Nurse of the Week: Johns Hopkins Nursing Professor Sarah Szanton Recognized for Social Justice Work

Our Nurse of the Week is Sarah L. Szanton, PhD, ANP, FAAN, professor in the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing (JHSON) who was recently named the inaugural Endowed Professor in Health Equity and Social Justice.

As part of the partnership, Szanton will step into a permanent position created to solidify the school’s influence and leadership in advocating for universal health access, equity in care locally and globally, and understanding how gender, race, and other social determinants impact health and well-being.

Patricia Davidson, PhD, MEd, RN, FAAN, dean of JHSON, tells Newswise.com, “Dr. Szanton is qualified, committed, and an excellent fit to forge this important and transformational agenda. Her work with low-income, older adults throughout Baltimore has expanded across the nation and world and has reformed how we look at access to health care, especially among the most vulnerable populations. This is an opportunity for her to continue the good work and further advocate for equity and justice in health.”

Szanton was also recently named the director of JHSON’s Center for Innovative Care in Aging where she leads the school’s efforts in advancing and supporting the health and well-being of older adults and their families. Early on in her career, Szanton cared for homebound, low-income elderly patients in Baltimore which led her to develop the Community Aging in Place Advancing Better Living for Elders (CAPABLE) program.

Szanton also researches the impact of food and energy access on health outcomes, strategies for preventing falls among older adults, and policy changes for cost-effective, tax-saving programs that improve health. To learn more about Sarah Szanton and her newly endowed professorship, visit here.