Patricia Blair, Ph.D., J.D., LLM, MSN, CCHP-RN, CCHP-A, is an associate professor in the School of Nursing at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. She is being nominated today as one of eight visionaries who founded the American Correctional Nurses Association, the first professional association in the United States for nurses who work in secure correctional facilities.

Her focus in her career has been in the areas of correctional health care and health disparities. She orients nursing students who rotate through correctional healthcare facilities in Texas. She works directly with high-level stakeholders in developing projects that directly benefit justice-involved individuals and healthcare professionals.

Blair participated in developing correctional healthcare policies, standards, and certification through the National Commission on Correctional Health Care and the American Nurses Association correctional nursing scope and standards of practice. She serves on the boards of the National Commission on Correctional Health Care and the American Correctional Nurses Association, as well as the editorial board for the Journal of Correctional Health Care.