University names nurse leader to research post

The University of South Carolina College of Nursing has named Dr. Rita Snyder to be associate dean for research. She begins her job July 1.

Snyder, who also will be on the college’s nursing faculty as a professor, is an expert in the fields of health information and safety evaluation. She joins the university from a post as associate professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s College of Nursing and has held faculty positions at the University of Arizona, University of Utah and University of San Diego.

“With a growing emphasis on the importance of patient safety, Dr. Snyder’s expertise in nursing information and quality will bring us to the national level of that arena,” said Dr. Peggy Hewlett, dean of the university’s College of Nursing. “We are privileged to have her serve as our new associate dean of research.”

Snyder earned her doctorate from the University of Arizona and completed a National Library of Medicine postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Minnesota. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing from California State University.

She is a member of a number of professional organizations, including the American Medical Informatics Association, the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, Sigma Theta Tau International and the American Nurses’ Association. She is a reviewer for Computers in Nursing, Journal of Nursing Management, Research in Nursing & Health and the Journal of Health Information and Management.

Dr. Harris Pastides, the university’s associate vice president for research and health sciences, said Snyder represents the new face of health sciences at Carolina.

“Bringing high-tech information technology to patient care, Dr. Snyder will enable us to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of health care. While the need for direct and compassionate nursing care will always be with us, we need to find ways to better access and manage that care. Dr. Snyder’s background will help the College of Nursing to be in a better position to do this.”