Audwin B. Fletcher, PhD, APRN, FNP-BC, FAAN

Audwin B. Fletcher, PhD, APRN, FNP-BC, FAAN

Assistant Dean for Graduate and Post-Graduate Prog

Department:
SON-Instruction School Nursing

Email:
afletcher@umc.edu

Work Phone:
(601) 984-6210

Education

University of Mississippi Medical Center, PhD, Doctor of Philosophy2003
University of Mississippi Medical Center, MSN, Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner1998
University of Mississippi Medical Center, BS, Nursing1992
Mississippi State University, BS, Psychology/Biology1990

Specialty Certification Licensure

Licensure, Certified Family Nurse Practitioner08/1998 - 11/2028

Current Positions

Assistant Dean, School of Nursing, Office Of The Dean Nursing School07/2021 - Present
Professor, School of Nursing07/2008 - Present
The University of Mississippi Medical Center
Jackson, Mississippi 39216

Academic Appointments or Other Previous Appointments

Director, University of Mississippi Medical Center, School of Nursing05/2014 - 04/2021
Director, University of Mississippi Medical Center, School of Nursing07/2010 - 05/2014
Coordinator of Graduate Clinical Practice, University of Mississippi Medical Center, School of Nursing07/2010 - 06/2019
School of Nursing, Department of Instruction School Of Nursing
School of Nursing

Publications

Journal Article

Fletcher, A. B., Dickinson, S., Harrington, M., Holt, D., Lowrie, J., & Miller, J. (2025). The shifting gender landscape in nursing: Trends, challenges, and implications for healthcare. [submitted]
Fletcher, A. B. (2003, Summer). “For Brothers [and those who love Brothers], only”. National Black Nurses Association Newsletter, 35-37.
Fletcher, A.B. (1999). A concept analysis of motivation. Journal of Cultural Diversity, 6(4), 130-134.
Fletcher, A.B. (1999, Spring). Thoughts for Nurse Practitioners 99. Nurse Talk, 1(2), 6.
Fletcher, A.B. (2000). “African American Folk Medicine: A Form of Alternative Therapy. The Association of Black Nursing Faculty, 11(1), 18-20.
Boss, B.J. & Fletcher, A.B. (2001). Severe Brain Injury Rehabilitation: What will happen after critical care? Critical Care Nursing Clinics of North America, 13(3), 421-431.
Fletcher, A. B., Williams, R., Beachum, T., Elliott, R., Northington, L., Calvin, R., Hill, M., Haynes, A., Winters, K., & Davis, S. (2002). Recruitment, retention, and matriculation of ethnic minority nursing students: A University of Mississippi school of nursing approach. Journal of Cultural Diversity, 10(4), 128-133.
Fletcher, A. B., Benghuzzi, H., & Tucci, M. (2003). Cytopathological changes associated with continuous and intermittent glucocorticoid exposure using RAW cells as a model. Biomedical Sciences Instrumentation, 437(39), 477-486.
Menifield, C. & Fletcher, A. B. 2004). The State Children’s Health Insurance Program:
Has it reduced the percentage of uninsured children?
Journal of Health & Administration Services Administration, 27(1), 194-209.
Wyatt, S. B. & Fletcher, A. B. (2004). A 30-year-old African-American man with untreated high blood pressure. In Jones, D. W., King, D. S., & Wofford, M. R. (Eds.), Hypertension Pearls. (pp. 163-65.) Hanley & Belfus, Inc.
Plowden, K. O., Fletcher, A. B., & Miller, J. L. (2005). Factors influencing HIV-risk behaviors among HIV-positive urban African-Americans. Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, 16(1).
Byrd, L. & Fletcher, A. B. (2007). Disparities in healthcare: Minority elders at risk. Association of Black Nursing Faculty Journal, 18, 51-55.
Fletcher, A.B. (2007). Facing health care disparities head on: Is health care a right or a privilege? National Black Nurses Association Journal, 18(1), 22-26.
Menifield, C., Doty, N., & Fletcher, A.B. 2008). Obesity in America. Association of Black Nursing Faculty Journal, 19(3).
Fletcher, A.B., Cooper, J., Helms, P., Northington, L., and Winters, K. (2009). Stemming the tide of childhood obesity in an underserved urban African American population: A pilot study. Association of Black Nursing Faculty Journal, 20(2).
Winters, K., Wyatt, S., Nick, T., Hewlett, P., Hyde, J., Johnson, W., & Fletcher, A.B. (2009). Race, stability of health insurance coverage, and prescription medication use. Association of Black Nursing Faculty Journal, 21(1).
Northington, L. D., Graham, J., Winters, K., & Fletcher, A. B. (2011). Evaluating use of community health workers in two Mississippi pilot communities. Journal of Cultural Diversity, 18(3)
Ross, L. E., Fletcher, A. B., Anderson, M. C., Meade, S. M., Powe, B. D., & Howard, D. L. (2012). Complementary and alternative medicine use among men with a history of prostate cancer. Journal of Cultural Diversity, 19(4)
Harris, M. S. & Fletcher, A. B. (2012). Moving toward cultural competency: Dreamwork online summer program. Association of Black Nursing Faculty Journal, 21(2)
Fletcher, A. B. (2013, Fall). Pilot results: National Black Nurses Association national obesity initiative. National Black Nurses Association Newsletter, 51-54.
Fletcher, A. B. (2014, Summer). Where are we in our fight against obesity? National Black Nurses Association Newsletter, 60-62.
Long, M., Menifield, C.E., & Fletcher, A.B. (2015). Assessing health issues in states with large minority populations. Nursing Clinics of North America, 50(3).
Menifield, C.E., Bian, M., & Fletcher, A.B. (2021). Reducing the number of uninsured
children: An examination of the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
Journal of Cultural Diversity, 28(3).
Harrington, M., Holt, D.L., & Fletcher, A.B. 2022). Creating a diversity, equity and
inclusion program: Using the nursing process to develop your school’s diversity plan.
Association of Black Nursing Faculty Foundation Journal, 1(1).
Harrington, M., Holt, D.L., & Fletcher, A.B. (2022). Mentoring: Planning and
implementing a program in nursing education.
Association of Black Nursing Faculty
Foundation Journal, 1(1).
Fletcher, A.B. (2022). Tribute to Alcorn State University [Editorial]. Association of Black Nursing Faculty Foundation Journal, 1(2).
Fletcher, A.B. (2022). Americans will experience increased exposure to illnesses this holiday season [Editorial]. Association of Black Nursing Faculty Foundation Journal, 1(3).
Holt, D.L., Harrington, M., & Fletcher, A.B. (2022). Recruitment, retention, and matriculation of underrepresented nursing students: Update. Association of Black Nursing Faculty Foundation Journal, 1(3).
Tacy, J., McElwain, S., & Fletcher, A.B. (2023). Strategies for success that led to 99.98% school of nursing retention. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 13(5).
Johnson, V., Ramdin, V., Webb-Richey, K., Iheduru-Anderson, K., Ford, C., Alexander, K., White-Evans, S., Okoro, F., Whitaker-Brown, C., Broome, B., & Fletcher, A.B. (2023).
Mentoring black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) nursing faculty toward leadership excellence: A concept analysis with historical research.
Association of Black Nursing Faculty Foundation Journal, 2(1).
Ursin, R., & Fletcher, A.B. (2023). Credentialing Standards. Association of Black Nursing Faculty Foundation Journal, 2(2).
Holt, D., Harrington, M., Laub, J., Evans, F., Griffin, T., Lee, K., Fletcher, A.B., & Blake, A. (2023). Diversity, equity, and inclusion: A team approach. Association of Black Nursing Faculty Foundation Journal, 2(2).
Tacy, J. W., Harrington, M., McElwain, S., & Fletcher, A.B. (2023). Diversifying a school of nursing in Mississippi to represent the communities served. Association of Black Nursing Faculty Foundation Journal, 2(2).
Fletcher, A.B. (2023). The time is now [Editorial]. Association of Black Nursing Faculty Foundation Journal, 2(3).
Fletcher, A.B. (2024). You must know your past and understand the history to build the future [Editorial]. Association of Black Nursing Faculty Foundation Journal, 1(1).
White, M., Duck, A., & Fletcher, A.B. (2025). The relationship between health care access, health care utilization, and type 2 diabetes control in African Americans in the Jackson Heart Study. Association of Black Nursing Faculty Foundation Journal, 1(2).

Presentations

National and International Invited Seminars/Lectures, AACN Transform 2023, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, Diversifying a School of Nursing in MS to Represent the Communities Served. November 2023 [Poster]
State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Kids for Healthy Eating and Exercise Club, Southern Nursing Research Society, February 2008, [Poster]
State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Kids for healthy eating and exercise club: A pilot study. 9th Annual Conference on Eliminating Health Disparities in Mississippi Obesity, Hilton Jackson Convention Center, Jackson, MS, October 2009, [Poster]
State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Kids for healthy eating and exercise club: A pilot study. Nursing Alumni Chapter Oglevee papers day and Sigma Theta Tau Research Symposium, Jackson, Mississippi, April 2010, [Podium]
State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Kids for healthy eating and exercise club: A pilot study. 25th Annual Eliza Pillars Registered Nurses of Mississippi conference, Natchez, Mississippi, May 2010, [Podium]
State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Obesity – Can we help our children? 4th Annual Church conference, True Light Missionary Baptist Church, Jackson, Mississippi, August 2010, [Podium, Keynote speaker]
State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Kids for healthy eating and exercise club: A pilot study. Global Obesity Summit, Jackson, Mississippi, November 2010, [Poster]
State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Tougaloo College Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Men’s Awareness Symposium, November 2012, [Podium]
State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Are you man enough to discuss your health? Eliza Pillars Registered Nurses of Mississippi City-Wide Health Symposium, Jackson, Mississippi, March 2018, [Podium]
State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Why it’s important to give blood. 100 Black Men of Jackson City-Wide Health Symposium, Jackson, Mississippi, March 2018, [Podium]
State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, What does it mean to be a nurse? Blackburn Middle School, Jackson, Mississippi, April 2018, [Podium]
State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Are you man enough to discuss your health? Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity District Conference, Vicksburg, Mississippi, March 2019, [Podium]
State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, What does it mean to be a nurse? Blackburn Middle School, Jackson, Mississippi, April 2019, [Podium]
State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Connect, Collaborate & Catalyze. University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau, Theta Beta Chapter Keynote Speaker. Jackson, Mississippi, April 2019, [Podium]
State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Treating, Managing and Living with Diabetes: The Lived Experience, Eliza Pillars Registered Nurses of Mississippi 34th Annual Conference, Biloxi, Mississippi, May 2019, [Podium]
National and International Invited Seminars/Lectures, Kids for healthy eating and exercise club: A pilot study. 18th Annual International Society for
Anthrozoology and Human-Animal Interaction: Impacting Multiple Species Conference, Kansas City, Missouri, October 2009, [Podium]
National and International Invited Seminars/Lectures, Kids for healthy eating and exercise club: A pilot study. Faces for a Healthy Future National Conference to End Health Disparities II, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, November 2009, [Poster]
National and International Invited Seminars/Lectures, Kids for healthy eating and exercise club: A pilot study. National Association of African American Studies Conference, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, February 2010, [Poster]
National and International Invited Seminars/Lectures, Kids for healthy eating and exercise club: A pilot study. 11th Annual Evidence-Based Practice Conference, Phoenix, Arizona, June 2010, [Poster]
National and International Invited Seminars/Lectures, Kids for healthy eating and exercise club: A pilot study. 38th National Black Nurses Association Annual Institute and Conference, San Diego, California, August 2010, [Podium]
National and International Invited Seminars/Lectures, National Black Nurses Association National Obesity Initiative. National Black Nurses Association 39th Institute and Annual Conference, Indianapolis, Indiana, July 2011, [Podium]
National and International Invited Seminars/Lectures, National Black Nurses Association National Obesity Initiative. National Black Nurses Association 40th Institute and Annual Conference, Orlando, Florida, July 2012, [Podium]
National and International Invited Seminars/Lectures, National Black Nurses Association Youth Leadership Institute Keynote Speaker – Healthy Eating Lifestyles. National Black Nurses Association 40th Institute and Annual Conference, Orlando, Florida, July 2012, [Podium]
National and International Invited Seminars/Lectures, Florida Atlantic University Professional Bachelor of Science in Nursing White Coat Ceremony Induction Keynote Speaker, Virtual via Zoom, March 2021, [Podium]
National and International Invited Seminars/Lectures, National Black Nurses Association National Obesity Initiative. National Black Nurses Association 40th Institute and Annual Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 2013, [Podium]
State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Men in Nursing: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities. Mississippi Nurses Association Annual Conference. Biloxi, Mississippi. October 2025, [Podium]
State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Combating Respiratory Illnesses. 100 Black Men of Jackson Annual Health Fair. Jackson, Mississippi, January 2025, [Podium]
State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Are you man enough to talk about your health? Wings of Hope Outreach's 2nd Annual Conference, 2024. Jackson, Mississippi, January 2024, [Podium]
State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, What is it like to receive a lifesaving organ donation with so much more to achieve in life? The 10th Annual SPERO Awards Luncheon, Jackson, Mississippi, July 2023, [Podium]
State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, What you need to know about your sexual health, Alcorn State University Sexually Transmitted Disease Week Symposium. Lorman, Mississippi, April 2023, [Podium]
State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Men’s Health Assessment Across the Lifespan, Mississippi Nurses Association 2022 Annual Convention, Biloxi, Mississippi, October 2022, [Podium]
State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, COVID-19 Issues Webinar Series: Mental Agility for Extreme Times, Wellness in the Era of COVID-19, Jackson, Mississippi, June 2020, [Moderator]

Honors, Awards, and Recognition

Living Legend Award, June 2025, Association of Black Nursing Faculty
Presidential Trailblazer Award, May 2025, Eliza Pillars Registered Nurses of Mississippi
Community Service Award in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, February 2024, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity
Presidential Award for Service, October 2023, 100 Black Men of Jackson, Inc.
Sallie Tucker Allen Outstanding Member of the Year Award, June 2022, Association of Black Nursing Faculty
Order Excellence in Teaching, April 2022, Regions Bank TEACH Prize Finalist
Order of Excellence in Teaching award, February 2022
Margaret R Johnson Presidential Award, May 2022, Eliza Pillars Registered Nurses of Mississippi 37th Annual Conference, Biloxi, Mississippi
Outstanding Member Award, May 2021, Eliza Pillars Registered Nurses of Mississippi
Presidential Award for Healthcare, September 2020, 100 Black Men of Jackson, Inc.
Lifetime Achievement Award, June 2019, Association of Black Nursing Faculty, 33rd Annual Institute & Conference, Chicago, Illinois
Presidential Pearl of the Year, May 2019, Eliza Pillars Registered Nurses of Mississippi, 34th Annual Conference, Biloxi, Mississippi
Presidential Award for Mentoring, October 2017, 100 Black Men of Jackson, Inc.
We Are Mad About You Award, May 2017, The Making a Difference: Doing Respectable and Meaningful Art Performance Troupe
Alumnus of the Year, May 2015, University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Nursing
Trailblazer Award, August 2014, National Black Nurses Association
Advanced Practice Nurse of the Year Nominee, February 2012, Mississippi Nursing Association Nightingale
MR. RN - December 2011, 2009, 2003, 2002, 2000, Eliza Pillars Registered Nurse of Mississippi
Fellow, October 2011, American Academy of Nursing
Johnella Banks Member Achievement Award, June 2011, Association of Black Nursing Faculty
Outstanding and Dedicated Service Award, February 2011, Eliza Pillars Registered Nurses of Mississippi
Young Researcher Award, May 2008, Association of Black Nursing Faculty
Nurse Educator of the Year Nominee, October 2005, Mississippi Nightingale
Presidential Service Award, October 2005, 100 Black Men of Jackson
Order of Excellence in Teaching Award, 2005
1st and only African American student to receive “Student of the Year” for undergraduate [BSN, 1992] and graduate [MSN, 1998] degrees at the UMMC SON
1st African-American Male to receive a Master’s of Science in Nursing from UMMC School of Nursing, 1998
1st African-American Male to be hired in a “full-time” faculty position by the UMMC School of Nursing, 1998
1st African-American to receive a PhD from UMMC School of Health-Related Professions, 2003
1st African-American Male Faculty Tenured at his rank in the UMMC School of Nursing, 2004
Youngest President of the Alpha Epsilon Lambda chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., 2005 – 2007
1st African-American Male President of UMMC Nursing Alumni Association, 2005 – 2007
1st Male President, Eliza Pillars Registered Nurses of Mississippi, 2005 – 2007
1st African-American Male and the 3rd African-American from Mississippi to be inducted into the American Academy of Nursing, 2011
1st African-American to be appointed Graduate Clinical Coordinator at UMC School of Nursing, 2012
1st African-American to be appointed Director of FNP/AGACNP at UMC School of Nursing, 2014
1st Male President of the Association of Black Nursing Faculty, Inc., 2018 – 2020
1st African-American to be appointed Director [Interim] AGPCNP at UMC School of Nursing, 2021
1st African-American to be appointed Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs at UMC School of Nursing, 2021

Professional Membership and Service

American Association of Nurse Practitioners2019 - Present
National League for Nurses2007 - Present
The American Assembly for Men in Nursing2001 - Present
Association of Black Nursing Faculty1998 - Present
National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties1998 - Present
National Black Nurses Association1998 - Present
American Nurses Association1996 - Present
Eliza Pillars Registered Nurses Association1996 - Present
Mississippi Nurses Association1996 - Present

Community Service

NONPF Inclusive Excellence Committee02/2025 - 02/2027
Advanced Practice Provider Conference, Mississippi, Chair2022 - Present
National Advisory Council for Nursing Research, National Institute of Health2017 - 12/2021
American Academy of Nurses Selection Committee2017 - 12/2019
International, Interdisciplinary Medical Mission Trip, Quit, Ecuador, August 2023
International, Interdisciplinary Medical Mission Trip, Quit, Ecuador, August 2024
International, Interdisciplinary Medical Mission Trip, Quito, Ecuador, August 2025

Other Service

Association of Black Nursing Faculty Journal, Editor Emeritus
Association of Black Nursing Faculty Newsletter, Editor Emeritus
Association of Black Nursing Faculty Foundation Journal