RWJF Recognizes Hopkins Faculty
by Jon Eichberger and Pamela McComas
The Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing is enriched with excellent nurse leaders. Two faculty members, Pamela Jeffries, PhD, RN, and Sarah Szanton, PhD, CRNP, are taking their leadership skills to the next level through two prestigious nurse leadership programs from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF).
Jeffries, the School’s associate dean for academic affairs, is one of twenty-one nurse leaders selected for the RWJF Executive Nurse Fellows for 2011. She joins a select group of nurse leaders from across the country chosen to participate in the world-class, three-year leadership development program designed to enhance their effectiveness in improving the United States healthcare system.
“I’ve always admired the leadership skills of the people I know who have participated in the Executive Nurse Fellows program,” Jeffries says. “I’ll be working with phenomenal leaders, and ultimately this will strengthen the skills and ability I bring to my position as associate dean at Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing.”
Executive Nurse Fellows hold senior leadership positions in health services, scientific and academic organizations, public health and community-based organizations or systems as well as national professional, governmental, and policy organizations. During the fellowships they continue in their current positions and each develops, plans, and implements a new initiative to improve health care delivery in her or his community.
Jeffries is nationally known for her research and work in developing simulations and online teaching and learning. She served as the project director for a national simulation study funded by the National League for Nursing (NLN) and the Laerdal Corporation. She was named to the same role for a second NLN and Laerdal grant to facilitate the development of web-based courses for faculty development in simulation and a national simulation innovation resource center.
Szanton, an assistant professor at the School, is one of just twelve nursing faculty from around the country selected for the RWJF Nurse Faculty Scholars Program. The program aims to increase the stature and academic standing of nursing faculty and draw more nurses to teaching careers by creating a cadre of national leaders in academic nursing through career development awards to outstanding junior nursing faculty.
“The opportunity to be mentored by a national team of ex-deans and other leaders in the field is truly exciting,” says Szanton. “I have already learned about building my team from the orientation and I happily anticipate media training and other career development building blocks.”
As part of the RWJF Nurse Faculty Scholars Program, Szanton receives a $325,000 grant for research, which she is using to continue her CAPABLE study—a community outreach project launched in 2010 that has already helped dozens of Baltimore City seniors age safely at home.
“Funding from RWJF will help us reach out to more senior citizens in our community and help them live a longer, safer life,” Szanton says.