Penn Nursing

01/15/2026

Landmark evidence that better work environments lead to better care—at scale.

A major international study published in Medical Care shows that Magnet4Europe, a large-scale hospital intervention co-led by Penn Nursing’s Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research (CHOPR) and KU Leuven, significantly improved clinician wellbeing and patient safety across Europe.

Over two years, 56 hospitals in six European countries partnered with 65 U.S. Magnet hospitals, including all six Penn Medicine hospitals, to adapt and implement the Magnet Model® for workplace excellence. The results were compelling: meaningful reductions in nurse burnout and intent to leave, alongside measurable improvements in care quality and patient safety. Notably, even partial adoption mattered. Each 10% increase in Magnet implementation was associated with a 2.7 percentage-point drop in nurses planning to leave, underscoring that retention is driven by culture and environment—not resilience alone.

Magnet4Europe demonstrated that deep organizational change is possible, even under extreme strain. As Linda H. Aiken, PhD, RN, FAAN, FRCN, notes: This is a playbook for hospital leaders who want to retain staff and keep patients safe.

A powerful reminder that investing in healthy work environments is not optional—it is foundational to safe, high-quality care. https://bit.ly/3NHJUfO

A groundbreaking international intervention co- led by the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing's Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research (C...

01/14/2026

In the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s enduring commitment to justice and service, Penn Nursing's Office of School and Community Engagement is launching its inaugural 2026 MLK Community Care Donation Drive.

This initiative invites our community to put Dr. King’s words into action by supporting Project HOME, whose work advances housing, health, and opportunity for individuals experiencing homelessness.

“Giving liberates the soul of the giver.” — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

We encourage faculty, staff, students, and partners to participate and help extend care beyond our walls and into our community.

01/14/2026

Explore history through care. Experience it for free.

Penn faculty, staff, and students are invited to Nursing the Revolution, a free exhibit running January 14–November 20 as part of Penn’s America 250 programming. The exhibit, housed in Penn Nursing's Bates Center, uncovers the critical yet often overlooked role of nurses during the American Revolution and challenges the myth that nursing began in the 19th century. Discover rare evidence of caregiving that shaped early American healthcare long before it was formally recognized. The Barbara Bates Center for the Study of the History of Nursing is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

Free and open to the Penn community. https://bit.ly/4pu4QEg

Explore the overlooked yet essential role of nurses during the American Revolution, whose vital work helped shape early American healthcare.

01/14/2026

Power to Heal - Film Screening + Panel Discussion
Join the Barbara Bates Center and the Office of School and Community Engagement in honoring Black History Month on Feb. 11 with a viewing of The Power to Heal: Medicare and the Civil Rights Revolution, a documentary chronicling the historic struggle to secure equal and adequate access to healthcare for all Americans.
After the screening, stay for a panel discussion featuring scholars Vanessa Northington Gamble, MD, PhD, Hafeeza Anchrum, PhD, RN, and Ashley Graham-Perel, EdD, RN, NPD-BC, MEDSURG-BC, CNE, FAAN.
Event details: 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. EST Feb. 11, Claire M. Fagin Hall, Room 116, floor 1, 418 Curie Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA, 19104
RSVP here: https://bit.ly/4srX7cI

01/13/2026

Save the Date & Register: Penn Nursing Alumni – NYC Reception
February 26, 2026 | 5–7 PM EST

Penn Nursing Alumni will be gathering in New York City on February 26 for an evening of networking, community, and conversation. Join fellow alumni to reconnect, build professional connections, and hear updates from a featured faculty speaker.

Location and more details about the venue will be available soon. We look forward to seeing many of you there. Register here: https://bit.ly/4s7fzag

01/12/2026

Proud to share that Sharon Y. Irving, PhD, CRNP, FCCM, FAAN, FASPEN has been named the **2026 recipient of Penn Nursing’s Norma M. Lang Award for Scholarly Practice and Policy**. A nationally recognized leader in pediatric critical care and nutrition science, Dr. Irving is the Miriam Stirl Endowed Term Chair in Nutrition, Professor of Pediatric Nursing at Penn Nursing, and a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Dr. Irving’s scholarship and clinical leadership have transformed pediatric critical care nutrition, including the development of evidence-based feeding pathways at CHOP and the founding of the ICU–Pediatric Nutrition Team (ICU-PNuTs). Her work exemplifies the application of rigorous research to practice, advancing outcomes for critically ill children across local, national, and global settings.

Her impact extends to national policy and leadership as President-Elect of the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN)—the first nurse, nurse practitioner, and first woman of African American heritage to hold the role—and as a contributor to major national clinical guidelines. The 9th Norma M. Lang Lecture honoring Dr. Irving is scheduled for April 27, 2026.

01/12/2026

On behalf of Penn Nursing’s Office of School and Community Engagement, we invite you to join us for our annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Event on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, from 2–4 PM at Claire Fagin Hall. We look forward to coming together in reflection, learning, and community.
Learn more and RSVP here:: https://bit.ly/4jwdJvZ

01/11/2026

Join us for our Philadelphia Alumni Reception!
Penn Nursing Alumni is on the move! Join us in Philadelphia on January 28 from 5–7 PM ET for an opportunity to catch up with fellow alumni, expand your professional network, and hear exciting updates from a featured faculty speaker. Open to all members of the Penn Nursing community, this is an evening you won’t want to miss. Join us for a night of camaraderie and connection by registering. Learn more and register https://www.nursing.upenn.edu/calendar/event/5981-penn-nursing-alumni-philadelphia-reception.

01/11/2026

20 Penn Research Breakthroughs of 2025:
Penn researchers are pushing boundaries, from ancient history to cutting-edge technology, and turning discovery into impact around the world. One standout breakthrough comes from Heath Schmidt here at Penn Nursing, whose research identified a critical brain circuit involved in co***ne-seeking behavior. This finding brings new hope for developing more effective treatments for addiction and improving outcomes for individuals affected by co***ne use disorder.

We’re proud to see Penn Nursing research making a difference where it matters most.
https://bit.ly/4jTNQqd

A new study published in Science Advances by Penn Nursing's Heath Schmidt has identified a critical brain circuit that plays a pivotal role in regulating co***ne-seeking behavior.

01/09/2026

Dean Antonia Villarruel: Newsweek Nursing Is No Longer Counted as a ‘Professional Degree’ by Trump Admin
If nursing is no longer counted as a “professional degree,” what does that mean for students and for patient care.
In a piece originally from Newsweek, leaders in nursing education push back on federal changes that could limit graduate loan support for nurses. Penn Nursing voices help explain how policies like this can shrink the pipeline of advanced practice nurses at a time when communities need them most.
Read more here:
https://www.healthleadersmedia.com/cno/nursing-no-longer-counted-professional-degree-trump-admin