Nursing Scholar Inducted Into American Academy of Nursing

Amy Vogelsmeier recognized for contributions to patient safety, furthering role of registered nurses

October 15th, 2015

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Amy Vogelsmeier, an associate professor in the University of Missouri Sinclair School of Nursing (SSON), will be inducted as a fellow into the prestigious American Academy of Nursing (AAN) Oct. 17 at the academy’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C. As an AAN fellow, Vogelsmeier joins the nursing profession’s most accomplished leaders, including association executives, university presidents, hospital administrators, nurse consultants, researchers and entrepreneurs.

“Amy joins an elite group of 17 other Sinclair School of Nursing current and emeriti faculty members who also are AAN fellows,” said Judith F. Miller, dean of the nursing school. “We have many hardworking researchers at the SSON who are doing cutting-edge work to advance the nursing profession and to drive reform of America’s health system. I’m proud of Amy and salute her as she reaches this career milestone.” 

Vogelsmeier’s research focuses on patient safety, and she is among the first to explore nurses’ roles in medication reconciliation, which is a safety practice in which health care professionals review patients’ medications when patients transition between settings to reduce the likelihood of preventable adverse drug events. Her current research addresses the differences between registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) in order to recognize the distinct contributions RNs add to patient care in nursing homes. Because of her work, Vogelsmeier is recognized as a patient-safety expert by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing and regularly consults for the Center for Patient Safety. 

In the future, Vogelsmeier said she plans to develop and implement interventions that differentiate the role of RNs from LPNs so that RNs can function within their full scope of practice. Currently, RNs and LPNs serve a parallel function in many nursing homes, she said.

“RNs can make a huge difference in the lives of frail older adults,” Vogelsmeier said. “Nursing home work is hard. The patients are complex. They’re frail. They’re on the edge of illness. The ability to manage their care and keep them stable is a real clinical challenge that requires highly educated, clinically savvy nurses. RNs are trained to provide that care, and I hope to one day see policy that supports RNs coordinating and overseeing care in nursing homes.”  

Vogelsmeier is co-investigator on a study to implement innovative medication administration technology in nursing homes. She also is a co-investigator on a $14.8 million project funded by the Center’s for Medicare/Medicaid to reduce re-hospitalizations for nursing home residents and is a co-investigator on an Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality study to adapt the Re-engineered Discharge (RED) process for residents at short-stay skilled nursing facilities. Vogelsmeier is a John A. Hartford Foundation Claire M. Fagin Fellow and is the coordinator of nursing leadership and healthcare systems areas of study in the nursing school.

The University of Missouri is one of 36 public universities in the Association of American Universities (AAU) and is recognized for its national expertise in many academic fields. MU’s nationally prominent faculty scholars and scientists bring their expertise and discoveries into the classroom while publishing more than 1,600 books and scholarly articles each year and attracting multi-million dollar grants.