Patricia McFarland, RN ’84, MS ’85 : 2017 Jane Norbeck Distinguished Service Awardee

She launched a mentoring program in California that is now a national model, and she continues to recruit cohorts of mentors and mentees. In 2014, she received a Mentor Award from the American Organization of Nurse Executives for her exemplary work in furthering the professional development of nurses in leadership roles. 

“It’s important for us all to reach back and mentor the next generation. They are bright, young, and eager to learn,” says McFarland.

McFarland is a strong advocate for the nursing profession, and she supports many organizations who work to position nurse leaders in roles where they can influence the future of health care. Currently, McFarland leads the Association of California Nurse Leaders (ACNL) as chief executive officer (serving in this capacity since 1995) and the California Nursing Students’ Association (CNSA) as administrative manager. Before joining ACNL, McFarland worked in both the clinical and administrative fields for Mercy Healthcare Sacramento, California.

It’s important for us all to reach back and mentor the next generation. They are bright, young, and eager to learn.

Several faculty members from the UCSF School of Nursing have worked with McFarland as partners in the Collaborative Alliance for Nursing Outcomes (CALNOC), whose mission is to advance global patient care safety, outcomes, and performance measurement efforts. McFarland’s clinical nurse specialist and clinical leadership expertise has been integral to the growth and development of CALNOC since its inception in 1996. It now boasts membership of more than 300 hospitals in its Western Region. McFarland continues to support the CALNOC program and serves on its board.

 “We have both been members of the nurse support group that Pat assembled to mentor student leaders, and we continue to be impressed by her passion for bringing the next generation of student into the profession with the right values and set of behaviors,” says UCSF School of Nursing Clinical Professor Mary Foley PhD, RN, FAAN, and San Francisco Health Service System Executive Director Catherine Dodd PhD, RN, FAAN.