Professor Richard Ricciardi was inducted today as president of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (Sigma) during the organization’s biennial convention in National Harbor, Maryland. The organization has a membership of more than 135,000 nurses from 90 countries and awards research grants to nurses, supports and organizes education and research conferences and otherwise develops nurse leaders.
“Nurses represent the largest segment of health care workers globally. As nursing’s global organization, Sigma plays an important role in strengthening the capabilities nurses bring to health and health care and leveraging nursing perspectives, research and clinical acumen,” Dr. Ricciardi said.
A firm believer in networking with peers, Dr. Ricciardi recently wrote a piece encouraging participation in professional organizations for GW Nursing’s magazine. He also serves as director of strategic partnerships for GW Nursing’s Center for Health Policy and Media Engagement.
Dr. Ricciardi came to GW Nursing from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), where he served as director of the Division of Practice Improvement. At AHRQ, Dr. Ricciardi's research focused on primary care practice improvement; science in the areas of team-based care, quality and safety; and the management of patients with complex needs, including those with multiple chronic conditions and those with opioid use disorder.
His scholarly interests include implementation science, preventing and mitigating adverse body composition and sedentary behavior, and the role of nursing in the delivery of primary care and health policy. Dr. Ricciardi served in the Army for 30 years and held numerous clinical, research and senior leadership positions within the Department of Defense, including as a pediatric and family nurse practitioner, research scientist and educator.
Dr. Ricciardi maintains a part-time clinical practice and is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.