School of Nursing

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Previous Deans

 

Elizabeth A. Humphrey  

Dr. Elizabeth A. Humphrey
Helen A. and James B. Dunn Professor and Dean
LSU Health Sciences Center School of Nursing

 


Bio

Elizabeth A. Humphrey, EdD, RN, served as Helen A. and James B. Dunn Professor and Dean of Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - School of Nursing from 1997 to 2007. Dr. Humphrey initially joined the School of Nursing as a faculty member in July of 1975. Dr. Humphrey held several state level leadership positions on the Louisiana Rural Health Care Authority and served as President of the Louisiana State Board of Nursing and the Louisiana State Nurses Association. She was a member of the Louisiana State Board of Examiners for Nursing Facility Administrators and the Louisiana Health Works Commission. Dr. Humphrey was inducted as a lifetime member of Sigma Theta Tau International, Pi Chapter in 1965 and was an active member of Epsilon Nu Chapter beginning in 1982. In 1989, Dr. Humphrey was inducted into Delta Omega, Eta Chapter, the honorary society in Public Health. Her clinical background includes a maternal-child-health clinical specialty, a Robert Wood Johnson Fellowship in Primary Care, and experience as a primary care nurse practitioner. She had teaching experience at the associate, baccalaureate, master's and doctoral nursing levels. In addition, she had educational experience in schools of public health educating a diverse student body of public health professionals. She focused on academic nursing education administration and the support of programs to advance the nursing profession.

During her tenure as dean of Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Dr. Humphrey restructured the School of Nursing, established an Office of Nursing Research and Evaluation, developed a master of nursing specialization in nurse anesthesia, implemented the RN to BSN program of study, and provided leadership for the planning of advanced practice nursing programs with interest that included primary health care, care of mothers and children, and the education of nurses, nurse practitioners and nurse anesthetists. Two professorships in nursing were established at the School of Nursing during her tenure, the P. K. Scheerle, RN Professor in Nursing and the Tenet Health System/Jo Ellen Smith, BSN Endowed Chair for Nursing Research. Dr. Humphrey guided the School of Nursing during its temporary relocation to Baton Rouge in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Within a month, the required Louisiana State Board of Nursing approvals were acquired so that students were able to complete their course work at new clinical locations. Graduate classes returned to New Orleans in January 2006 and undergraduate classes in the summer of 2006.

Dr. Humphrey received several honors and scholarships throughout her professional career. From 1964 to 1968 she completed several traineeships with the US Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) Short Term Traineeship and United States Public Health Service (USPHS) Traineeship, Title II. In 1978, Dr. Humphrey received the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Faculty Fellowship in Primary Care. In 1995, she received the LSU Medical Center Foundation Searle Award for Excellence in Research, Education and Patient Care. In 1997, Dr. Humphrey was named the Louisiana State Nurses Association Nurse Practitioner of the Year. In 2004, she was named the Louisiana State Nurses Association Nursing School Administrator of the Year and was inducted into the Louisiana State Nurses Association Hall of Fame.

 


Resolution

 

TOPIC:

  Honoring Dr. Elizabeth A. Humphrey's Contributions to LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing and the Profession of Nursing
SUBMITTED BY: The Administrative Council of the LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing
AUTHORS: Demetrius J. Porche, DNS, PhD, PCC, ANEF, FACHE, FAANP, FAAN
Dean and Professor

Kendra M. Barrier, PhD, MSN, RN, CNE
Assistant Dean for Student Services and Assistant Professor of Clinical Nursing

Sherri Chalona, BA
Administrative Coordinator

WHEREAS, Elizabeth A. Humphrey, EdD, RN served as James B. Dunn Professor and Dean of Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing from 1997 to 2007; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Humphrey served as president of the Louisiana State Nurses Association from 1987 to 1991 and the Louisiana State Board of Nursing from 1995 to 1996, and was inducted into the Louisiana State Nurses Association Hall of Fame in 2004; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Humphrey served as a member of the Louisiana State Board of Examiners for Nursing Facility Administrators from 1989 to 2005 and the Louisiana Health Works Commission from 2002 to 2007; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Humphrey served on the Board of Directors for the Louisiana Coalition for Maternal and Infant Health from 1989 to 1997; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Humphrey was inducted as a lifetime member of Sigma Theta Tau International, Pi Chapter in 1965 and served as an active member of the Epsilon Nu Chapter beginning in 1982; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Humphrey served as vice-chairman of the Louisiana Rural Healthcare Authority from 1994 to 1995 and as chairman from 1995 to 1997; and
WHEREAS, During Dr. Humphrey's tenure as dean of Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing, she restructured the School of Nursing, established an Office of Nursing Research and Evaluation, developed a Master of Nursing specialization in Nurse Anesthesia, implemented the RN to BSN program of study, and provided leadership for the planning of advanced practice nursing programs; and
WHEREAS, During Dr. Humphrey's tenure as dean of Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing, one professorship in nursing was established, the P. K. Scheerle, RN Professor in Nursing and one endowed chair, the Tenet Health System/Jo Ellen Smith, BSN Endowed Chair for Nursing Research; and
WHEREAS, During Dr. Humphrey's tenure as dean of Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, she guided the School of Nursing during its temporary relocation to Baton Rouge in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Within a month, the required Louisiana State Board of Nursing approvals were acquired so that students were able to complete their course work at new clinical locations with an on-time graduation. Graduate classes returned to New Orleans in January 2006 and undergraduate classes in the summer of 2006; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Demetrius Porche has been notified that Dr. Humphrey has entered into hospice care; therefore be it
RESOLVED, that the LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing will honor Dr. Elizabeth A. Humphrey's contributions to School of Nursing and the profession of nursing by placing black wreaths on the front doors of the School of Nursing and on the School of Nursing Dean's Conference Room doors upon her death. The School of Nursing will display Dr. Humphrey's portrait in the Dean's reception area with a back ribbon for one month; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the School of Nursing will request that the flags on the Health Sciences Center be flown at half-mast in honor of Dr. Humphrey; and be it further
RESOLVED, that a memorial biography for Dr. Humphrey and this resolution will be permanently posted to the School of Nursing's website. The resolution and memorial biography will be distributed through the School of Nursing's social media accounts and magazine, and they will be shared with the Louisiana State Board of Nursing, the Louisiana State Nurses Association, and the Louisiana Council of Administrators of Nursing Education; and be it further
RESOLVED, that fundraising efforts will be undertaken by the School of Nursing to establish an endowed professorship in Dr. Humphrey's name. All School of Nursing student organizations and the School of Nursing Alumni Association will be requested to contribute to the fundraising efforts; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the School of Nursing will develop awards in Dr. Humphrey's name for an undergraduate student award for maternal-child health and graduate student awards in the Nurse Anesthesia and the Nurse Practitioner programs; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the School of Nursing will have trees planted in honor of Dr. Humphrey; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing will send a copy of this resolution to Dr. Humphrey's survivors, and all others deemed appropriate by the LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing Administrative Council.