OHSU School of Nursing Names New Associate Dean For La Grande Campus

Carol A. Ledbetter, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N., has been named the new associate dean for the Oregon Health & Science University School of Nursing, La Grande Campus, located at Eastern Oregon University, effective April 1, 2006.

"We are proud to have Dr. Ledbetter be part of the OHSU School of Nursing. Her proven leadership, education, as well as research skills and experience will be an excellent match for our outstanding La Grande Campus. She will assure continuous quality improvement of academic, clinical and research programs, and will be a first-rate addition to the health care community in the region, " said Dean Kathleen Potempa, D.N.Sc., R.N., F.A.A.N.

Khosrow Fatemi, Ph.D., president of EOU, said: "Dr. Ledbetter will be a dynamic addition to the students and community of Eastern Oregon University.

"This is a critical position for our partnership in education with OHSU, especially in light of our new state-of-the art Science Center, which OHSU shares with us. I look forward to working with this outstanding educator and researcher," said John Miller, Ph.D., EOU provost and vice-president for academic affairs.
 
Ledbetter previously served as the senior vice president and chief operating officer of Surgical Anesthesia Services, L.L.C. and Surgical Synergies Inc. and as a professor of nursing at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Prior appointments include the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences Graduate School of Nursing, and the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

Ledbetter received her Bachelor of Science in nursing in 1977 from Sonoma State University in California; aher Master's of Science in Nursing in 1979 from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; and her doctorate in adult and higher education curriculum and instruction and instructional technology from the University of Texas at Austin in 1985. She is a board-certified primary care adult and family nurse practitioner, receiving her nurse practitioner education at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in 1995.

Ledbetter has published numerous articles in the area of evidence-based practice where she has focused her research on the process of translating research into practice. Ledbetter has earned distinction as a colonel in the United States Air Force Reserve and received several meritorious service awards. She was a key leader in the development of the congressionally funded TriService Nursing Research Program and has served on the TriServices Nursing Research Program Advisory Board. Ledbetter also has served on many research review panels as well as practice oversight boards. She is noted for her work in the development of advanced practice nursing in the uniformed services.

Marilyn Levine, Ph.D., Eastern Oregon University Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences said, "We are fortunate to have an experienced and very skilled administrator coming to the La Grande Campus. I am confident she will help lead the School of Nursing's continuing effort to foster its progress and commitment to educating qualified nurses. I am looking forward to innovative collaborations between EOU and OHSU under Carol's leadership."

"Our hospital and our patients definitely benefit from the OHSU School of Nursing students and its graduates. This new leadership helps Grande Ronde Hospital continue to be a vital part in the medical, physical and economic health of this rural community," said Jim Mattes, president and chief executive officer, Grande Ronde Hospital.

Ledbetter will replace Jeanne Bowden, R.N., M.P.H., F.A.A.N., Ph.D., who is retiring. Bowden has been the associate dean at the La Grande Campus since 1995 and a faculty member at OHSU School of Nursing since 1981.

U.S. News & World Report ranked the OHSU School of Nursing eighth in the nation and the National Institutes of Health ranked the school sixth based on research funding.  

                                                              
The OHSU School of Nursing, La Grande Campus developed the Health Network for Rural Schools in Union County, a program in which five school districts share a team of health professionals who deliver primary and preventive health care services on a rotating basis to 2,000 children and their families. This new model is being evaluated closely by the State of Oregon Department of Education to determine its potential to be replicated in other rural areas.


The school operates two community-based clinics run by nurse practitioners in eastern Oregon, providing the only primary care available in these isolated areas. The Union Family Health Center serves 3,000 patients, and the Elgin Family Health Center serves 1,500 patients.


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