Phyllis Sharps, PhD, RN, FAAN, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing (JHSON) associate dean for community programs and initiatives, has been selected as the 2019 Black Nurse of the Year by the Black Nurses Association of the Greater Washington, D.C. Area, Inc. She was chosen for her commitment to nursing service and practice and exemplary work within the community.
“This is a special and very personal honor for me,” says Sharps. “As a black woman and a nurse, I’ve sought to use my background and passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion as ways to expand and enhance the profession’s reach. I am truly grateful for this recognition and the opportunities nursing has provided me to make an impact on the world.”
Sharps is a researcher, educator, and expert practitioner in maternal and child health whose work has positioned her at the forefront of community and public health nursing. Through her leadership as the Elsie M. Lawler Chair, she improves health care for the Baltimore and surrounding communities and manages direction of JHSON’s three Baltimore-based wellness centers. She oversees school initiatives including providing care to homeless women who have been abused, working with refugee youth, HIV testing and counseling, and partnering with community organizations to care for underserved populations.
From her research on the effects of intimate partner violence, Sharps has developed and tested the Domestic Violence Enhanced Visitation Program, known as DOVE, to reduce violence, keep families safe, and improve the mental and physical health of pregnant women and children.
She also serves as a mentor for students and consults on cultural competency, cultural representation in research, and workforce diversity, specifically for African American communities. Sharps has received numerous awards throughout her career, most recently earning the National League for Nursing Lilian Wald Humanitarian Award, the FNINR President’s Award, the Lifetime Achievement Award in Education and Research by the Association of Black Nursing Faculty, and being named a 2018 Finalist of the Johns Hopkins University’s Provost’s Prize for Faculty Excellence in Diversity.
“Dr. Sharps has always been a humble yet fearless leader for the profession and the communities she serves,” says JHSON Dean Patricia Davidson, PhD, MEd, RN, FAAN. “We are proud of her accomplishments and this new recognition that adds to an already impressive list of accolades and achievements.”
Sharps will receive her award at the Thirty-Ninth Salute to the Black Nurse of the Year and Scholarship Awards Luncheon, March 2, 2019.
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Located in Baltimore, the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing is a globally-recognized leader in nursing education, research and practice. The school ranks No. 1 nationally for its graduate and online programs and No. 2 for DNP programs in the U.S. News & World Report 2019 rankings. In addition, the school is ranked by QS World University as the No. 3 nursing school in the world and is No.1 by College Choice for its master’s program. First opened in 1889, the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing is celebrating throughout 2019 its 130th anniversary as a school and leader in nursing education and excellence. For more information, visit www.nursing.jhu.edu and www.hopkinsnursing130.org.
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