Dr. Ronda Hughes joins the College of Nursing as the Director of the Center for Nursing Leadership (CNL) and Director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice Nurse Executive Program.

Dr. Hughes received her PhD in Health Policy and Health Services Research from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health (2001), a Masters in Health Sciences in Health Policy with a minor in biomedical ethics from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health (1993), and her Bachelor’s in Nursing from the Boston University (1988).

She comes to USC from Marquette University College of Nursing as an Associate Professor.  Prior to this appointment, she served as a Senior Health Scientist Administrator at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) where she led initiatives on nursing, end-of-life care, and patient safety.

Dean Jeannette Andrews stated, “We are delighted to welcome Dr. Hughes to the University of South Carolina.  Her experience and expertise will be synergistic with our diversely talented team and nationally recognized programs.”

Dr. Hughes is the editor and major contributor to the book, Patient Safety and Quality: an Evidence-based Handbook for Nurses. She has authored over 100 publications and abstracts in peer-reviewed journals and at international/national conferences. Currently, she is serving on the Health Resources and Services Administration’s National Advisory Committee for Nursing Education and Practice and is a trustee on the Board of Directors for the Institute for Safe Medication Practices. Dr. Hughes is a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing and is a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant working on improving patient safety across the nation.

Dr. Hughes says, “I am excited about working with current and future leaders throughout the state, region and nation as the Center grows and expands in the next few years.”

The Center for Nursing Leadership, established in 2004, is a career-long leadership development resource center. The Center specializes in providing tailored programs to meet the unique needs of leaders and their organizations. The Center’s leadership development programs have received high praise from nursing professionals in practice and academia across the country. The Center is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the South Carolina Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.