Penn Nursing

03/17/2026

Join Penn Nursing at our alumni reception during the 2026 NAPNAP Conference in Pittsburgh on March 19! 🎉

This is a great opportunity to reconnect with fellow alumni, meet members of the Penn Nursing community, and strengthen the professional network that continues to shape pediatric health care.

📍 Pittsburgh
📅 March 19, 2026

Get the details and RSVP here: https://bit.ly/4saq1xu

03/17/2026

Join us on March 19 (3:30–5:00 PM EDT) at the Holman Biotech Commons for the Albert M. Greenfield Memorial Lecture.

This year’s lecture, "Connection As Intervention: Digital Peer Mentorship in Su***de Prevention," will explore how innovative, technology-enabled peer support models can strengthen su***de prevention efforts and expand access to care.

The discussion will be moderated by José A. Bauermeister, PhD, MPH, Albert M. Greenfield Professor of Human Relations and Director of The Eidos LGBTQ+ Health Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania, with Lily Brown, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry and Director of the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety at Penn Medicine. This important conversation brings together leaders advancing research and practice at the intersection of mental health, community connection, and digital innovation.

🔗 RSVP to attend in person or virtually. https://bit.ly/4reM1Gn

***dePrevention

03/17/2026

Shaping the Future of Health Policy: Join Penn Nursing in Los Angeles!

The 2026 NCEMNA Annual Health Policy Summit is fast approaching, and Penn Nursing is at the forefront of the conversation. Our Margaret Bond Simon Dean Antonia M. Villarruel takes the stage as the keynote speaker on April 9th for the National Coalition of Ethnic Minority Nurse Associations (NCEMNA).

Dean Villarruel has dedicated her career to ensuring that the "Voice and Vision of Healthcare" includes every community. At this year’s summit, she will address the critical intersection of nursing leadership and national well-being, offering a roadmap for how we can dismantle structural barriers to better health together.

Why you should be there:
Direct Insights: Hear Dean Villarruel’s vision for the future of nursing science and policy.
National Impact: Participate in sessions focused on aligning clinical practice with emerging national health priorities.
Powerful Networking: Connect with the leaders of national nurse associations to drive interprofessional collaboration.

📅 Dates: April 9–10, 2026
📍 Location: The California Endowment, Los Angeles, CA
💡 Theme: Uniting for National Well-being: The Voice and Vision of Healthcare for the Future
Registration: https://bit.ly/4bRkgxZ

03/16/2026

How can universities better connect their research and expertise to the real challenges facing communities?

Penn Nursing Dean Antonia Villarruel helped lead the second statewide tour of the Penn Commonwealth-Engaged Scholars (PCES) program. This 800-mile journey brought University of Pennsylvania faculty and staff face-to-face with communities across Pennsylvania.

From renewable energy and agricultural innovation to conversations with local leaders about economic transition and workforce development, the interdisciplinary cohort explored how Penn can partner more deeply with communities across the Commonwealth.

As Dean Villarruel noted, the goal is clear: keep Penn anchored in the lives of the people it serves and ensure our knowledge and innovation support communities across Pennsylvania. Read more: https://bit.ly/3VmGq3d

03/16/2026

New research from the University of Pennsylvania provides strong evidence in the ongoing conversation around nursing home staffing mandates.

In a study published in Health Affairs, Rachel M. Werner, MD, PhD — executive director of Penn’s Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics — and colleagues examined 6,800 nursing homes across 22 states from 2010–2023. Their findings show that minimum staffing mandates increased direct care staffing levels without causing statistically significant financial harm or increasing facility closures.

The mandates studied raised staffing by an average of 0.18 hours per resident day (about 5%), driven primarily by increases in certified nursing assistants and licensed practical nurses. Importantly, researchers found no meaningful change in profit margins or closure rates in states implementing mandates.

“We know that higher staffing levels save lives,” Dr. Werner noted. “Now we have excellent evidence that higher staffing levels don’t cause financial harm in nursing homes.”

The findings offer important data for policymakers, providers, and advocates navigating the balance between patient safety, workforce standards, and financial sustainability.

This work underscores Penn’s continued leadership in health economics, workforce policy, and evidence-based approaches to improving care for older adults. https://www.mcknights.com/news/staffing-mandate/

Nursing home operators and patient advocates should be energized by new study results that show minimum staffing mandates increased staff levels without causing patient or financial harm, researchers said Monday.

03/15/2026

We’re proud to share that Penn Nursing’s Amanda Bettencourt, PhD, APRN, assistant professor in the Department of Family and Community Health, has received a Fulbright Specialist Program award to collaborate with colleagues at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.

Through this partnership, Dr. Bettencourt is working with faculty and health system leaders to design and evaluate the implementation of advanced practice nursing (APRN) roles. During her visit, she conducted hospital site visits and led seminars for stakeholders, applying implementation science to strengthen research, workforce development, and patient care outcomes.

“My hope for this project is to create lasting partnerships…to shape the advanced practice nursing role and its implementation for maximum impact,” Dr. Bettencourt shared. “I saw firsthand the significant impact APRNs can have on patient outcomes, including mortality.”

The Fulbright Specialist Program supports knowledge exchange and long-term institutional collaboration in public and global health. Selected for her leadership and scholarly achievement, Dr. Bettencourt joins a distinguished network of Fulbright awardees advancing solutions to shared global challenges.

Congratulations to Dr. Bettencourt on this important international collaboration and her continued leadership in advancing advanced practice nursing worldwide. https://almanac.upenn.edu/articles/amanda-bettencourt-fulbright-specialist-award

Amanda Bettencourt: Fulbright Specialist Award March 3, 2026 vol 72 issue 26 Honors print “My hope for this project is to create lasting partnerships between myself and other Penn Nursing colleagues and the UC Chile School of Nursing to shape the advanc...

03/14/2026

We are proud to share that Linda H. Aiken, PhD, RN, FAAN, Professor and Founding Director of Penn Nursing’s Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research (CHOPR), has been named a recipient of the 2026 American Nurses Association (ANA) President’s Award.

This prestigious honor recognizes leaders whose public influence has advanced the nursing profession in enduring ways.

Dr. Aiken’s pioneering research has fundamentally reshaped global workforce standards by establishing the critical link between nurse staffing levels, educational preparation, and patient safety. Her decades of empirical work provide the scientific foundation for modern nurse staffing policy worldwide.Dr. Aiken will be honored on June 25, 2026, at the ANA Membership Assembly in Washington, DC.

“This ANA recognition is well deserved,” said Antonia M. Villarruel, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Margaret Bond Simon Dean of Nursing. “Her work redefined global standards for safe nurse staffing and reflects our mission to elevate nurses as leaders of innovation and equitable care.”

Congratulations to Dr. Aiken on this extraordinary recognition of impact, scholarship, and leadership. https://bit.ly/4l1kdU9

03/13/2026

A new interdisciplinary study from Penn Nursing and the Perelman School of Medicine offers promising insight into the future of GLP-1 therapies.

With nearly one in eight U.S. adults currently taking GLP-1 medications for diabetes, obesity, and related conditions, managing side effects such as nausea and vomiting remains a significant clinical challenge.

In a study published in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, researchers led by Penn Nursing’s Bart C. De Jonghe and Penn Medicine’s Matthew R. Hayes examined a novel GLP-1 receptor agonist that uses a mechanism known as “biased agonism.” By selectively activating signaling pathways that regulate blood sugar while minimizing pathways associated with adverse effects, the compound maintained glycemic control in preclinical models with reduced malaise and vomiting behaviors.

These findings represent an important step toward more precise, individualized GLP-1 therapies — particularly for patients who require careful metabolic management without unintended weight or appetite loss.

The work underscores the power of cross-school collaboration in advancing translational science and improving patient care.

Read more: https://bit.ly/406xJfH

03/12/2026

📢 New Publication from a Penn Nursing DNP Alumna

Congratulations to Janina Gilo-Tomkins, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, on her newly published work. Dr. Gilo-Tomkins is an Assistant Professor and Director of the Family Nurse Practitioner Program at the Egan School of Nursing and Health Sciences at Fairfield University, and a proud Penn Nursing DNP alumna.

Her latest publication contributes important insights to the field and reflects the continued leadership of Penn Nursing alumni in advancing nursing scholarship and clinical practice.

🔗 Read the publication:
[https://bit.ly/4biZoiv](https://bit.ly/4biZoiv)

03/12/2026

Penn Nursing's Nurse Anesthesia DNP students are advancing evidence-based change at the National Institutes of Health through impactful clinical practice projects.

🔹 Enhancing Anesthesia Providers’ Competence and Confidence in Accessing Implanted Ports through Simulation-Based Training
Frances Bulaun, BSN, RN, SRNA
Emily Umstattd, BSN, RN, SRNA
Site Lead: Dr. Kevin Driscoll

🔹 Enhancing Anesthesia Provider Knowledge of the Quadratus Lumborum Block
Erika Edwards, BSN, RN, SRNA
Alexa Girasole, BSN, RN, SRNA
Morgan Luther, BSN, RN, SRNA
Site Lead: Dr. Kevin Driscoll

These projects reflect the rigor and clinical leadership embedded within the DNP curriculum—translating current evidence into practice to strengthen provider competence, enhance patient safety, and improve perioperative outcomes.

We are proud to highlight the measurable impact our nurse anesthesia students are making in complex clinical environments.

03/11/2026

Alumni Weekend 2026 is almost here! 🎉
Join us May 15–17 as we celebrate our Penn Nursing community—from reconnecting with classmates to campus traditions you know and love. Don’t miss the parade, showcase, picnic, and more! Learn more + RSVP: https://www.nursing.upenn.edu/alumni/events-programs/alumni-weekend/