The George Washington University School of Nursing is proud to announce it has been awarded a new grant from Jonas Philanthropies, a leading national philanthropic funder of graduate nursing education, to tackle the nation’s most pressing health care issues through support of high-potential doctoral nursing scholars.
As a grant recipient, GW Nursing joins Jonas Philanthropies’ efforts to improve the quality of health care by investing in nursing scholars whose research and clinical foci specifically address our nation’s most urgent needs. The grant will empower and support nursing students with financial assistance, leadership development and networking to expand the pipeline of future nursing faculty, researchers and advanced practice nurses.
With 10,000 baby boomers turning 65 each day, an entire generation of the health care workforce is aging at a rapid pace. This, coupled with care for the 22.2 million veterans living across the country, 3 means the United States is facing a dire need for a new era of highly educated nursing professionals. GW Nursing and Jonas Philanthropies believe the investment in the education of nurse leaders is critically important to improve the health care system.
“This is a critical time for health care and we need leaders across the spectrum to address the nation’s growing needs,” said Dean Pamela Jeffries. “Nurses offer a unique perspective and thanks to organizations like Jonas Philanthropies they are being empowered to take a seat at the table.”
GW Nursing’s Jonas Nurse Scholars are part of the new 2018-2020 cohort of more than 200 Scholars pursuing PhD, DNP or EdD degrees at 92 universities across the country whose doctoral work will focus on critical health priorities. They join more than 1,000 Jonas Scholar alumni representing 157 universities across all 50 states.
Leilani Attilio, a post-BSN to DNP in the field of family nurse practitioner, will focus her work on the priority topic area of psych‐mental health. She is proposing to implement a community-based overdose education and naloxone distribution program at a Washington, D.C. hospital with a focus on addiction and, specifically, on how to reduce addiction's harms and re-engage people in their health care needs. Assistant Professor Erin Athey will be serving as her adviser.
Daniel Terrell, MSN ’18, is a DNP student whose focus will be on the priority topic area of preventative health. He will be working to empower individuals within LGBTQ communities to communicate effectively with health care providers about their needs. Assistant Professor Dana Hines will be serving as his adviser.
“Each year, we grow more in awe of all our Jonas Scholars have achieved. It is with great honor that we welcome and celebrate this new cohort of nurse leaders,” said Donald Jonas, who co-founded Jonas Philanthropies with his wife Barbara Jonas. “With more than 1,200 Jonas Scholars to date who are committed to meeting the greatest health needs of our time, we look forward to continuing our work with our partner nursing schools and expanding our impact to advance care for the country’s most vulnerable populations.”
Recent scholars have also included DNP students Laura Bland and Sabena Richter Passarello. Dean Jeffries added, “We are shaping future leaders. It’s important that they are supported, so they can address the difficult issues in health care today and tomorrow.”