American Association of Critical-Care Nurses selects USF associate dean as 2014 Distinguished Research Lecturer

ALISO VIEJO, Calif., Sept. 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) recently selected Cindy L. Munro, RN, PhD, ANP-BC, FAAN, FAANP, as its 2014 Distinguished Research Lecturer.

The award recognizes nurses whose program of research significantly influences high acuity and critical care. Established in 1982, it is now funded by a grant from Philips Healthcare, Andover, Mass.

Munro leads research efforts at the University of South Florida (USF) College of Nursing, Tampa, as associate dean for research and innovation, in addition to teaching and mentoring students as a professor. Her responsibilities include ensuring the nursing PhD program plays an integral role in research projects, with the goal of producing the next generation of nurse scientists.

Munro received her first federally funded grant in 1989, and her research has been supported by funding of more than $10 million in direct costs as a principal or co-investigator.

The National Institute of Nursing Research has funded her research on oral care in critically ill adults for more than 10 years, and she is currently studying the pre-intubation impact of chlorhexidine mouthwash on the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia, one of the most common healthcare-associated infections.

Prior to joining USF, Munro was Nursing Alumni Endowed Professor at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Nursing, Richmond, where she had been a faculty member since 1992. She also held affiliate appointments in the departments of emergency medicine and microbiology/immunology in the VCU School of Medicine. 

A prolific author and speaker, Munro has published more than 100 articles and presented at numerous national and international conferences. She has served as co-editor of AACN's  American Journal of Critical Care (AJCC) for nearly five years.

An active member of several professional organizations, Munro is a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing and serves on the academy's Acute and Critical Care Expert Panel. She is also president-elect of the Southern Nursing Research Society and was inducted as a Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners this year.

After receiving her nursing diploma from York Hospital School of Nursing in York, Pa., Munro earned her bachelor's degree in nursing science at Millersville University of Pennsylvania, a master's in nursing science at University of Delaware, Newark, and a PhD in nursing and microbiology and immunology at VCU. A certified adult nurse practitioner, she continues to provide direct patient care as a volunteer at USF Student Health Services.

As the Distinguished Research Lecturer, Munro discusses her career and research journey Monday, May 19, 2014, during AACN's National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition (NTI). The world's largest educational conference and trade show for acute and critical care nurses, NTI takes place Saturday, May 17 through Thursday, May 22, 2014, in Denver.

AJCC will publish an abstract of Munro's presentation in its May 2014 issue, followed by a complete manuscript in July 2014.

About AACN's Distinguished Research Lectureship: AACN established the Distinguished Research Lectureship in 1982 to honor nationally known nurses who make significant contributions to high acuity 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 and practice. Recipients present their award-winning research at the National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition and receive a $2,500 honorarium.

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 joins together the interests of 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 make their optimal contribution.

American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, 101 Columbia, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656-4109;
Phone: (949) 362-2000; Fax: (949) 362-2020; www.aacn.org; facebook.com/aacnface; twitter.com/aacnme

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SOURCE American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN)