OU Professor Selected for Induction as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Fran and Earl Ziegler College of Nursing at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center is pleased to announce that Emily Jones, Ph.D., RNC-OB, FAHA, FPCNA, an associate professor and the Ph.D. program director at the college, has been selected to be a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing. Jones is the only nursing professional to be selected from Oklahoma. 

A significant milestone in a nurse leader’s career, induction into the academy is an honor acknowledged by colleagues within and outside the profession. Fellows are selected based on their contributions and impact to advance the public’s health.

The academy is an honor society that recognizes nursing's most accomplished leaders in policy, research, practice, administration and academia. Academy Fellows, from nearly 40 countries, hold a wide variety of influential roles in health care. Induction into the Fellowship represents more than recognition of one's accomplishments within the nursing profession. Fellows contribute their collective expertise to the academy, engaging with health leaders nationally and globally to improve health and achieve health equity by impacting policy through nursing leadership, innovation and science.  

“The American Academy of Nursing Fellowship is an exclusive honor that recognizes the most accomplished nurse leaders and scholars,” said Julie Hoff, dean of the Fran and Earl Ziegler College of Nursing. “We at the College of Nursing are so honored and pleased with this prestigious recognition of Dr. Jones’ contribution to health and health care in Oklahoma and beyond. Focused scholarship and recognition of this nature propels the college forward in revolutionizing the nursing profession to drive health equity and improve health outcomes.”

Jones’ work as a nurse scientist and tribal-community research partner impacts the evolving U.S. Indigenous maternal health research landscape and advances maternal health equity. Her research was the first to demonstrate the unique type 2 diabetes-related risk perceptions of Indigenous women with gestational diabetes and set the stage for a decade-plus of sustained research collaborations with regionally diverse tribal nations. Her work contributes to redefining perinatal-life course care as she leads interdisciplinary research teams to advance Indigenous postpartum health equity and collaborates nationally to advocate for nursing care that is culturally safe and whole-person oriented.

She currently leads a Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute -funded project focused on building capacity to advance Indigenous maternal health equity in the Southern Plains. Additionally, as a Fellow and Board of Directors member of the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association, she elevates nursing’s role in preventing maternal cardiometabolic disease and addressing cardiovascular-related pregnancy complications. Through leadership in research and national service, her work advances perinatal-life course health equity. 

“For me, the meaningful recognition as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing comes with responsibility to continue to apply a health equity-informed lens and partner with tribal communities to advocate for research, care and policies that will optimize health outcomes for Indigenous mothers and transform maternal health in the United States,”  Jones said. 

Through a competitive, rigorous application process, the academy’s Fellow Selection Committee reviewed a record number of applications, representing a 30% increase from the previous year, to select the 2022 Fellows. Jones was one of 250 individuals selected to be inducted. The 2022 Fellows represent 35 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and 17 countries. 

The 2022 inductees will be recognized for their significant contributions to health and health care at the academy’s annual conference scheduled Oct. 27-29 in Washington, D.C., at the Marriott Marquis. The Induction Ceremony will be held the evening of Oct. 29. Once the newest Fellows are inducted, the academy will be composed of more than 3,000 leaders who are experts in policy, research, administration, practice, and academia who champion health and wellness, locally and globally.

Learn more about the academy and visit the policy conference website for more details. For individuals interested in attending the Induction Ceremony, tickets can be purchased online.

About the Fran and Earl Ziegler College of Nursing
Founded in 1911, the OU College of Nursing is Oklahoma’s largest nursing school and is nationally recognized for offering bachelor's-, master's- and doctoral-level programs to professional nurses. The OU College of Nursing advances health in Oklahoma and beyond by educating future leaders, engaging in scientific discovery, translating evidence into practice and driving innovation. For more information, visit nursing.ouhsc.edu.

About the American Academy of Nursing
The American Academy of Nursing serves the public by advancing health policy and practice through the generation, synthesis and dissemination of nursing knowledge. Academy Fellows are inducted into the organization for their extraordinary contributions to improve health locally and globally. With more than 2,900 Fellows, the academy represents nursing’s most accomplished leaders in policy, research, administration, practice and academia.