Helga Bragadóttir appointed to the American Academy of Nursing

Helga Bragadóttir, nurse, Professor and head of the department of nursing management at the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Iceland and Landspítali, University Hospital, has been appointed to American Academy of Nursing –AAN. She is the fourth Professor of nursing at the University of Iceland appointed to the academy. Members of the academy are granted the title Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN).

The Professors Ásta Steinunn Thoroddsen, Erla Kolbrún Svavarsdóttir and Helga Jónsdóttir have all been appointed to AAN. Helga’s referees were here American colleagues, Beatrice Kalisch, Professor Emeritus at the University of Michigan and Teddie Potter, Professor at the University of Minnesota. 

Helga’s research in the field of nursing management have focused on the quality and security of service, the utilisation of technology in health service, and work and working environment in nursing. Over the last ten years Helga has primarily studied the quality of nursing and team work. Helga has overseen and taught in the fields of nursing administration and leadership at the University of Iceland. She has been a pioneer in innovative teaching methods, for example concerning the utilisation of technology and global approaches. In all her projects Helga emphasises interdisciplinary and international cooperation, and has led and participated in numerous projects in Iceland and internationally that have led to improvements in work and work environment in nursing and health services, and thus led to better patient care. 

Helga graduated with a BS degree in nursing from the University of Iceland in 1986. Over the next few years she served as a paediatric nurse, nursing administrator and teacher. Later she went to the US where she completed and MS degree in paediatric nursing and nursing administration from the University of Iowa. Since she returned from her graduate studies in 2000 Helga has worked in administration, teaching and research at the University of Iceland and Landspítali University Hospital. 

The American Academy of Nursing, founded in 1973, serves the public and the nursing profession and assumes an active role in health care policy. The members of AAN are over 2,700 from all over the world. Those appointed to the AAN have in their work impacted nursing in their home countries and internationally.