Published on April 13, 2021 by Daniel Dodson  
Carol Ratcliffe

Carol J. Ratcliffe, professor, and chair of the Department of Healthcare Administration in Samford University’s School of Public Health, was selected as one of University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Nursing’s 70 Visionary Leaders.

The Visionary Leader award recognizes alumni of the UAB School of Nursing “for exemplary service in education and research, exemplary leadership, innovation and far-reaching impact on nursing and healthcare on state, national and international levels.”

Prior to her appointment as chair of the school’s Department of Healthcare Administration and Informatics, Ratcliffe served as the director of Moffett and Sanders School of Nursing’s Health Systems Management, Leadership and Administration program for five years. In her career, she has worked in various nursing leadership roles, including vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer for 16 years with CHRISTUS Health and Ascension Health.

She has been board certified in healthcare management for 24 years and held the distinction of Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) for 18 years. Ratcliffe is also a certified online instructor. In 2019, she was appointed to the Alabama Statewide Health Coordinating Council (SHCC) by Alabama Governor Kay Ivey. She will continue to serve until 2022.

“I am elated to join my colleagues and several friends as a recipient of this esteemed award from the UAB School of Nursing,” Ratcliffe said. “It is an amazing feeling to be recognized by my peers as one of 70 Visionary Leaders.”

Colleagues, peers and fellow alumni submit nominations for this prestigious award. A selection committee composed of healthcare leaders scores and selects the individuals to recognize through a peer-reviewed process.

With this award, Ratcliffe has now received highest honors from all three of her alma maters: UAB, University of Alabama and Samford. Before earning her Master of Science in Nursing from UAB, Ratcliffe earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Alabama’s Capstone College of Nursing. In 2011, she was inducted into the Alabama Nursing Hall of Fame, and later in 2017, she received the school’s Distinguished Alumni Award.

In addition, Ratcliffe is an alumna of Samford’s Moffett and Sanders School of Nursing, earning her Doctor of Nursing Practice. In 2009, Samford honored her as a Courage to Care award recipient, and in 2012, she was named a recipient of its Living Legacy award.

“It has been a blessing and is an amazing feeling to be recognized by each of my alma maters for my contributions to nursing and healthcare,” Ratcliffe said.

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 5,791 students from 49 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.