The Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI), is pleased to announce that Kathleen R. Stevens, EdD, MS, RN, ANEF, FAAN, will receive The Baxter International Foundation’s 2011 Episteme Award in recognition of her multi-faceted  approach to evidence-based quality improvement that combines research, education and practice. An early leader in her field, Dr. Stevens moves research into practice through community engagement, academic practice partnership and clinical effectiveness to improve patient care. 

Dr. Stevens will be presented with a $15,000 award on October 30, 2011 during the STTI Biennial Convention in Grapevine, Texas.

Dr. Stevens is a professor of nursing at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA) and is founding director of the Academic Center for Evidence-Based Practice (ACE), a UTHSCSA School of Nursing Center of Excellence.

Through ACE, Dr. Stevens advances interdisciplinary evidence-based quality improvement and patient safety through workforce education and engagement with the goal of turning research into action and improving healthcare and patient outcomes in the community. In her role, Dr. Stevens initiated the Summer Institute on Evidence-Based Practice, a national interdisciplinary conference, the Educators Evidence-Based Practice Workshop and the Improvement Science Summit, a research methods conference.

Additionally, Dr. Stevens developed the Improvement Science Research Network (ISRN), a virtual research network that enables its members to conduct collaborative research, exchange information and network. This online network accelerates the testing and translation of clinical and health services research into practice.

"We are delighted to honor Dr. Stevens with the Episteme Award for her visionary leadership in making evidence-based practice an important part of healthcare improvement. Dr. Stevens’ pioneering work in this field has led to many new standards of care that continue to have a significant impact on improved healthcare delivery, patient safety and clinical outcomes," said STTI President Karen H. Morin, DSN, RN, ANEF.

About the Episteme Award

The Baxter International Foundation's Episteme Award is bestowed to a nurse who has contributed significantly to nursing knowledge development, application or discovery that results in a recognizable and sizable benefit to the public.

The Episteme Award and the other STTI International Awards will be presented during the 41st Biennial Convention October 29 – November 2, 2011 in Grapevine, Texas. Visit www.nursingsociety.org for event information.

About the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International

The Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to support the learning, knowledge and professional development of nurses committed to making a difference in health worldwide. Founded in 1922, STTI has 125,000 members in 90 countries. Members include practicing nurses, instructors, researchers, policymakers, entrepreneurs and others. STTI's 475 chapters are located at 586 institutions of higher education throughout Australia, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Ghana, Hong Kong, Japan, Kenya, Malawi, Mexico, The Netherlands, Pakistan, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Swaziland, Sweden, Republic of China-Taiwan, Tanzania, the United States and Wales. More information about STTI can be found online at www.nursingsociety.org.

About The Baxter International Foundation

The Baxter International Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Baxter International Inc., helps organizations expand access to healthcare in the United States and around the world. The foundation, established in 1981, began to focus exclusively on increasing access to healthcare in 2002 – particularly for the disadvantaged and underserved – in communities where Baxter employees live and work.

Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX), through its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures and markets products that save and sustain the lives of people with hemophilia, immune disorders, infectious diseases, kidney disease, trauma, and other chronic and acute medical conditions. As a global, diversified healthcare company, Baxter applies a unique combination of expertise in medical devices, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology to create products that advance patient care worldwide. For more information, please visit www.baxter.com.

Baxter International Inc.

Baxter International Inc.

At Baxter, sustainability means creating lasting social, environmental and economic value by addressing the needs of the company’s wide-ranging stakeholder base. The company's sustainability efforts support Baxter's mission to apply innovative science in the development of products and therapies that save and sustain patients' lives.

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