Three UR Nursing Faculty Members Named Distinguished Fellows of National Academies of Practice

Three University of Rochester School of Nursing faculty members have been recognized as distinguished fellows of the National Academies of Practice (NAP).

The following three associate professors will be inducted into the NAP at its annual awards and induction ceremony in March: Erin S. Baylor, DNP, RN, PNP-BC, ONP, CHSE; Luis A. Rosario-McCabe, DNP, RN, CNE, CNL, WHNP-BC; and Tara M. Serwetnyk, EdD, RN, NPD-BC.

The NAP’s distinguished fellowship honors individuals who have made significant, enduring contributions to health care practice, research, education, and public policy. The NAP is a non-profit organization founded in 1981 to advise governmental bodies on health care, foster collaboration, and advance patient-centered care. Distinguished practitioners and scholars are elected by their peers from multiple different health professions to join the interprofessional group.

Baylor serves as director of simulation and leads the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner master’s program. Through her leadership roles at the School, she has incorporated best practices in interprofessional education through several innovative experiential learning opportunities. Among her proudest recent accomplishments is the implementation of the Community Action Poverty Simulation as part of the curriculum for bachelor’s and NP students, as well as simulations focused on telehealth, pediatric trauma, delivering difficult news, and Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs).

In recent years, Baylor also helped the School launch New York’s first advanced certificate program in Pediatric Acute Care Nursing. She continues to serve vulnerable populations in the region as a primary care provider.

“This is a humbling and exciting way to be recognized, and it blends all of the areas of my work that I take pride in and feel passionate about,” Baylor said. “I have been working as a pediatric nurse practitioner for almost 30 years and teaching at the School of Nursing for 20 years now, and it is incredibly meaningful to see my passions for patient care and education recognized by my peers.”

Rosario-McCabe has provided obstetric and gynecological care to women of all ages for more than 30 years, and has worked alongside community and state leaders and in interprofessional teams to address health care disparities.

A focus on marginalized communities is at the heart of Rosario-McCabe’s work. He led the establishment of a dedicated transgender clinic within Strong Memorial Hospital’s Obstetrics & Gynecology Department, and continues to serve as a leader in gender-affirming care, regularly leading workshops and presentations on interprofessional LGBTQ+ health care. Rosario-McCabe is also co-director of the Accelerated Bachelor’s Program for Non-Nurses.

“Reflecting on my 30-plus-year career in nursing, I am reminded of the butterfly effect in chaos theory, where a small change in one area can cause a more significant impact on another,” Rosario-McCabe said. “I've witnessed the power of interprofessional collaboration in providing quality, person-centered care, reinforcing the belief that we are stronger together. Recognition by my peers as a Distinguished Fellow is an honor and strengthens the impact of my work. I look forward to my involvement with the NAP in shaping health care practice, policy, and education at a national level."

Serwetnyk, director of academic innovation, leads the Redefining Our Classroom Initiative (iROC), which has leveraged technology to shift the traditional classroom into a dynamic learning environment. Her leadership has helped the School of Nursing achieve designation as an Apple Distinguished School — an honor that recognizes centers for innovation, leadership, and educational excellence — and recognition as the American Associate of Colleges of Nursing’s 2023 Innovations in Professional Nursing Education Award winner. Serwetnyk has focused her research on innovative teaching strategies to improve outcomes, and has presented nationally on education technology, instructional design, student engagement, and active learning strategies. 

In addition to her work at the School, she led research at the University of Rochester Medical Center to evaluate training outcomes for online and hybrid American Heart Association courses, leading to the implementation of URMC’s Resuscitation Quality Improvement program. Serwetnyk started her career at Golisano Children’s Hospital, where she started as a staff nurse and also served as pediatric burn coordinator and a nurse leader.

"I am honored to join this distinguished group of leaders who are working collaboratively to impact the health care system and positively influence health outcomes," Serwetnyk said. "I truly value the interprofessional relationships I have made throughout my career as a nurse and recognize the importance of interprofessional education as we prepare future nurses for today’s complex health care environment. I look forward to establishing new relationships with other health professionals who share my passion for innovation, interprofessional collaboration, and scholarship."