UB nursing professor’s passion garners national nod

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Deborah Raines, PhD, associate professor in the University at Buffalo School of Nursing, has been selected by the National League for Nursing (NLN) to receive the Isabel Hampton Robb Award for Outstanding Leadership in Clinical Practice.

The annual award honors individuals who inspire and encourage passion, clinical expertise and interprofessional practice in clinical nursing through education. It also recognizes efforts to challenge students to expand their clinical knowledge base in new ways.

The first nursing organization in the U.S., the NLN is dedicated to excellence in nursing education for leaders and faculty in the field.

“Without the wonderful nurses and leaders I work with at Sisters of Charity Hospitals, the students who aspire to join the profession of nursing and the patients and families we care for, none of this would be possible,” says Raines.

“My passion for nursing and desire to pass on my knowledge and passions grows stronger everyday as I work with these wonderful nurses, students and families.”

Raines’ research centers on parenting behaviors, pregnancy and newborn health, and nursing workforce development through innovative education. She has authored more than 75 journal articles, and in 2010 received the NLN Award for Outstanding Leadership in Workforce Development.

Her current work centers on the intersection of technology with teaching and learning. An ongoing project involves the use of hi-fidelity training simulations – or computerized manikins – to improve infant care transitions from intensive care nurseries to the home.

“Clinical practice and patient care are the essence of nursing. It is where the art and science of nursing come together to enhance the well-being of others,” says Raines.

“Being able to model and motivate students to achieve excellence in clinical care, thought, evidence-based care and quality improvement, as well as becoming involved in research and scholarship, is very important in preparing the next generation of professional nurses.”

Raines received a doctorate in nursing administration and information systems from Virginia Commonwealth University, a master’s degree in nursing from the University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Syracuse University.