News Item
Patch featured College of Health Professions graduate nursing professor Joanne Singleton in "Pace Professor Named American Academy of Nursing Fellow"
Pace University College of Health Professions graduate nursing professor Joanne Singleton, PhD, RN, has been named a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing for her significant contributions to health and health equity. Singleton will be recognized this fall at the academy's annual Transforming Health, Driving Policy Conference induction ceremony, which will take place virtually Oct. 29-31.
Singleton joins 230 new fellows representing 39 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. territory of Guam and 13 countries. She is one of just 15 fellows chosen from New York State. The Academy currently comprises more than 2,700 nursing leaders who are experts in policy, research, administration, practice and academia that champion health and wellness, locally and globally.
An accomplished clinician, educator, researcher, author, editor, documentary and simulation filmmaker, Singleton is deeply engaged in studying the human-animal connection. Since 2016, her work has focused on assistance dogs and stress reduction as non-pharmacologic approaches to care, for patients and caregivers. She created and leads Canines Assisting in Health (CAsH), the only program of this nature in the United States. CAsH supports individuals with disabilities teamed with a service dog by educating interprofessional healthcare students and providers to be knowledgeable about and culturally competent in providing care to this cultural community, as well as educating students and providers on the role of assistance animals in supporting human health.
Singleton has a special partner in Professor Spirit, a service dog she is teamed with, who is her teaching, practice, and research partner. Spirit is the first canine faculty at Pace University, with his own position description and faculty ID. Singleton and Professor Spirit have educated thousands of healthcare professionals on how to work with a service dog. They have helped hundreds of students, faculty, individuals with disabilities teamed with a service dog, and community members to reduce stress through their evidence-based stress reduction practice, Paws & Breathe®. CAsH's range of dissemination, peer reviewed and invited, includes national workshops, classes, presentations, publications, internet and television coverage, and public service announcements.
"I look forward to the opportunitiesthe Academy offers and engaging with health leaders in transforming America's healthcare system," said Singleton. "Nurses have tremendous influence in interprofessional education and practice within the Academy, and this is an enormous opportunity to advance this work in assisting those with disabilities and healthcare providers."
