World Nursing Education and Evidence Based Practice Conference

Biography:

Dr. Anahid Kulwicki joined the Lebanese American University in September 2016 as the dean of the Alice Ramez Chagoury School of Nursing. She comes to LAU after serving as dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Anahid Kulwicki earned her B.S.N at the American University of Beirut and M.S.N and doctoral degrees from Indiana University School of Nursing, Indianapolis. Her program of research focuses on the health of immigrant, refugee and minority populations. A hallmark of her work has been creative collaboration between public and private institutions across multiple disciplines. She established the first health research department for the Middle Eastern community in the US to promote health research and to serve as a conduit for other researchers. In addition, she established and arranged for funding for the first Arab community based programs for HIV/AIDS, domestic violence, infant mortality, and cardiovascular diseases. Her programs have been evidence-based and effective in improving the health care of the underserved immigrant and refugee populations. Her recognized expertise led to her appointment to the Michigan Governor’s Task Force on Minority Health. Institutions such as NIH, W. Kellogg, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and numerous local and state government agencies have supported her research.

Abstract:

There is growing evidence that access to high quality low cost health care services is a serious concern for health policy makers locally and globally and certainty for the public in general. The fact that increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, the changing demographics coupled with new and emerging diseases has added additional strain to the burgeoning health care cost and for greater need in transforming the health care system. The Institute of Medicine in its 2011 report “The  Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health” reiterated the important role nurses play in providing high quality low cost care to the public by virtue of their close relationship with patients and their scientific knowledge of evidence based practice. The report specified that nurses can be full partners with other health care professionals and lead the improvement and redesign of the health care system and its practice environment. In its final analysis and recommendation, the Institute called for removing the scope-of-practice barriers for Advance Practice Registered Nurses, especially for the Nurse Practitioners, who have demonstrated a record of accomplishments in improving access to high quality cost effective health care to the public. The American Nurses Association along with the World Health Organization, the Carnegie Foundation, the National League for Nurses and the International Council of Nurses among many others had made similar recommendation in advancing the education of nurses so that they can fully perform their duties commensurate to their educational preparation.