Marlena Smith, DNP, RN-BC, LSSGB, received the 2024 Cindajo Overton Outstanding Nurse Educator Award from the Alabama State Nurses Association (ASNA). Presented at the ASNA annual convention in October, the annual award recognizes excellence in teaching in an academic or service setting.
Smith is the coordinator for the Nurse Residency Evidence-Based Practice Group at UAB Medicine. An educator since 2006, she has worked in a variety of roles during her career, including serving on the faculty at nursing schools and as a hospital educator, helping develop recent graduates and new hires.
The award is named for Cindajo Pearce Overton, who made tremendous contributions to nursing education through 10 years of bedside nursing and 26 years of nursing instruction at Wallace Community College in Dothan, Ala. Among other criteria for nomination, award recipients must:
- Demonstrate excellence in teaching
- Assist student nurses in professional development
- Advance the science of nursing through expanding the knowledge base
- Contribute to the improvement of quality health care through teaching
- Influence scholarly development in nursing education and/or research
Nurse Residency Program Coordinator Rebecca Daugherty, MSN, RN, summarized Smith’s contributions to nursing education.
“I’ve had the opportunity to work with Dr. Smith since 2009 and have served as her supervisor since 2020,” Daugherty said. “By developing rapport, expressing sincere interest, and encouraging students to discuss and ask questions, Dr. Smith has created an environment in which students want to learn. As a leader in nursing education – serving as an example of excellence, integrity, and caring – she is an asset both to our organization and to nursing in general.”