UMSON’s Joan Carpenter Receives National Excellence in Research Award for Advancing Palliative Care for Older Adults

Baltimore, Md. - Joan Carpenter, PhD, CRNP, ACHPN, FPCN, associate professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, has earned the 2024 Excellence in Research Award from the Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association (GAPNA). Carpenter was honored at GAPNA’s annual conference in September in San Antonio.

The Excellence in Research Award recognizes individuals who demonstrate a strong commitment to nursing research that benefits the geriatric community. The award highlights research as an essential element of nursing’s mission. 

“Receiving the GAPNA Research Award is an incredible honor and a testament to the collective efforts of my mentors, colleagues, and the University of Maryland School of Nursing community,” Carpenter said. “I am deeply humbled to be recognized for the work my team and I do in partnership with nursing home communities to improve care for older adults living with serious illness.”

A member of GAPNA since 2012, Carpenter leads a program of research focused on improving access to high-quality palliative care for seriously ill older adults. 

Known for her expertise in gerontology, palliative care, dementia, clinical trials in nursing home settings, and implementation science, Carpenter has gained national recognition for her work.

Nominations for the Excellence in Research Award are blinded, then meticulously reviewed by members of the GAPNA National Awards Committee following a standardized scoring process.

“Dr. Carpenter was nominated by colleagues this year whose admiration and respect was evident,” said Brette Winston, MSN, AGPCNP-BC, committee chair. “Her vast contributions to the world of geriatric nursing research and their impact on patient care were indisputably clear, from local to international achievements. GAPNA is proud to recognize Dr. Carpenter as an outstanding nurse scientist with this year’s Excellence in Research Award.”

According to the nomination, submitted by Elizabeth Galik, PhD ’07, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, professor and chair of UMSON’s Department of Organizational Systems and Adult Health, and other colleagues, Carpenter has made outstanding contributions to nursing science as principal investigator, co-principal investigator, or co-investigator on more than16 research grants funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Veterans Affairs, and private foundations, securing more than $9.5 million in funding. Her work has garnered citations across 159 journals and international platforms. Carpenter has published more than 60 peer-reviewed publications and has delivered over 50 conference presentations nationally and internationally.

As part of her work, Carpenter evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of palliative care intervention in 12 nursing homes with community-based nurse practitioners. Results from the study indicate that the intervention is feasible and acceptable. To build on these findings, she is currently conducting a comprehensive qualitative study to examine palliative care consultations in nursing homes. This work will put forth a process model to guide researchers, clinicians, and policymakers to implement palliative care consultations in nursing homes.

The nomination also praises Carpenter’s passion for mentorship. She provides research guidance to PhD students, undergraduate nursing students, pre-nursing scholars, and early-career faculty, supporting the next generation of nurse scientists.

“Dr. Carpenter is a valued team scientist and actively contributes to interdisciplinary research groups. I enthusiastically submit this nomination to recognize her work and commitment to advancing impactful clinical research focused on improving care for older adults,” Galik wrote.

Added Barbara Resnick, PhD ’96, RN, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, professor, Sonya Ziporkin Gershowitz Chair in Gerontology, and associate dean for research, “Dr. Carpenter is the perfect candidate for this well-deserved award. She has truly been a leader in palliative care in the long-term care arena as well as serving as a model for doing implementation research in these settings.”

Carpenter earned a PhD in Nursing Science from the University of Utah, a Master of Science in Nursing Family Nurse Practitioner degree from the Medical College of Georgia, and a Bachelor of Nursing Science from Pennsylvania State University. She received a postdoctoral research fellowship sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2018 and was awarded a prestigious career development award from NIH/National Institute of Nursing Research in 2019.

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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 nearly 2,000 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.