Margaret Brackley, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN, was inducted as a fellow into the American Academy of Nursing.
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Two faculty members from the School of Nursing at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio have been inducted as fellows in the prestigious American Academy of Nursing, one of the highest achievements in the nursing profession.

Margaret Brackley, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN, a professor in the Department of Family Nursing Care, is director of the Center for Violence Prevention and coordinator of the School of Nursing’s Nurse Practitioner Programs. She is nationally recognized for her leadership and research regarding the prevention of intimate partner violence.

Carol Reineck, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN, is an associate professor, chair of the Department of Acute Nursing Care and holder of the Amy Shelton & V.H. McNutt Professorship in Nursing. The former Army colonel joined the School of Nursing in 2001 upon retiring as chief nurse executive of the U.S. Army Medical Command worldwide, where she was involved in administration, clinical nursing, research and nursing education.

Carol Reineck, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN, was selected for her contributions to military and civilian nursing.

The academy’s mission is to serve the public and nursing profession by advancing health policy and by generating, synthesizing and disseminating nursing knowledge. The fellowship is made up of 1,500 nursing leaders from education, management, research and practice, and includes such leaders as university professors, research scientists, hospital chief executives, nurse consultants and entrepreneurs.

“Being named a fellow in the American Association of Nurses is an immense honor reserved for those who are true leaders in the nursing profession,” said Eileen Breslin, Ph.D., R.N., dean of the School of Nursing. “It is an elite group of individuals are who are honored based on their professional achievements. We are fortunate to have 13 faculty members in this prestigious group, one of the largest number of fellows among the nursing schools in Texas.”

Dr. Brackley nationally known for her work in intimate partner violence
Dr. Brackley served as the senior author on an innovative, nationally recognized project for improving care to victims of intimate partner violence, published in The Joint Commission Journal on Quality Improvement in October 2001. The model, for use in large hospitals, was cited at national and international domestic violence and health care conferences. “This is a significant achievement because this is the first recognized national model recommended to address intimate partner violence,” Dr. Brackley said.

She followed with several other studies on intimate partner violence, including the Community Readiness Model. This participatory action project was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and was implemented by the San Antonio SAFE Family Coalition. Partners in the project included the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, San Antonio Battered Women’s Shelter, Bexar County District Attorney’s Office and various law enforcement partners. The result was an integrated plan and practical information to help victims of intimate partner violence.

Regarding her election as an AAN fellow, Dr. Brackley said, “This is an incredible recognition. I am not only flattered to be selected, I am in awe of the nursing leaders who not only belong to this fellowship but work hard on programs and projects that are aimed at improving care to those who need it. This is not a group that sits on its laurels of past accomplishments. It is an active, influential body. To sit among the leaders in nursing is very satisfying.” She serves on the AAN’s Psychiatric/Mental Health/ Substance Abuse and Violence expert panels.

Dr. Brackley also serves as chair of the Educational Council of the International Society of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses. In addition, she is chair of the Special Interest Group on Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing of the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties, an organization that promotes quality nurse practitioner education at the national and international levels. She also serves on the content expert panel for family psychiatric mental health nursing at the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

Dr. Reineck inducted for her contributions to military and civilian nursing
During her 31-year military career, Dr. Reineck held numerous clinical and administrative assignments, while becoming involved in nurse education and research. One of her research endeavors was helping to develop the Readiness Estimate and Deployability Index (READI), a clinical skills assessment for military nurses to assess their skills in preparation for deployment. She later developed a civilian version of the assessment to help non-military nurses better understand their skill levels in preparing to respond to stressful situations or disasters.

At the Health Science Center, Dr. Reineck has been involved in preparing nurse leaders, developing a standardized curriculum and evaluation model for the profession, and leading an effort to bring more military students to the School of Nursing.

Earlier this year, Dr. Reineck received two prestigious national advisory appointments involving The Joint Commission, as a result of her being elected treasurer of the American Organization of Nurse Executives. Dr. Reineck serves as the organization’s representative to the commission’s Nursing Advisory Council. She also serves as chair of the AONE Regulatory Committee, which reviews proposed new or revised standards and provides feedback to The Joint Commission and other regulatory agencies.

“Induction into the American Academy of Nursing is indeed an honor,” Dr. Reineck said. “I am humbled by this opportunity to work with top policymakers to shape the nursing profession for the future.”