NeSmith named Distinguished Fellow by National Academies of Practice

Augusta University College of Nursing Interim Dean Beth NeSmith, PhD, was recently inducted as a Distinguished Fellow into the National Academies of Practice at the National Academies of Practice 2024 Annual Meeting and Forum in Jacksonville, Florida.

NeSmith, who took on the role of interim dean for CON in November, serves as chair of the Department of Nursing Science and is the program director for AU’s Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing program. She has more than 30 years of experience in trauma, emergency and disaster nursing and has held leadership roles at the local, regional and national levels.

“This honor means the world to me. I am a huge proponent of interdisciplinary research and collaboration. To be recognized as a contributor to that effort feels very rewarding,” said NeSmith.

“I was so pleased to be able to see Interim Dean NeSmith be inducted as a Distinguished Fellow of the National Academies of Practice,” said Neil J. MacKinnon, PhD, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost. “Her induction speaks to her many collaborations with other health professionals over her career and her leadership in interprofessional education, research and practice. It was lovely to see her accomplishments being recognized by her peers across the country.”

A three-time graduate of the Medical College of Georgia, NeSmith is an advocate for nursing research and faculty development, including having been awarded a nearly $400,000 grant from the University System of Georgia to launch a research-based, interdisciplinary nursing faculty expansion program. Her research focuses on the effects of inflammaging on outcomes in trauma, and her work has been funded multiple times by the National Institutes of Health. She also has multiple trauma-related publications and nationally-presented abstracts and has co-founded the Trauma Interdisciplinary Group for Research (TIGR).

Her history of service is robust, including being a reviewer for the U.S. Department of Defense Orthopedic Clinical Trial Award, as well as the Italian Ministry of Health. In practice, NeSmith has over 35 years of experience in trauma nursing and nursing leadership roles.

“As a fellow, there are a number of things I hope to accomplish. My goal is to contribute my knowledge and skill set into the expansion of interdisciplinary research,” NeSmith said. “I am excited to connect with brilliant minds and inform evidence-based practice through our collaborations. And, of course, I am looking forward to learning from my esteemed colleagues and expanding my own knowledge of health care.”

The Class of 2024 inductees include representatives from the Nursing Academy, as well as optometry, pharmacy, occupational therapy, dentistry and veterinary medicine.

A Distinguished Fellow is someone who has had an exemplary career of at least 10 years and are judged by peers to have made significant contributions to their professions. Those who are elected as fellows are regarded as one for life and are allowed the use of the credentials FNAP.

The National Academies of Practice aims to transform health and wellbeing through the collaboration of health care professionals. Established in 1981, the non-profit aims to advise governmental bodies on our health care system.

According to its website, “Distinguished practitioners and scholars are elected by their peers from multiple different health professions to join the only interprofessional group of healthcare practitioners and scholars dedicated to supporting affordable, accessible, coordinated quality healthcare for all.”

“My advice to nurses who want to make a difference is simple – education and research,” NeSmith said. “Use your talents and gifts in a way that enhances the profession. Innovation is achieved through continued education and dedication to the science of health care.”