TEACHING

Dr. Hays is a board certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP) and the Coordinator for the Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner track at the University of Florida. She also practices in a federally designated rural healthcare clinic in Archer, FL. In addition to focusing on the clinical education of the next generation of advanced practice providers, she teaches health policy, nursing leadership and quality improvement processes in both the undergraduate and graduate curricula.

RESEARCH

Dr. Hays’ scholarship areas focus on nursing quality and advocacy, and improving resiliency in children due to trauma, disasters and other high-risk conditions. She has led a national workgroup to develop human trafficking education and participated in drafting trafficking legislation. She serves as Treasurer on the Executive Board of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) and is the recent state of Florida (north) representative for the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. She has received international, national and state leadership and advocacy awards including from the International Transplant Nurses Society, Florida Nurses Association and NAPNAP. She is an invited speaker on resiliency, chronic illness and human trafficking for nursing and other health care professions.

SERVICE

Dr. Hays is an expert pediatric nurse practitioner and Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. She demonstrates advocacy excellence through clinical practice and legislative engagement at state, national and international levels. She drives leadership in improving care of children and is an invited presenter nationally and internationally on NP practice and vulnerable populations. Dr. Hays led a national workgroup for human trafficking protocol development and is an invited presenter on the topic. She is the current Treasurer for the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) and has been Co-Chair for international and national committees. She has numerous publications and recently co-authored the position paper on the role of the pediatric nurse practitioner during disasters. She developed the first NP-led multidisciplinary care team at her institution and is active in national leadership on academic program initiatives. In addition to being member of the UF Senate and numerous College of Nursing committees, she has been the regional lead for the Florida Action Coalition, Florida Center for Nursing, and is faculty advisor to the UF Health Patient Safety and Nursing Quality Council. Dr. Hays is the recipient of state, national, and international leadership and advocacy awards.