Resnick Receives Ada Sue Hinshaw Award from Friends of the National Institute of Nursing Research

Professor and chair honored as a prominent senior scientist.

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing’s Barbara Resnick, PhD ’96, RN, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, professor, Sonya Ziporkin Gershowitz Chair in Gerontology, and co-director of UMSON’s Biology and Behavior Across the Lifespan Organized Research Center, received the 2021 Ada Sue Hinshaw Award from the Friends of the National Institute of Nursing Research (FNINR). Resnick was honored during FNINR’s 2021 virtual NightinGala, Oct. 6, 2021, where she also presented one aspect of her research, focused on the care of older adults and optimizing function and physical activity across a variety of settings.

“It was a shock and an honor to receive this award,” said Resnick. “More importantly, I was thrilled that the work that we have done here in aging at UMSON to change the philosophy of care for older adults was recognized.”

The Ada Sue Hinshaw Award is the pre-eminent award given by FNINR, named in honor of the first permanent director of NINR. Recipients have a substantive and sustained program of science that afford them recognition as a prominent senior scientist with a trajectory of research that has transcended health and/or related disciplines and where outcomes have led to improved health and well-being of one or more populations.

For Resnick, this research program is focused on optimizing function and physical activity among older adults, exploring resilience and genetics on function and physical activity, and testing dissemination and implementation of interventions in real-world settings. This work has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and foundations such as the John A. Hartford Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Findings from her work have shown that by changing how care is provided to older adults, they can maintain or improve function and physical activity, decreasing falls and transfers to acute care settings, improving mood, and decreasing behavioral symptoms. 

Resnick has authored over 380 published articles, numerous chapters in nursing and medical textbooks, and books on restorative care and resilience. She is the editor of Geriatric Nursing, an associate editor of the Journal of the American Geriatric Society, and on the editorial board for numerous other journals. She has held leadership positions in multiple aging and interdisciplinary organizations, including the American Geriatrics Society, the Gerontological Society of America, and the American Medical Directors Association. She has been recognized with numerous national awards, including the 2017 David H. Solomon Memorial Public Service Award, the 2018 Johns Hopkins Leader in Aging Award, the 2018 Loretta Ford Award, the 2019 Lawton Powell Award, and the 2021 William Dodd Founder’s Award for Distinguished Service. In addition to teaching and conducting research, Resnick continues to practice as a geriatric nurse practitioner in a continuing care retirement community. 

“We heartily congratulate Dr. Barbara Resnick on this distinguished honor recognizing the breadth and impact of her many contributions to nursing science,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “Dr. Resnick’s rigorous body of work has shaped the very process of dissemination and implementation of interventions in real world settings and has impacted the day-to-day care and well-being of countless individuals. At a time when the population of those over age 65 and those over age 85 is increasing exponentially, the importance of her work in helping to preserve function and enhance the quality of life for older individuals is truly profound.”

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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 2,100 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.