Research Centers - University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing

“We have established partnerships
and formed alliances with public,
private, and academic partners who
share our commitment to frail elders.
These partners include Penn’s Schools
of Medicine, Social Policy & Practice,
and Dental Medicine, as well as the
Institute on Aging, Genesis ElderCare,
the Presbyterian Foundation for
Philadelphia, and the Visiting Nurse
Association of Greater Philadelphia.”
As is often the case, the School of
Nursing was ahead of current trends when
it responded to the increased healthcare
needs of the rising older population and
established the CGNS in 1998. Led by Dr.
Strumpf, CGNS researchers are focused
on developing interventions that improve
quality of life and influence best practices
for frail elders while addressing specific
issues such as long-term care, palliative
care, mental health, geriatric oncology, and
the use of advance practice nurses (APNs) in
geriatric care.
“Our scholars participate in
interdisciplinary and community-based
initiatives for older persons across the
care continuum,” says Dr. Strumpf, known
for her work on restraint-free care of the
elderly. “We have established partnerships
and formed alliances with public, private,
and academic partners who share our
commitment to frail elders. These partners
include Penn’s Schools of Medicine, Social
Policy & Practice, and Dental Medicine,
as well as the Institute on Aging, Genesis
ElderCare, the Presbyterian Foundation
for Philadelphia, and the Visiting Nurse
Association of Greater Philadelphia.”
Mary Thomas is a member of the
LIFE Council of Elders
Eileen Sullivan-Marx, HUP ’72, Nu
’76, GR ’95, HOM ’01, PhD, RN, CRNP, FAAN,
Associate Dean for Practice and Community
Affairs and the Shearer Endowed Term
Chair for Healthy Community Practice,
is a successfully funded NIH researcher
who also has oversight for the Living
Independently for Elders (LIFE) program. Her
research has focused on outcomes of care
for frail older adults, specifically, predictors
and outcomes of nurse staffing and
advanced practice nursing care in hospitals
and nursing homes. To facilitate improved
outcomes through the use of APNs, Dr.
Sullivan-Marx conducted the only study
comparing nurse practitioner with family
physician responses in the methods used
to establish the Medicare Fee Schedule
through relative work values. This work was
cited by the Medicare Professional Advisory
Committee to the U.S. Congress in June.
CGNS faculty have received
prestigious awards for their work. In 2003,
Sarah H. Kagan, PhD, RN, FAAN, Professor
of Gerontological Nursing and a Clinician
Educator, received a $500,000 MacArthur
Foundation Fellowship — becoming only
the second nurse in history to receive the
Foundation’s “Genius Award.” Dr. Kagan,
whose research focuses on symptom
management in older adults, especially
those with cancer, is a Gerontology
Clinical Nurse Specialist at the Hospital
of the University of Pennsylvania and
holds a secondary faculty appointment in
14 | penn nursing science's research centers of excellence