JOHNSON CITY (Sept. 1, 2020) – The American Academy of Nursing (AAN) named Dr. Judy
Rice, associate professor at East Tennessee State University’s College of Nursing,
among 230 distinguished nurse leaders to join the 2020 Class of Fellows.
The inductees will be recognized for their significant contributions to health and health care at the Academy’s annual Transforming Health, Driving Policy Conference, taking place virtually October 29-31.
The newest Fellows represent 38 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. territory of Guam, as well as 13 countries. Rice is one of three nurses from Tennessee to be inducted this year.
The Academy is currently comprised of more than 2,700 nursing leaders who are experts in policy, research, administration, practice and academia and who champion health and wellness, locally and globally. Through a competitive, rigorous application process, a committee of elected Fellows reviews hundreds of applications and selects new Fellows based on their contributions to advance the public’s health.
“Dr. Rice’s passion for her work and for the health of the homeless population in our area is evident in her teaching, research and service,” said Dr. Wendy Nehring, dean of the College of Nursing. “Her work exemplifies the values of AAN, including improving health and health equity for all the citizens of our community, and she deserves this recognition of her leadership and commitment.”
For almost 20 years, Rice has worked closely with people who are experiencing homelessness, giving her an up-close look at the effects of the opioid crisis on this population. She is the primary investigator of the PATH program grant at ETSU, which has resulted in $1.7 million in funding for people experiencing homelessness. PATH is a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration formula grant and is part of the first major federal legislative response to homelessness introduced in 1990. PATH grants are distributed annually to all 50 states.
Rice provides behavioral treatment at local county detention centers. She developed and has led ETSU’s Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program since 2001, which has afforded her the chance to translate practice into the classroom. She has been instrumental in educating and mentoring hundreds of psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners.
“Serving vulnerable populations who are struggling with mental illness and teaching nursing students to care for vulnerable populations is a joy and privilege that I am grateful for every day,” said Rice. “It is truly an honor to be inducted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.”
To learn more about the ETSU College of Nursing, visit www.etsu.edu/nursing/.