Mary Lou Sole, a professor in UCF’s College of Nursing, will deliver the Distinguished Research Lecture at the National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition on Monday, May 17, 2010 in Washington, D.C. She was chosen for this great honor by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses for her significant contributions to acute and critical care nursing through research.

Sole, who has a doctorate in adult health, is an expert in the area of airway management and mechanical ventilation, infection prevention in acute care, and critical care nursing. She is the lead investigator on a National Institutes of Health nursing research grant related to airway management in critically ill patients. Her book “Introduction to Critical Care Nursing,” currently in its fifth edition, was named the 2010 Book of the Year by the American Journal of Nursing.

In UCF’s College of Nursing, she teaches graduate-level courses and coordinates the Clinical Nurse Leader and Clinical Nurse Specialist master’s programs. She also oversees the adult-gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist track for the new post-baccalaureate Doctor of Nursing Practice program.

Recognized nationally and internationally as a leader in critical care nursing, Dr. Sole is a Fellow in both the American Academy of Nursing and in the American College of Critical Care Medicine.

About AACN’s Distinguished Researcher Award: AACN established the Distinguished Research Lecturer Award in 1982 to honor nationally known nurses who make significant contributions to acute and critical care research. The annual award, now funded by a grant from Philips Healthcare, Andover, Mass., recognizes research that changes or improves patient outcomes and advances nursing education/practice. Recipients present their award-winning research at the National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition and receive a $2,000 honorarium.

About the National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition: Established in 1974, AACN’s National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition (NTI) represents the world’s largest educational conference and trade show for nurses who care for acutely and critically ill patients and their families. Bedside nurses, nurse educators, nurse managers, clinical nurse specialists and nurse practitioners attend NTI. 

About the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses: Founded in 1969 and based in Aliso Viejo, Calif., the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) is the largest specialty nursing organization in the world. AACN represents more than 500,000 acute and critical care nurses and claims more than 235 chapters worldwide. The organization’s vision is to create a healthcare system driven by the needs of patients and their families in which acute and critical care nurses can make their optimal contribution. To learn more about AACN, visit aacn.org.