A Day in the Life of an Academic Geriatric Nurse
Heather Young, PhD, RN
Associate Vice Chancellor for Nursing
University of California, Davis Health System
Sacramento, California
Dean and Professor
Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing
In 2008, the University of California, Davis, sought a founding dean to establish the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing. They were looking for someone who shared the vision of advancing health and igniting leadership through innovative education, transformative research and bold system change. Claire M. Fagin, PhD, RN, founding Program Director, Building Academic Geriatric Nursing Capacity Initiative and a consultant to the school, knew just the right person. Dr. Heather Young had already distinguished herself as an expert in gerontological nursing, a BAGNC mentor, and Director of the Oregon Health & Science University Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence.
Dr. Young works with doctoral nursing student Sheridan Miramoto on a telehealth system to communicate with patients living in rural settings.“I believed she would make a wonderful dean and just what Davis needed,” says Dr. Fagin. “She’s audacious, innovative, and, most importantly, a very positive person.” Dr. Young hesitated at first. “I told Dr. Fagin that I don’t fit the mold of a typical dean,” she says. “I don’t always follow the rules and I’m out there trying different things.” Ultimately, she embraced the opportunity to build a new school of nursing intent on transforming nursing education and creating change in the delivery of health care.
“She’s audacious, innovative, and, most importantly, a very positive person.”Dr. Claire M. Fagin
A unique aspect of Dr. Young’s position is that she also holds an executive leadership position within the entire health system, serving as Associate Vice Chancellor. Thus nursing has an integral role in system-wide strategic planning and implementation.
Dr. Young is especially pleased that the school’s research and education places special emphasis on promoting health, specifically for older adults. Her own research focuses on environments that promote healthy aging.
Dr. Young realized the importance of hiring faculty “with the kind of values that will take us to the future.” For this reason, she has turned to several former BAGNC Pre-doctoral Scholars and Post-doctoral Fellows, including Elena Siegel, PhD, RN, (see profile), whom she recruited to teach and conduct research in the area of health systems.
Dr. Young, who in addition to her position as Dean serves as Associate Vice Chancellor of the UC Davis Health System, meets with the board as it undergoes a strategic planning process.
Claire M. Fagin Post-doctoral Fellow Tara Sharpp, PhD, RN, (far left) discusses her research on how staff monitor and provide health care to residents with dementia in assisted living facilities with her mentors, Dr. Young, Debra Bakerjian, PhD, FNP, RN, and Dr. Elena Siegel. Elena Siegel, PhD, RN ›