Dr. Sylvia A. Flack
Deans, chairs, directors and nursing faculty from 53 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominately Black Institutions (PBIs) came to Winston-Salem State University in June for a three-day Leadership Institute to develop strategies to enhance their nursing programs through developing young professionals for leadership roles.
Held at the Albert H. Anderson Conference Center June 24-27, the Institute convened under the theme, “Legacy of Leadership: Preparing for Tomorrow”, and honored Dr. M. Elizabeth Carnegie a historian, educator, researcher, clinician, and a leader who believed in the African-American registered nurse and the contributions they have made and are continuing to make to health care across the country.
The Center of Excellence’s mission is to improve minority health and eliminate disparities. According to Dr. Sylvia A. Flack, executive director of the Center of Excellence, increasing the number of qualified African-American nurses as providers of health care is significant in eliminating health disparities.
“The African-American registered nurse is an ‘endangered species’,” said Flack. “Extinction of this provider would be detrimental to health care because of the vital contribution they play in eliminating health disparities. Of the 2.9 million registered nurses in the United States and its territories only 106,000 are African-Americans. Registered nurses represent the largest health care profession in the nation.”
Flack claims that HBCUs and PBIs produce more African-American registered nurses than other universities and colleges, so it is incumbent on theses institutions to draw more men and women into the profession and embrace their “legacy of leadership” in producing qualified and highly skilled registered nurses.
