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Lydia H. Albuquerque, associate professor in the School of Nursing at William Paterson University, has been named a recipient of the inaugural Health Equity Awards presented by the American Nurses Foundation (ANF).
The awards were announced at the Opportunity & Impact in Nursing Summit in Washington, D.C., where five nurses from across the nation were recognized for driving meaningful change in advancing health equity, reducing disparities, and championing diversity within the nursing profession.
Albuquerque received the ANF Health Equity Practice Award, which honors a nurse whose work with patients, families, and communities exemplifies efforts to reduce health disparities and advance health equity, demonstrating best practices with potential for lasting impact.
“I am extremely delighted and humbled to be recognized by the American Nurses Association, representing 5.87 million licensed nurses in the United States,” says Albuquerque, who received her doctor of nursing practice degree from William Paterson in 2018. “Advocating for equitable care improves patient outcomes and providing equitable education opportunities for prospective nurses builds the next generation of the nursing workforce.”
Advancing Health Equity in Practice and Education
A national leader in advancing equity in nursing, she served as president of the National Association of Indian Nurses of America (2021-2022) and was a commissioner on the inaugural project of the American Nurses Association National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing.
Albuquerque’s research and community-engaged scholarship focus on improving health outcomes for vulnerable and underserved populations. She has secured more than $300,000 in grant funding, including support from the New Jersey Department of Health and Human Services, for a Fitbit-based intervention program in the City of Newark, aimed at improving exercise, diet, and medication adherence among Black and Hispanic women at high risk for hypertension and stroke.
She is also a collaborator on a five-year, U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration-funded grant providing $650,000 annually in scholarships to economically and educationally underserved students in William Paterson’s School of Nursing –totaling more than $3.25 million over the life of the grant.
“Expanding and strengthening New Jersey’s nursing workforce is a key strategic priority at William Paterson University,” says Venkat Sharma, dean of the University’s College of Science and Health, which houses the School of Nursing. “We are proud to have the largest nursing student enrollment on any single college campus in New Jersey.
“We are committed to preparing practice-ready, equity-minded nurses who serve diverse communities across the state and beyond,” Sharma adds. “Dr. Albuquerque’s national recognition reflects the excellence of our faculty and the leadership role William Paterson plays in advancing health equity.”
Professor Albuquerque brings more than two decades of experience in higher education and clinical practice to her work. A nurse practitioner specializing in acute care and cardiology, she coordinates William Paterson’s WP Online Graduate Nursing Program, which includes 22 courses taught by more than 80 faculty members.
Her honors include designation as an inaugural Fellow of the Academy of Diversity Leaders in Nursing (FADLN), Fellow of the National Academies of Practice (FNAP), and Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN).
