Priscilla Sagar, Nursing professor emerita from Mount Saint Mary College, was inducted as a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing during the organization’s annual policy conference, “Transforming Health, Driving Policy,” last month in Washington, D.C.
“I am humbled,” said Sagar. “This is a great honor.”
Sagar was among 231 highly distinguished nurse leaders in education, practice, and administration to receive the honor. The group represents 38 states, the District of Columbia, and 17 countries.
The American Academy of Nursing is comprised of more than 2,600 nurse leaders in education, management, practice, policy, and research. They have been recognized for their extraordinary commitment to the promotion of the public’s health through evidence and innovation
Through a competitive and rigorous process, a committee of elected fellows reviewed hundreds of applications. The new fellows were selected based on their impressive contributions to increase access, reduce cost, and improve quality through nursing theory, practice, and science.
Sagar’s contributions to nursing entail dissemination of culturally competent care knowledge and theory, and model application in her teaching, publications, presentations, and leadership activities.
“I believe that with public trust and strength in numbers, nurses are at vantage points to lead the innovation towards culturally competent care and better health outcomes,” Sagar noted.
Sagar joined the Mount in 1998 and quickly became an integral part of the college’s School of Nursing. An RN, Sagar helped coordinate the community health nursing program at the Mount, where she put transcultural nursing into practice. Mount community nursing students interact with cross-cultural populations by working with supervision in departments of health, schools, nursing homes, and hospices.
She holds a doctor of Education degree from Teacher’s College, Columbia University. She is also a member ofPhilippine Nurses Association of America, Inc., which is comprised of Filipino-American nurses from across the country;a Transcultural Scholar for the TCNS; Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine; and a member of the Nursing Hall of Fame at Columbia University.
In addition, Sagar has had several articles and books published and has given dozens of presentations on nursing, particularly in her focus area of transcultural nursing, at the college and beyond. Additionally, Sagar has received numerous awards and recognitions for her hard work, including being named a New York Academy of Medicine Fellow and receiving the Columbia University Teachers College’s R. Louis McManus Medal.
The Mount’s prestigious Nursing program is a popular major among incoming first-year students. Mount Nursing students enjoy state-of-the-art simulation labs and clinical relationships with more than 40 area hospitals. The college’s passionate faculty are dedicated to the success of both their undergraduate and graduate students.
Earlier this year, the college’s programs in its School of Nursing were reaccredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for 10 years, the maximum available accreditation period. Specifically, the baccalaureate degree program in Nursing, the master’s degree program in Nursing, and the post-graduate APRN certificate program at Mount Saint Mary College are accredited by CCNE (http://www.ccneaccreditation.