Moon Township, Pa. – Valerie Howard, an associate professor of nursing at Robert Morris University (RMU), received a 2008 Cameo of Caring Nurse Educator Award from the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing.

The Cameos of Caring Awards are given each year to honor excellence in nursing care. The Nurse Educator Award recognizes outstanding educators from schools of nursing. Howard received the award during a ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 1, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.

Howard is a pioneer in the use of technology and high fidelity simulation in nursing education. Students consistently praise her simulation training for rigorously preparing them for situations they later face in on the job.

"Dr. Howard is an outstanding role model for RMU nursing students, who describe her as the epitome of professionalism. Her consummate skill as a nursing faculty member is respected and admired by all who work with her,” said Lynda Davidson, dean of the RMU School of Nursing and Health Sciences.

Howard worked for 15 years as a nurse in the critical care unit and emergency department of UPMC Presbyterian. At RMU, she has chaired the academic integrity committee and is on the policy and evaluation committees for the School of Nursing and Health Sciences. She is co-authoring a simulation learning system for academic publisher Elsevier that will be employed by nursing programs nationwide.

 “I love working with students and serving as a role model both in the classroom and clinical setting,” Howard said. “Nursing is a difficult profession, and our new nurses must be prepared to assume this challenging role.”

Howard earned a B.S.N. from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and an M.S.N. in nursing education and an Ed.D. in higher education administration from the University of Pittsburgh. She lives in Peters Township with her husband and four children.