College of Nursing dean honored with National Leadership in Ethics Award

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Laurie Badzek, dean of the College of Nursing at Penn State, has been selected to receive the American Nurses Association’s (ANA) Leadership in Ethics Award. The award was created to recognize a registered nurse who has authentically demonstrated the highest standards of ethics and leadership in their daily practice, served as an ethical role model and promoted ethical dialogue and scholarship. 

Throughout Badzek’s career she has held many roles, some of which include nurse, attorney, researcher and educator. She has experience in genomics, health care ethics and law, nursing practice, and end-of-life care and decision-making. Her commitment to ethical leadership led her to serve as director of the American Nurses Association Center for Ethics and Human Rights. She was instrumental in revising the American Nurses Associations Code of Ethics for Nurses.

“In 2018, we selected Laurie to be dean of Penn State’s College of Nursing in part because of her exemplary leadership on ethical and human rights issues and advocacy regarding nursing education, practice and policy,” said Nick Jones, executive vice president and provost. “I consider Laurie a role model for ethical leadership at the University, so I’m thrilled that she received this much-deserved award from the ANA. I congratulate and thank Laurie for her commitment to excellence.”

Badzek has been a tireless champion of using genomics in nursing to enhance patient care. Her research in genomics has been funded by the National Council of the State Boards of Nursing, National Institutes of Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Cancer Institute and published in the Journal of Nursing Scholarship, Nursing Outlook, and American Nurse Today.

Badzek assumed her current role as dean of the College of Nursing in July 2018. She oversees the undergraduate and graduate programs at 12 commonwealth campuses and online.

Badzek is a member of the American Nurses Association, American Association of Colleges of Nursing Deans, and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. She is a fellow with the National Academies of Practice, American Association of Colleges of Nursing Wharton Leadership Program, and American Academy of Nursing.

Badzek received a bachelor’s degree in nursing from West Virginia University and master’s degree in nursing from DePaul University. She also earned a juris doctor from West Virginia University and a postgraduate law degree with a focus on health law, policy and ethics from DePaul University.

Founded in 1896, the ANA is a professional organization that advances and protects the profession of nursing. Badzek will be formally recognized at the 2020 ANA Membership Assembly in June.