Badeaux Honored as AANA Program Director of the Year

NATCHITOCHES - Dr. Aimee Badeaux, interim dean of Northwestern State University's College of Nursing and School of Allied Health, has been selected by the board of the directors of the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology as the organization's 32^nd annual Program Director of the Year. Badeaux is the first person in Louisiana to receive the award. The award was presented Aug. 3 at the AANA annual congress opening ceremony in San Diego.

The Program Director of the Year Award was established in 1991 to recognize a CRNA who has made a significant contribution as a program director to the educational process of resident nurse anesthesiologists. The award recognizes the individual's commitment to the profession of nurse anesthesia and to the advancement of educational standards that further the art and science of anesthesiology and result in high-quality patient care.

As the inaugural program director of the first nurse anesthesia program in north Louisiana, Badeaux is a champion of the interests of both faculty and students. She was instrumental in the development of NSU's Doctor of Nursing Practice, Nurse Anesthesia (DNP-NA) program. From the initial program development to admission and eventual graduation of the first student cohort, Badeaux is known to exhibit a tireless work ethic and exemplified a spirit of compassion and collegiality that has made her an invaluable resource to the university, her students and the CRNA profession.

Badeaux has consistently demonstrated innovative leadership and a profound passion for educating, leading and serving. She was among faculty to earn an Excellence in Teaching Award from NSU in 2022. Beyond spearheading program development initiatives and acquiring program accreditation, she also obtained grant funding to develop a state-of-the-art simulation lab, off-set student tuition costs, support faculty development and provide housing stipends for SRNAs completing clinical hours in rural settings.

"I am humbled and honored to have been selected as the 2024 recipient of the Program Director of the Year Award," said Badeaux. "My work as a program director is driven by a desire to make a difference, to contribute to our field and to positively impact nurse anesthesia education. I am fortunate to have achieved this through the support of my mentors, colleagues and family. I am eternally grateful to every student nurse anesthetist who has entrusted their education to me and allowed me to be a part of their journey to become a CRNA."

According to her nomination, Badeaux wears many hats but her students always come first. She worked tirelessly to establish 25 nurse anesthesia clinical sites that focus on full-scope of practice opportunities and CRNA-only practice models in rural Louisiana. Her work has given her a reputation of producing the best nurse anesthetists in the region. A business owner who employs over 1,000 CRNAs across several states wrote, "The quality of students and CRNAs that Dr. Badeaux sends into the marketplace is exemplary," and noted that Badeaux's students consistently excel beyond their peers.

As a testimonial to her dedication as a mentor as well as program director, a program graduate wrote, "Without a single doubt, Dr. Badeaux was the reason I succeeded as a DNP-NA student… Dr. Badeaux was my support, the one who motivated me, and the one who refused to let me believe that I would not make it."

Beyond her responsibilities as NSU's nurse anesthesia program director, Badeaux is a practicing CRNA at several Louisiana clinics and medical centers. She also serves on AANA's State Organization Development Committee, acts as the Team Onsite Reviewer for the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA), and is an active member on both the Louisiana Association of Nurse Anesthetists (LANA) and the Louisiana Council of Administrators of Nursing Education (LaCANE).

Badeaux obtained her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Louisiana State University. She also earned a Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia degree from Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University in Baton Rouge and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center.

Information on NSU's College of Nursing and School of Allied Health is available at https://www.nsula.edu/nursing/.

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