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At a time when health care systems face growing strain, the Maryland Action Coalition’s (MDAC) Virtual Leadership Summit — hosted by the University of Maryland School of Nursing on June 9 —delivered a clear message: Nurses are essential drivers of innovation and equity. National leaders called for a bold reimagining of nursing’s role, from economic engine to policy force to front-line changemaker. MDAC is part of the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action, a nationwide movement to improve health care through nursing and an initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The campaign includes action coalitions in 50 states and the District of Columbia working to implement the National Academy of Medicine’s “Future of Nursing 2020 – 2030” recommendations. “This summit is more than an event,” Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD ’11, MS ’05, BSN ’04, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing and professor, said as she welcomed summit attendees. “I look forward to it every year because it's a call to action. It's a call for us to reimagine how we educate, how we support, and how we empower nurses across the state to lead in every corner of our health care and educational systems.” Rebecca Love, MSN, RN, BS, FIEL, president emerita of the Society of Nurse Scientists, Innovators, Entrepreneurs & Leaders, a nonprofit global organization committed to empowering nurses to create innovative solutions to transform health care, delivered a passionate keynote address, “Nurse Innovation that Transformed Our Past, Present, and Future,” in which she highlighted Florence Nightingale’s impact on the nursing profession, nursing’s role in the women’s suffrage movement, policy barriers that prevent equality for nurses in the United States, the need to have nursing classified as a STEM profession, the role of nurses in health care innovation, and today’s critical nursing shortage. “Where would we be without nursing?” Love asked. “Nursing led medicine out of the dark ages of medical practice. It was nurses who led the women’s suffrage movement in health and the fight for women’s right to vote. It was nurses who saved hospital systems from failing in the United States in the 1920s and established hospitals as the center of health care delivery, not only in the United States, but now around the world. “And it was nurses, every single day during the pandemic, when everyone else stayed home and sat behind computer screens, it was the nurses who went in to treat patients in all settings when they had no PPE (personal protective equipment), there was no treatment, there was no vaccine, it was nurses who went in and saved health care, to save the future of our nations and our world in the pandemic of COVID, and I strongly believe it must be and will be nurses who save the future of health care.” Later in the morning, Olga Yakusheva, PhD, MSE, FAAN, wondered “What is Nursing Worth?” during a presentation that explored the relationship between health care costs and patient outcomes. Yakusheva is an international expert and thought leader on the economic value of nursing to health care systems and payors. She is an economist and professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and an economics editor for the International Journal of Nursing Studies. She reinforced the power that nurses wield given their sheer numbers; there are more nurses than retail salespeople, she said. “Everybody is connected to a nurse,” she explained. “Everybody loves nurses, and everybody needs nurses, and they need them during the most vulnerable points in their lives. “You would think that nurses rule the world, and that’s how you should see yourselves! You have enormous social power; you have enormous political power!” She presented common myths, including that nurses are a cost to the health care system (she said nurses are a key generator of economic value and are linked with improved patient outcomes and revenue-generating efficiencies) and that a nurse is a nurse is a nurse (successful organizations that thrive financially view nurses as human capital and develop and employ approaches to empower every nurse, she said). She encouraged the audience, especially those who are leaders within nursing, to elevate nurses’ enormous contributions: “How do you quantify it, measure it, and bring it to other members of the C suite to help advocate and negotiate for reinvestment in the nursing budget?” she challenged. She also argued for the effectiveness of artificial intelligence in freeing up nurses’ time, especially related to reducing documentation time, to holistically care for patients, help their fellow nurses, participate in professional development, and participate in mentorship. Her bottom line: You cannot improve outcomes while reducing the cost of care. “There is no non-productive time in nursing,” she said. “Allowing them the time to think, invest in their education, mentor others, just to hold a patient’s hand. That’s not non-productive time. That’s ultimately the most productive time.” The day also included two panel discussions: “Rural Healthcare Delivery,” featuring Kara Platt, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, CNE, associate professor and chair of the Department of Nursing, Frostburg University; Danielle Wilson, MSN, RN, NE-BC, senior vice president and chief nursing officer, University of Maryland Shore Regional Health; Karen Wyche Latham, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, CENP, FAONL, vice president and chief nursing officer, MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center; and moderated by Crystal DeVance-Wilson, PhD ’19, MS ’06, MBA, BSN ’00, PHCNS-BC, assistant professor; vice chair of UMSON at the Universities ad Shady Grove; and director of the Maryland Nursing Workforce Center, UMSON “Nurses Leading the Way,” featuring Ernest J. Grant, PhD, DSc(h), RN, FADLN, FAAN, vice dean for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, Duke University School of Nursing, and immediate past president, American Nurses Association; Barbara Aranda Naranjo, PhD, RN, FAAN, former associate provost for health professions, The University of Texas Health Science Center; and Peggy Norton-Rosko, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, senior vice president and chief nurse executive, University of Maryland Medical System; and moderated by Ogbolu. The day continued with poster presentations and a lightning round of live, three- to five-minute presentations exploring emerging innovations in nursing practice, research, and leadership. Mary Etta C. Mills, ScD, MS ’73, BSN ’71, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, UMSON professor emerita, was presented with the Dr. Peggy Daw Exemplary Leadership Award. This honor is bestowed on a distinguished leader whose contributions have advanced the profession of nursing and influenced health care outcomes. The honoree embodies the core values of MDAC; honors diverse experiences and perspectives; and sets an example of including others while exploring new ideas and partnerships to achieve large-scale goals. The person’s achievements enhance MDAC’s strategic mission and advance access and opportunities for others. And in her closing remarks, Ogbolu affirmed that the AI landscape is full of opportunities to improve health outcomes. “Leading with hope and optimism — that’s the guidance we’re really getting from seasoned leadership to stay grounded in our core values and to use system thinking to drive change,” she said. “AI is here to stay, and we must lead its integration.”  

Baltimore, Md. – Four University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) faculty members have been awarded Nurse Support Program (NSP) II grants totaling more than $2.3 million. NSP II grants aid in increasing nursing capacity in Maryland by implementing statewide initiatives to grow the number of nurses prepared to serve effectively in faculty roles and by strengthening nursing education programs at Maryland institutions. Grants are funded through the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission and administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission. The NSP II grants awarded to UMSON beginning in Fiscal Year 2026 include: Lori Edwards, DrPH, BSN '80, RN, CNS-PCH, BC, assistant professor and associate dean for the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program – Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in Population Health/Public Health Nursing ($142,744 over two years) This two-year planning grant will support development of a DNP specialty track in advanced public health nursing. The initiative addresses the urgent need for doctorally prepared nurses with expertise in population health, health equity, and policy development to lead transformative public health efforts. The program will offer a rigorous curriculum focused on advanced competencies and evidence-based projects in collaboration with public health agencies. Graduates will be prepared to reduce health inequities, lead population-level interventions, and drive system- and policy-level change. The planning grant supports workforce needs assessments, curriculum development, and the design of innovative courses and practicum experiences tailored to advanced public health nursing practice, reinforcing UMSON’s commitment to strengthen Maryland’s nursing workforce. Cheryl A. Fisher, EdD, MSN, RN, associate professor and co-director of the MSN Nursing Informatics specialty – Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Maryland Higher Education: The AIM-High Program ($578,633 over four years) The AIM-High Program is a statewide initiative designed to strengthen Maryland nurse educators’ capacity to integrate AI into nursing education. The program will train 100 faculty in foundational AI through webinars, mentorships, and a statewide symposium featuring 20 evidence-based AI projects. AIM-High also establishes a sustainable network for collaboration and resource sharing to foster continued innovation. The AIM-High Program advances statewide goals to increase student enrollment and grow the nursing workforce to meet the demands of an evolving health care system. Linda J. Hickman, PhD ’98, MBA, RN, FACHE, assistant professor - Preceptor Program for Undergraduate Nursing Education ($145,308 over one year)  This planning project aims to design a preceptor program that enhances support for staff nurse preceptors and strengthens the undergraduate student learning experience. Drawing on nearly 20 years of academic-practice partnership experience, the project will: assess the current state of precepting and preceptor needs through surveys and interviews, focusing on role ambiguity, conflict, overload, burnout, and intent to stay maximize preceptor effectiveness and student learning by convening a taskforce to develop a best-practice program informed by findings and strategies to reduce burnout and promote retention pilot the program in partnership with two Maryland hospitals to evaluate outcomes and guide future implementation. Process outcomes will be evaluated along with nurse well-being and intention to stay. Sandra Lucci, PhD, MS ’95, RN, CNE, CMSRN, assistant professor - Cohen Scholars Cohort Model Continuation Grant ($1,512,061 over four years) Building on a solid foundation in nurse educator preparation and professional development through UMSON’s Institute for Educators, the initiative will implement a comprehensive framework to cultivate the next generation of nursing faculty. The enhanced program continues a structured mentorship model to prepare Cohen Scholars for diverse academic and clinical teaching roles. Individualized pathways for master’s and doctoral students include coursework in educational pedagogy and targeted teaching practicums. Scholars will also receive training in financial literacy, attend professional conferences, and participate in specialized workshops and webinars. The initiative addresses Maryland’s critical nurse educator shortage and establishes a sustainable model to prepare faculty equipped to meet the evolving demands of nursing education and workforce development. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has named Danielle K. McCamey, DNP, CRNP, ACNP-BC, FAAN, FAANP, FCCP, FADLN, assistant professor, as its inaugural associate dean for clinical partnerships and innovation. In her new role, McCamey will be responsible for developing and maintaining partnerships with clinical leaders in the community, throughout health care systems, at community colleges, and at other universities. She will also be responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of innovative special programs in collaboration with Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD ’11, MS ’05, BSN ’04, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing and professor, and the UMSON senior leadership team. “I look forward to Dr. McCamey’s contributions to UMSON as we continue to develop collaborative relationships and partnerships in education, research and scholarship, and practice that support our commitment to nursing excellence and to the individuals and diverse communities that we serve,” Ogbolu said. Prior to joining UMSON, McCamey served as the assistant dean for strategic partnerships and assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing in Baltimore. “I’ve always been driven by purpose, and the opportunity to join the University of Maryland School of Nursing felt like a natural next step in continuing that purpose,” said McCamey, who joined UMSON on June 16. “This role gives me the chance to build bridges between education and practice and to create clinical partnerships that not only strengthen our profession but also reflect the communities we serve. I’m excited to bring all of who I am as a clinician, educator, advocate, and community-builder to this next chapter and to be part of a school that’s truly committed to innovation, equity, and impact.” McCamey brings to her position more than two decades of clinical experience as a board-certified acute care nurse practitioner and as chief nurse practitioner at MedStar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. She also served as a registered nurse on the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) at Inova Alexandria Hospital in Virginia and in the PACU and Medical Intensive Care Unit at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, also in Washington, D.C. McCamey earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and her Master of Science, Acute Care degrees from the Georgetown University School of Nursing and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Virginia. She also holds a Nonprofit Management Executive Certificate from the Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy and is a 2023 graduate of the National League for Nursing Leadership Institute. McCamey is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), and, most recently, the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. She is a member of the inaugural class of Distinguished Fellows in the Academy of Diversity Leaders in Nursing. McCamey is the recipient of multiple awards and honors, including the American Association of Critical Care Nurses Pioneering Spirit Award and the ACCP’s Richard S. Irwin, MD, Master FCCP Honor Lecture. In 2016, she founded the organization DNPs of Color, a national nonprofit organization that seeks to build community for nurses of color through networking, mentorship, and advocacy to increase diversity in doctoral students, clinical practice, and leadership. She serves as the organization’s CEO and president. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.