Dr. Karen Daley of ANA to Speak at Penn Nursing Commencement

Newswise — Karen Daley, PhD, MPH, RN, president of the American Nurses Association, will give the commencement address at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing on May 14 at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, Pa. The ANA is the nation’s largest nursing organization, representing the interests of 3.1 million registered nurses.

Dr. Daley spent more than 26 years as staff nurse at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. She is a past president of the Massachusetts Association of Registered Nurses and the Massachusetts Center for Nursing. She has published widely and has served on the boards of the ANA, the American Nurses Credentialing Center, and the ANA-PAC. Her work toward legislation mandating the use of safer needle devices in healthcare practice settings led to the federal Needlestick Safety Prevention Act in 2000.

“Dr. Daley is an excellent role model of leadership for our graduates,” said Afaf I. Meleis, PhD, dean of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. “She is a remarkable scholar, dedicated practitioner, and passionate advocate. She brings an important voice to nursing. We are thrilled to have her share her insight and wisdom at our commencement.”

The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing is one of the premier research institutions in nursing, producing new knowledge in geriatrics, pediatrics, oncology, quality-of-life choices, and other areas. Researchers here consistently receive more research funding from the National Institutes of Health than any other private nursing school, and many Master’s programs are ranked first in the country. This year, faculty, students, alumni, and staff celebrate 125 years of nursing at Penn.