UA Nursing Professor Selected to International Leadership Academy

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Dr. Sara Kaylor, an assistant professor in The University of Alabama’s Capstone College of Nursing, was selected to participate in the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau 2016-17 Nurse Faculty Leadership Academy.

Administered by STTI and The Elsevier Foundation, the 20-month highly selective mentored leadership academy is designed to further academic career development and success; promote nurse faculty retention and satisfaction; encourage personal leadership development; and cultivate high-performing, supportive work environments in academe.

“It is an honor and a dream of mine to be selected into the Cohort 3 of the Nurse Faculty Leadership Academy,” Kaylor said. “Being a Scholar in this Academy means that I have the support and professional investment from an entire international network of nursing’s top leaders.

“Unique to this Academy experiences are the dyad and triad relationships that develop between the Scholar, the Leadership Mentor and the NFLA Faculty Advisor. Both my leadership mentor and faculty advisor have already been instrumental in framing my hopes and goals for this Academy experience.”

The Nurse Faculty Leadership Academy pairs aspiring full-time, nontenured faculty leaders, called scholars, with experienced leadership mentors, who are then supported by academy faculty members. The academy curriculum includes a variety of educational strategies for developing leadership knowledge, competence and outcomes.

“On this journey, I seek to provide leadership of a team project that will advance and impact nursing education. My project interests actually center on the leadership development of our very own baccalaureate nursing students, as it is my goal for every nursing student to graduate a leader,” Kaylor said.

“This doesn’t mean that I want our new graduates to land entry-level charge nurse or administrative roles, but rather that I desire for our graduates to be best equipped with the knowledge and experience of critical leadership behaviors such as high-stakes communications, self- and social awareness and sharing visions of change.

“The development of such leadership behaviors during academic career preparation positions our new graduate nurses to best assert themselves in roles of patient advocacy.”

Kaylor received her Bachelor of Science in nursing from The Capstone College of Nursing in 2005. She received her Master of Science in Nursing with a rural case management focus from UA in 2011 and completed her doctoral degree in Instructional Leadership for Nurse Educators, also at UA, in 2012.

Kaylor has six years of experience as a trauma/surgical critical care nurse. She joined the faculty of the Capstone College of Nursing in 2009 as a part-time clinical instructor for Fundamentals, and in 2012 she joined the faculty full-time.

Kaylor teaches in Semester II in both Fundamentals of Professional Nursing Practice and Pharmacology for Nursing Practice. Her areas of research interests include qualitative phenomenology, critical and feminist theoretical approaches and research on learning needs/styles and innovative teaching strategies for Millennial generation nursing students.

“We are excited that Dr. Kaylor has been selected to represent us at this prestigious national leadership academy,” said Dr. Suzanne Prevost, dean of UA’s Capstone College of Nursing. “She will expand her professional network to engage with nationally acclaimed nursing leaders, as well as emerging leaders like herself.

“Through these interactions she will learn the latest trends and innovations in nursing education across the U.S. and around the world. She will also develop leadership strategies for implementing and sustaining change.”

The Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International is a nonprofit organization whose mission is advancing world health and celebrating nursing excellence in scholarship, leadership and service. Founded in 1922, STTI has more than 135,000 active members in more than 85 countries. Members include practicing nurses, instructors, researchers, policymakers, entrepreneurs and others.