UAMS Instructor Named Arkansas Gerontological Nurse of Year

By todd

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LITTLE ROCK – Patricia Edwards Schafer, Ph.D., clinical instructor with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Nursing, was recently selected by the Arkansas State Nurses Association as the Advanced Practice Council Gerontological Nurse of the Year.


 


Schafer was recognized for improving the quality of long-term care facilities and being involved in health promotion activities for healthy older adults.  She teaches Tai Chi at the Lonoke Community Center and provides wound care with her students at Golden Years Manor in Lonoke.


 


Schafer’s abstract, “Analysis of western gerontology students engaged in eastern ancient arts with older adults during a clinical rotation” has been accepted to be presented in Taipei, Taiwan during the 23rd Quadrennial International Council of Nurses Congress in May 2005.


 


“Because of Dr. Schafer’s willingness to share her expertise in education as well as nursing care, she is making a difference in the lives of rural elders in her community,” said Melodee Harris, geriatric nurse practitioner and clinical instructor in the UAMS College of Nursing, who nominated Schafer for the award.


 


UAMS is the state’s only comprehensive academic health center, with five colleges, a graduate school, a medical center, five centers of excellence and a statewide network of regional centers. UAMS has about 2,220 students and 660 residents and is the state’s largest public employer with almost 9,000 employees. UAMS and its affiliates have an economic impact in Arkansas of $4.1 billion a year.


 

UAMS centers of excellence are the Arkansas Cancer Research Center, Harvey and Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy and Jackson T. Stephens Spine and Neurosciences Institute.