Pepper Scholar Dr. Letitia Graves Receives Award

Dr Audrey Nelson is a nationally recognized and highly respected nurse researcher known for her expertise and work in patient safety and nursing injuries research. 

Nelson’s relentless pursuit of a solution to the high rate of nursing injuries led to a $200 million nationwide three-year research program funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that was designed to radically change the way nurses handle patients. The emphasis was on shifting away from manual lifting and pulling to an ergonomics-based approach using mechanical technologies.

Her multi year research played an important role in nurse safety and has been the basis of numerous nationwide nurse safety and training initiatives including the American nurses association Handle with Care campaign and the Nurse and Health Care Worker Protection act. She was a consultant to the United Nations on human rights and bioethics in the development of Life and Health Sciences and was selected to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration national advisory committee on ergonomics.

In 2005, the Joint Commission recognized Nelson's work in "improving the quality of care delivered to people with disabilities," and praised her for "magnifying the scope of practice for patient safety and [being] a tireless advocate for those with disabilities”