick is a sought after speaker and has made numerous presentations and keynote addresses at regional, national and international conferences.

Dr. Fitzpatrick has received numerous awards, including the National League for Nursing Award for Outstanding Leadership in Nursing Education in 2004 and the Global Citizen Award of the Pennsylvania Nurses Association in 1997. Dr. Fitzpatrick is the recipient of distinguished alumni awards from The Catholic University of America, Teachers College, Columbia University, and, most recently, The Johns Hopkins University. For her contributions to the agenda of the Augustinian Province of St. Thomas of Villanova, Dr. Fitzpatrick was awarded affiliate membership in the Order of St. Augustine by the Superior General in Rome upon recommendation of the Eastern Province of the U.S. in 2002.

Dr. Fitzpatrick has a strong interest in international health care and nursing education, especially in the Middle East, where she has served as a consultant for many years. She received a World Health Organization fellowship for study in Scandinavia and the United Kingdom and a Malone Travel Fellowship from the Committee on U.S.-Arab Relations.

The Villanova University College of Nursing, established in 1953, is a nationally recognized premier nursing program under Catholic auspices with a mission to create a synergy between compassion and clinical excellence. Designated a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education by the National League for Nursing, the College provides a values-based undergraduate education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences that prepares students to assume positions as productive, ethical, and socially responsible citizens and leaders providing care in clinical and community settings. Its reputation is solidified by its rigorous, top-ranked graduate program to prepare advanced practice nurses, administrators and nurse educators; its environment for faculty and student scholarship; its respected continuing nursing education program and the leadership contributions of its students, faculty and alumni in nursing and health care around the world.