Barbara earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington, a master’s
degree from the University of California San Francisco and a doctoral degree from
Seattle University.
Barbara has demonstrated excellence in nursing in numerous ways. She began her nursing
career by serving patients and families in a small community hospital and later
was selected to be a head nurse in a large urban hospital. After she earned her
master’s degree she taught undergraduate students at the University of Washington
and later at Seattle Pacific University as both the Dean and a faculty member influencing
hundreds of nursing students who are active in the profession today. She is recognized
as an excellent teacher in the classroom who clearly demonstrates the leadership
principles she promotes. She has used interactive and creative classroom activities
and assignments that have challenged students to strive for excellence.
Barbara was the first nursing faculty member at SPU to develop online course work
for nursing students in both the RN to BS and the Nurse Educator Certificate Programs.
She provided leadership in course development by creating blackboard based courses
for distance learners, and the Nurse Educator Certificate Program. Her expansion
of partnerships and community-based sites for RN to BS students broadened the theoretical
and clinical expertise of nurses returning to earn their bachelor’s degree. She
also has brought nursing education to nurses at their site of employment to facilitate
the educational process for working nurses.
Barbara's membership in the Washington State Nurses Association has to date,
spanned 42 years. She joined the organization in 1963 directly after completing
her baccalaureate degree, and has maintained consistent membership since that time.
During this time, she has been active in the organization in a variety of ways including
serving as a member of the Head Nurse section when there were occupational groups
and chaired the Common Interest and Goals Committee. She attended most, if not all,
of the WSNA conventions as a delegate until the format changed.
Over the past 26 years, her activities have focused primarily on the educational
goals of WSNA. She was active on the Continuing Education Recognition Program Committee
from 1979-1982, serving as chair for some of that time, and returned to the renamed
Continuing Education Approval and Recognition Program Committee later in 1998-2003.
She was elected to the Cabinet on Nursing Practice and Education for succeeding
terms from 1989 to 1998 and co-chaired the Cabinet from 1994-95. She has also served
on several task forces including the Task Force on Access to Health Care in Washington
and the Task for Development of a position paper on Articulation between Nursing
Programs.
She is also a member of the Northwest Organization for Nurse Executives, the Shoreline
Community College Nursing Advisory Committee, and the Council on Nursing Educators
in Washington State Task Force on Nursing Articulation Model.
Barbara has authored numerous journal articles, research studies, and chapters in
nursing textbooks that have been used by many students as they began their nursing
careers. She has mentored numerous individuals to become contributing authors to
nursing literature.
She was selected by the nursing faculty of Seattle Pacific University to serve as
Dean of the School of Health Sciences, and has also served as the Director of the
RN to BS program. Barbara has been widely recognized on the SPU campus as a master
teacher and as such. served on the most prestigious committees such as the Instructional
Development Committee whose purpose it to foster excellence in classroom teaching.
In addition, she has received recognition as a Sigma Theta Tau member and was nominated
for the honorary status of Emeritus Faculty at Seattle Pacific University.
She has been a collaborative, creative and positive member of the nursing community
and demonstrated competence, grace and wisdom. Barbara has shared her wealth of
knowledge with numerous local and state colleagues. In accordance with her philosophical
sense of sharing, her contributions were always done in a collaborative style, which
has greatly enhanced the health and welfare of Washington State residents.
Barbara has taught literally hundreds of undergraduate and graduate nursing students
during her teaching career and has touched the lives of many students who have gone
on to become excellent clinicians, researchers and leaders in nursing the broader
community.
Inducted 2006
