College of Nursing Professor Receives Melva Jo Hendrix Lectureship Award from International Society for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses
College of Nursing Associate Professor Evelyn Parrish, PhD, APRN-BC, was recently selected by the International Society for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses (ISPN) for the Melva Jo Hendrix Lectureship Award and will present “Professional Socialization of Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Students in an Online Program: Can this be Achieved?” at the ISPN annual conference March 7-11, 2017 in Baltimore, Md.
The Melva Jo Hendrix Lectureship Award acknowledges psychiatric-mental health nurses whose careers exemplify Dr. Hendrix’s values and principles including her unwavering commitment to improving care for the underserved, stigmatized, or disenfranchised, and her dedication to mentoring others.
“Dr. Parrish epitomizes the essence of Melva Jo Hendrix, who was also her teacher and mentor in her early career years,” says Dr. Parrish’s colleague, Vicki Hines-Martin, PhD, CNS, RN, FAAN, professor and director of the Office of Health Disparities and Community Engagement at the University of Louisville School of Nursing.
Dr. Parrish has been a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner for 19 years, specializing in mood disorders, anxiety and co-morbid psychiatric-medical conditions. She currently serves as the Medical Director of and practices at Access Wellness Group in Lexington. She is a widely respect speaker nationally and internationally in both the care of the mentally ill client as well as developing and delivering online programs.
Dr. Parrish is also past-president of the International Society of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses and continues to serve the organization in a variety of capacities. She is the Editor of Perspectives in Psychiatric Care: The Journal of Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses. Dr. Parrish continues to serve as a site visitor and team leader for the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
“This is a well-deserved honor for Dr. Parrish,” says Janie Heath, PhD, RN, FAAN-BC, dean and Warwick Professor of Nursing. “Every day, she exemplifies the outstanding qualities of a mental health nurse through her determination to work with underserved patients and to mentor others in her field.”
ISPN aims to support advanced-practice psychiatric-mental health nurses in promoting mental health care, literacy and policy worldwide. For more information on the organization, click here.
