Dean Emerita Pam Cipriano Earns VNA's 2023 Nancy Vance Award

Pamela Cipriano, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, dean emerita, president of the International Council of Nurses, and a research associate professor at UVA, has been selected to receive the Virginia Nurses Association’s highest award, the Nancy Vance award, at the VNA's annual gala Sept. 9.

Established in 1948, the award, named in honor of public health pioneer Nancy Vance, is presented to a registered nurse in Virginia who demonstrates "character above reproach and selflessness in service."

Cipriano, two-time president of the American Nurses Association, has dedicated her professional life to healthcare and the practice of nursing, and, during her more than 40-year career, has led efforts to advance the role and visibility of nurses and increase nursing’s impact and influence on policy. 

“Like Nancy Vance, Dr. Pam Cirpiano is passionate about improving the health and wellness of the underserved, and believes that the nursing profession is essential to accomplishing this goal. Throughout her remarkable and esteemed career, Pam's advocacy, leadership and commitment to excellence always moves the work of nurses and the profession of nursing  forward. Her commitment to nursing is unwavering. In the local, national and international realms,  Pam inspires, teaches and leads individuals and organizations to improve the lives of patients and communities. She is an excellent choice to receive the Nancy Vance award,” said past VNA president and 2017 Nancy Vance winner Theresa Haller.

Cipriano is the 29th President of the International Council of Nurses (ICN), dean emerita at UVA, and a professor at the nursing school and Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. Cipriano, who led the School as dean throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and has extensive experience as an academic medical center executive with a focus on improving the quality and safety of services and the work environment for all staff.  

Cipriano also served on American Nurses Credentialing Center board of directors and as a board member for the American Academy of Nursing. She is a leader in the National Academy of Medicine’s Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience, which aims to prevent burnout and is addressing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the physical and mental health of all clinicians, and was the inaugural editor-in-chief of the ANA's journal and magazine American Nurse Today. 

Cipriano has been ranked No. 2 on Healthcare Global’s list of the "top 10 women in healthcare" for 2021, was previously named among the “Top 100 Most Influential People in (U.S.) Healthcare” by Modern Healthcare magazine for four consecutive years (2015 to 2018), and, in 2015, named one of its “Top 25 Women in Healthcare.” Among her many honors and awards for exceptional leadership and contributions to the profession, she was the Distinguished Nurse Scholar-in-Residence at the Institute of Medicine in 2010-11 and is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, earning its Healthcare Leader Award in 2018. 

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