Five Nursing Leaders to be Inducted into UA-Sponsored Alabama Nursing Hall of Fame

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Five influential nursing leaders will be inducted into the sixth Alabama Nursing Hall of Fame Thursday, Oct. 13 at the NorthRiver Yacht Club.

Established in 2001 by the Board of Visitors of the Capstone College of Nursing at The University of Alabama, the Alabama Nursing Hall of Fame was created to pay tribute to nurses and others who, through their work and accomplishments, have brought honor and fame to the profession of nursing and to the state of Alabama.

The 2011 inductees are:

– Elizabeth Cleino
– Gregory Eagerton
– Elizabeth Morris
– Carol Ratcliffe
– Regina Yarbrough

Individually and collectively the inductees have greatly influenced the profession of nursing and health care in the state and nation.

 

2011 Alabama Nursing Hall of Fame

Elizabeth “Bettie Ann” Cleino

Dr. Bettie Ann Cleino has a nursing career spanning more than 65 years. She was executive director of the West Alabama Comprehensive Health Planning Agency, and, in the 1970s, she spearheaded the efforts to develop the West Alabama Emergency Medical Services system, a coordinated system of emergency care. One of the first nurses in Alabama to earn a Ph.D., Cleino has always been considered ahead of her time.

 

 

Gregory Eagerton

Gregory Eagerton has dedicated his nursing career to serving our country’s veterans. He is chief nursing officer for the Birmingham VA Medical Center. Under his leadership, the Birmingham VA Medical Center was one of the first health care organizations in Birmingham to implement the role of clinical nurse leaders in the practice setting. He is also a Fellow in the Veteran’s Affairs Mentor Program.

 

 

Elizabeth “Liz” Morris

Leading the Alabama State Nurses Association for 25 years, Liz Morris was an advocate for nursing in state government. She championed the establishment of a law allowing certified nurse midwives to practice in Alabama, succeeded in expanding practice rights for nurse practitioners and worked with the state legislature to require nurses in public schools.

 

Carol Jefferson Ratcliffe

Dr. Carol Jefferson Ratcliffe has influenced nursing practice, serving as a mentor, teacher, executive and an ambassador for change in the delivery of care for the past 25 years. She has served in various leadership capacities at local, state and national levels. With a career that includes 11 years in the operating room and the last 14 as a chief nurse executive, Ratcliffe currently holds the position of vice president of patient care services and chief nurse executive at St. Vincent’s East.

 

 

Regina Yarbrough

Regina Yarbrough’s nursing career at Princeton Baptist Medical Center spans the past 40 years. During that time she has been a role model and mentor to hundreds of nurses, receiving numerous accolades and recognitions for her accomplishments. Her leadership and implementation of various patient-centered programs allowed Princeton to rank in the top 10 percent of our nation’s hospitals in patient-satisfaction scores.