Velinda J. Block joined UAB Hospital as chief nursing officer March 5.

Block, who has been vice president of patient-care services since 1997 at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, an affiliate of Washington University in St. Louis, began her career at the bedside as a staff nurse in the neonatal intensive-care unit at Athens Regional Medical Center. She has risen through the ranks of clinical and hospital administration at a number of institutions, including Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville and T.C.T. Children’s Hospital at Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Block has overseen numerous clinical departments, including nursing services, pharmacy, the emergency unit, transplant programs and patient-care information systems. Block also provided leadership leading to St. Louis Children’s Hospital achievement of Magnet Designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) in 2005.

“Velinda Block, during the past 23 years, has been active in clinical, research and administrative capacities, and she is highly regarded by her fellow practitioners and administrators,” Michael Waldrum, M.D., CEO of UAB Hospital said. “We’re very pleased she has accepted this position.”

Block earned her bachelor’s degree from the Medical College of Georgia School of Nursing and her master’s from the Vanderbilt School of Nursing. She also is a certified in nursing administration by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau nursing honor society, the American Organization of Nurse Executives, American Nurses Association, and National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI).

Her other professional contributions include publications in a number of peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing and Journal of Nursing Administration.