Southern Miss - College of Health

College of Health Associate Dean

Dr. Katherine E. Nugent
Associate Dean

Degrees
Ph.D., Texas A & M University
M.S., B. S., Texas Woman's University

Dr. Katherine E. Nugent is an Associate Dean in the College of Health, Director of the School of Nursing, and a professor of Nursing.

Prior to arriving at The University of Southern Mississippi, Dr. Nugent was at the School of Nursing in the Medical College of Georgia (MCG). During her tenure at MCG, Dr. Nugent held the positions of Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Vice Dean and Interim Dean. Prior to her tenure at MCG, Dr. Nugent was the Assistant Department Head at Clemson University School of Nursing. She also served as faculty in the University of Texas at Galveston and College of Mainland, School of Nursing.

Dr. Nugent has been honored by receiving recognition as outstanding faculty at the Medical College of Georgia, University of Texas at Galveston, and College of the Mainland. Dr. Nugent was awarded the Katherine E. Nugent Award for faculty scholarship at Clemson University and the Katherine E. Nugent Award for leadership at the Medical College of Georgia. Dr. Nugent was also awarded the Excellence in Published Writing Award from the Beta Omicron Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau and the Spirit of Nursing Award from the Georgia Nurses' Association, District IX. Currently, Dr. Nugent is a Fellow of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Academic Leadership Program (2004).

Dr. Nugent's research interest includes educational research, self-efficacy of nurse educators, faculty practice and patient/caregiver decision-making in health care. She was the qualitative researcher on a study funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research on Choice of Vascular Access Device, patient/caregiver decision making. Dr. Nugent was the primary investigator of a Health Resources and Services Administration grant for increasing diversity in a BSN nursing program ($514,826). She has also been the primary investigator of several Advanced Education Nursing Traineeship Grants, funded by the Division of Nursing.

Dr. Nugent has published extensively in professional journals and written chapters in several books. She is a reviewer for four professional nursing journals. She has presented extensively at local, regional and national profession conferences. She is recognized nationally as an expert in nursing education. Dr. Nugent is the member of the American Nurses' Association, the Mississippi Nurses Association and Sigma Theta Tau. She has been a consultant to several nursing programs and health care agencies.