Dr. Kathy Murphy honored with 2022 Charlotte Brody Award for environmental nursing leadership

Health Care Without Harm and the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments are proud to present Dr. Kathy Murphy with the 2022 Charlotte Brody Award for exemplary environmental nursing leadership. As a master’s student, Murphy found herself and her peers embedded across five congressional districts in Connecticut teaching community members about human health and environmental hazards. Murphy recounts the community education framework: “What's the problem? What are the consequences? And what are the safer solutions?”

Years later, while seeking her doctorate in educational leadership, Murphy discovered how low new nurse graduates’ confidence was in addressing environmental topics to foster human health. As faculty, Murphy now works directly with nursing students in community colleges, state schools, and private schools across Connecticut to build their competence – and confidence – in environmental health.

“Environmental health is part of the role of a nurse,” Murphy said. “And we have the knowledge and skills to lead.”