Biography
Monica Hughes received her Advanced Public Health Nursing Doctorate in Nursing Practice from Rush University in Chicago, MSN in Nursing Education with a graduate certificate in Nursing Systems Management from the University of Texas at El Paso, and a BSN from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Dr. Hughes has worked in many facets of public health and nursing leadership over a long nursing career, most recently as the Director of Public Health Nursing for the Texas Department of State Health Services and the Director of Education for a faith and health nonprofit. Dr. Hughes' practice focus began in obstetrics and newborn nursing, and she has since worked in public health and nursing workforce development, health policy, and family and community health services in conjunction with governmental and non-governmental agencies, faith-based entities, and home maternal child health services. She has worked as a consultant on national public health workforce assessment and as an educator of nurses, nursing students, and community health workers.
Dr. Hughes is a board-certified Nurse Executive and a Certified Nurse Educator. She is also a certified instructor of Community Health Workers. Dr. Hughes is a member of the Association of Public Health Nurses and the American Public Health Association, as well as the Association of Community Health Nurse Educators, American Nurses Association, the Texas Nurses Association, and the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. Dr. Hughes is the recipient of a prestigious Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Public Health Nurse Leader designation, along with a fellowship and leadership training with the Centers for Creative Leadership and the Texas Team Campaign for Action. She is a recent Community Health Worker/Promotora Advisory Committee member for the Texas Department of State Health Services, a Johnson and Johnson Promise of Nursing’s Future Texas Regional Faculty Fellowship recipient and has received many awards and honors.
Dr. Hughes is a board-certified Nurse Executive and a Certified Nurse Educator. She is also a certified instructor of Community Health Workers. Dr. Hughes is a member of the Association of Public Health Nurses and the American Public Health Association, as well as the Association of Community Health Nurse Educators, American Nurses Association, the Texas Nurses Association, and the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. Dr. Hughes is the recipient of a prestigious Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Public Health Nurse Leader designation, along with a fellowship and leadership training with the Centers for Creative Leadership and the Texas Team Campaign for Action. She is a recent Community Health Worker/Promotora Advisory Committee member for the Texas Department of State Health Services, a Johnson and Johnson Promise of Nursing’s Future Texas Regional Faculty Fellowship recipient and has received many awards and honors.
Research Interests
Dr. Hughes' primary research focus is public health and nursing workforce (assessment, development, and expansion). Dr. Hughes also studies community health workers and community organizations engaged in population health, with a focus on faith entities and other community stakeholders as partners in health.
Teaching Interests
Dr. Hughes teaching expertise is in community and population health nursing; nursing leadership; maternity and newborn nursing; nursing professional development; and public health.