UC Irvine professor of nursing to receive national award for policy advocacy
Susanne Phillips has improved healthcare access, role of advanced practice RNs
Irvine, Calif., April 17, 2024 — Susanne Phillips, DNP, professor and senior associate dean in UC Irvine’s Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing, has been selected as the recipient of the 2024 Outstanding Policy Award from the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties.
She is being recognized for developing, implementing and advocating for policies that positively affect the role of the advanced practice registered nurse and significantly increase community healthcare access and quality.
“Dr. Susanne Phillips is one of California’s leading nurse policy experts. She advocated for change in the Nursing Practice Act for nurse practitioners, and through her efforts, that change became law. She’s also known on the national stage for her work advocating for nurse practitioner full scope of practice,” said Mark Lazenby, dean of UC Irvine’s nursing school.
Each year, the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties’ board of directors selects an honoree whose contributions have notably advanced the nurse practitioner role at the local, regional, national or international level.
“I am honored to receive this award,” Phillips said. “I find it rewarding to be part of helping to remove barriers to APRN practice and advocate for policy changes that help improve community health. It’s also very exciting to educate the next generation and to see their commitment to staying informed on the critical issues affecting the advanced practice of nursing and becoming engaged advocates for change that positively impacts the healthcare landscape.”
Her efforts in California include the codification of rights and privileges for nurse practitioners to deliver essential healthcare services, and her term as the inaugural APRN expert on the California Board of Registered Nursing helped ensure that public policy aligns with the best interests of both providers and patients. Nationally, for the past 19 years, Phillips has produced an annual legislative update describing the state of the profession, a definitive resource for health policy.
In addition, her excellence in teaching health policy has been recognized locally and countrywide, and she has made more than 100 keynote speeches, podium presentations, academic lectures and podcasts. Phillips, who has held the positions of vice president and president of the California Board of Registered Nursing, is also a fellow of both the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and the American Academy of Nursing.
The award will be bestowed on Saturday, April 20, as part of the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties’ 50th annual conference, in Baltimore.
UC Irvine’s Brilliant Future campaign: Publicly launched on Oct. 4, 2019, the Brilliant Future campaign aims to raise awareness and support for UC Irvine. By engaging 75,000 alumni and garnering $2 billion in philanthropic investment, UC Irvine seeks to reach new heights of excellence in student success, health and wellness, research and more. The Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing plays a vital role in the success of the campaign. Learn more by visiting https://brilliantfuture.uci.edu/sue-and-bill-gross-school-of-nursing.
About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UC Irvine has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UC Irvine, visit www.uci.edu.
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