Dr. Arlene Nash Hayne is a Professor Emeritus at Samford University, located in Birmingham, Alabama. She began her academic journey by earning a diploma from the Lutheran Hospital School of Nursing. She continued her education, obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from the University of Cincinnati. Dr. Hayne pursued advanced degrees at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, where she received both her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).

Dr. Hayne's career encompasses a broad range of roles within the field of nursing. She has served as a critical care staff nurse and a clinical nurse specialist, roles that allowed her to directly impact patient care. Her leadership positions include working as a Director of Nursing and as a corporate quality administrator. In addition, she has designed, implemented, and coordinated a Corporate Clinical Quality Council for a nine-hospital system, which included providing system-level reports on patient outcomes to the system's board.

As an academic, Dr. Hayne has co-authored two textbooks focusing on nursing administration and leadership. She is also the author or co-author of more than a dozen peer-reviewed publications and book chapters. Her scholarly work extends to professional presentations; she and her colleagues have presented at over 20 local, national, and international professional proceedings.

A successful grant writer, Dr. Hayne has been instrumental in writing or coordinating grant applications for the school of nursing, animal rescue organizations, and community agencies. Notably, she served as the Quality Coordinator for a federal, multi-year, multi-million-dollar Community Access Grant in Talladega County, Alabama.

Dr. Hayne has extensive experience in the evaluation of professional nursing practice and the quality of patient care. For 19 years, she was an Appraiser for the American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet Recognition Program, where she appraised large academic medical centers and hospital systems for quality and excellence in nursing and patient care. She has also provided consultation services to hospitals of various sizes, the Alabama State Hospital Association, and other organizations in areas such as strategic planning, leadership development, organizational assessment, and education.

Dr. Hayne’s primary area of research is “caring in nursing.” Her work in this field has led to the publication of a national study, further contributing to the understanding and advancement of compassionate care in nursing practice.