A nurse leader and educator known for her work in community-based health programs has been named chair of Georgia Perimeter College’s Department of Nursing.

Dr. Joann Smith, formerly a nursing professor and nurse educator program coordinator at Howard University, joined the college in January.

A self-described Army “civilian” who traveled with her family across the United States as a child with her father’s job in the military, Smith’s first career was as a school teacher. But when she witnessed the nursing care her ill mother-in-law received when hospitalized, Smith was inspired to become a nurse.

“At the time, no one in my family had ever been hospitalized,” she says. “I saw her nurses holding her hand—and also soothing us in times of need—all the way to the end.”

Smith has a special affinity for GPC’s nontraditional nursing students, having begun her nursing path at a two-year college, Sacramento City College. She went on to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees at California State College in Fresno, followed by a doctorate in nursing research from the University of South Carolina.

She has been a nurse and nurse educator for more than 28 years.

Community-based health care has been a longtime passion for Smith. She was recognized in 2013 by the National Nursing Honor Society, Sigma Theta Tau-Gamma Beta Chapter, for her work as a nurse leader promoting community-based health programs. She has published articles reflecting her work and research on health issues of vulnerable populations; and her doctoral dissertation focused on vulnerability, stress and coping of adolescents during pregnancy. She also has written book chapters on health promotion for school-aged children and stress management in families.

Reflecting her own passion for community health, Smith is interested in helping place Georgia Perimeter nursing students in community-based clinics and community outreach sites for their clinical practice, in addition to hospital sites.

“It is important that a nurse is educated to see the whole spectrum of life outside the hospital and in the community—I want them to see and appreciate both aspects when providing care to all patients,” she says.

Georgia Perimeter College’s Nursing Program leads to an Associate of Science degree in Nursing. The program is approved by the Georgia Board of Nursing and is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission. Graduates of this program are eligible to take the NCLEX examination for registered nurses. The curriculum is designed as a career program. Students who desire to continue their education may transfer credits to a number of institutions of higher learning.