Linda Howe, an associate professor at the UCF College of Nursing was inducted as a fellow into the National League for Nursing’s Academy of Nursing Education earlier this month during an awards banquet. Howe was among 28 other fellows and honorary fellows representing nursing schools and programs throughout the U.S. in the 2015 group of inductees.
The National League for Nursing (NLN) established the Academy of Nursing Education in 2007 to foster excellence by recognizing and capitalizing on the wisdom of nurse educators who have made significant contributions to nursing education. Fellows provide leadership in nursing education and in the academy, and support the vision of the NLN to promote standards of excellence in nursing education. In addition, fellows serve as important role models and resources for both new educators and for those who aspire to become nurse educators. With the 29 outstanding individuals in the ninth class of inductees, academy membership now totals 216. Mindi Anderson, an associate professor in the UCF College of Nursing, is also a fellow.
“The National League for Nursing relies on these accomplished individuals as allies in our efforts to address the ongoing shortage of nurses and nurse educators,” said Beverly A. Malone, NLN CEO. “Nurse faculty and colleagues from other fields who contribute to excellence in nursing education and to the preparation of a nursing workforce that advances the health of the nation and global community deserve this public recognition and gratitude of all who are eager to elevate the status of the profession.”
As a newly named fellow, Howe has been lauded for her innovative teaching and learning strategies. She is the creator of The Village, a unique, case-based approach to teaching pharmacology that engages students, increases understanding of content and encourages self-discovery. Furthermore, this teaching method is affordable and can be easily adapted to other subjects, such as health promotion and medical-surgical nursing. As a result, it is currently in use in more than 70 schools in the U.S. and her article in Nursing Education Perspectives has been downloaded 222 times.
Howe also uses the book “The Other End of the Stethoscope” to teach nursing values. Written by a man who was blinded and catastrophically injured at age 18, the book documents his experiences in the health care system. It helps students see things from a patient’s perspective, and teaches ethics, caring and patient education. She has presented her findings on this method at the NLN and several other venues.
“I am extremely proud of Dr. Howe’s innovative contributions to nursing education that have not only benefited our own Knight nurses, but have made a positive impact among nursing students nationwide,” said Mary Lou Sole, dean of the UCF College of Nursing. “Her creativity in teaching complex issues increases student engagement, and fosters skills for lifelong learning. She is well-deserving of this national honor.”
Linda Howe, PhD, RN, CNS, CNE, has been an undergraduate associate professor at the UCF College of Nursing for three years. Her research interests include nursing and institutional history, nursing education strategies, pharmacogenomics, and deep tissue injury prevention and healing. In her 30-year academic career, Howe has served in various faculty and leadership roles at universities and colleges in Maryland, South Carolina and Florida. She began and spent most of her nursing career in acute and critical care. She has received multiple awards for teaching excellence throughout her career.
An active member in local and national nursing professional organizations, Howe recently served on the NLN Board of Governors for two terms and currently serves as president-elect of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, Theta Epsilon Chapter. Howe is also a member of the editorial board for Nursing Education Perspectives and reviewer for Journal of Nursing Education. She earned her PhD from the University of South Carolina, MA in Education from The Citadel, MSN from Texas Woman’s University and BSN from the University of Texas at Arlington.
In addition to supporting UCF Knight nurses in the classroom and as a mentor, Howe, together with her husband John, recently established a scholarship to support future NICU nurses. The Elizabeth Marie Howe Memorial Endowed Nursing Scholarship was created in memory of their daughter who passed away after only a few short days of life.
The fellowships have been awarded by the NLN Board of Governors, the oversight body of the NLN Academy of Nursing Education. In a competitive application process, the Academy of Nursing Education Review Panel evaluates applicant contributions to innovative teaching and/or learning strategies; nursing education research; faculty development activities; academic leadership; promotion of public policy that advances nursing education; and/or collaborative educational, practice, or community partnerships.