Dr. Pam Cipriano—a living legend among nurses.
Pamela F. Cipriano
Her clinical career included serving in roles as nurse manager, clinical services administrator and director of surgery-trauma services, and chief clinical officer. She continued sharing her strategies and visions for the nursing profession and optimizing patient care as distinguished nurse scholar-in-residence at the Institute of Medicine, president of the American Nurses Association, and Dean and Sadie Heath Cabaniss Professor of Nursing at the University of Virginia School of Nursing. She currently serves as president of the International Council of Nurses.
In addition, Pam has served on the Board of Directors of the American Nurses Credentialing Center and the American Academy of Nursing. She’s a leader in the National Academy of Medicine’s Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience, which works to address the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the physical and mental health of all clinicians.
Pam has gained international recognition for her efforts to improve working conditions, quality, and services in nursing environments worldwide. She leads national and international efforts to increase nurse involvement in healthcare policy decisions, boost nurses’ social impact, and protect the health, safety, and well-being of the nursing community.
We’re proud of Pam’s 8 years of leadership as the inaugural editor-in-chief of this journal, and we value her input as editor emeritus. Launching a new peer-reviewed, clinical nursing journal isn’t an easy task. Pam acted as leader and advocate—working in partnership with the HealthCom Media staff, editors, and contributors to ensure the content provides true value. Because of her extraordinary inaugural leadership, the journal became one of the highest-rated membership benefits of the American Nurses Association.
Pam has also garnered many awards, including Fellowship Ad Eundem, Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland; Margretta Madden Styles President’s Award, American Nurses Credentialing Center; and International Distinguished Scholar, Sigma Theta Tau. She also ranked number 2 on Healthcare Global’s list of the Top 10 women in healthcare.
As the American Academy of Nursing celebrates Pam’s many accomplishments by honoring her as a Living Legend, it reminds us that she truly is a visionary who’s left an indelible mark on both the profession and the hearts of those fortunate enough to have crossed her path. With grace and purpose, she exemplifies the essence of nursing leadership. Her commitment to the profession and patient care, paired with an innate ability to inspire and uplift her colleagues, has created an environment where excellence thrives.
Pam’s compassion and competence make her a true role model for the next generation of nurses. Her approach, which intertwines empathy with evidence-based practice, transcends the boundaries of nursing textbooks. The mark of a great leader isn’t just in what they achieve personally, but in the growth and empowerment of those around them. In this regard, Pam has excelled beyond measure, nurturing the talents of her teams and encouraging them to become leaders in their own right.
As we thank Pam for all of her contributions, we should remember that her legacy isn’t encapsulated solely in accomplishments and accolades. It’s in the lives she’s touched, the smiles she’s brought, and the hope she’s instilled. Pam is a friend who has helped us all at HealthCom Media over the years. Here’s to a nurse leader whose impact knows no bounds, whose heart knows no limits, and whose legacy will forever inspire generations of nurses to come. I look forward to the next 25 years.
— Gregory P. Osborne, Group Publisher American Nurse Journal and CEO Healthcom Media.
American Nurse Journal. 2023; 18(10). Doi: 10.51256/ANJ102348
