Rita Pickler, PhD, RN, FAAN, FloAnn Sours Easton Endowed Professor of Child and Adolescent Health, received the 2022 Distinguished Scholar Award. The award was announced to a surprised Pickler by senior leadership with Enterprise for Research, Innovation and Knowledge at a recent College of Nursing faculty meeting.
Pickler is a nurse scientist, pioneering research on the care of the preterm infant thatspans over 35 years. Her research focuses both on the preterm infant’s stay in theneonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and after discharge, especially during the initialtransition to home.
"Rita Pickler is a superb scientist whose research has positively impacted vulnerablepre-term infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit. She is an awesomementor for students and faculty alike. We are very proud of Rita and the work she hasaccomplished to dream, discover and deliver a healthier world for families everywhere,” said Bernadette Melnyk, PhD, APRN-CNP, FAANP, FNAP, FAAN vice president for healthpromotion, university chief wellness officer and dean of the College of Nursing.
Pickler has made significant contributions in nursing science on determining the readiness for oral feeding and ways to progress oral feedings for preterm infants. Herfindings have illuminated the stress and challenges that new parents face intransitioning a preterm infant from hospital to home. Pickler’s interdisciplinary and biobehavioral work has increased the understanding of the effects of maternal well-being on child outcomes.
"I am really honored, amazed, surprised and just thrilled beyond words. Thank you so much for this wonderful honor!” said Rita Pickler 2022 Distinguished Scholar Award
Pickler received a PhD in nursing from University of Virginia and a bachelor’s andmaster’s of nursing science from University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She also serves as director of the PhD and master’s in nursing science programs in the Collegeof Nursing at Ohio State and is the editor-in-chief of Nursing Research.
The Distinguished Scholar Award is among the highest annual honors awarded atOhio State. The university-level award honors six faculty members who demonstrate scholarly activity, conduct research or creative works, that represent exceptional achievements in their fields and garnered distinction for the university. Award recipients are nominated by their departments and chosen by a committee of senior faculty, including past award recipients. Distinguished Scholars receive anhonorarium and a research grant to be used over the next three years.