Two-term American Nurses Association president, and the voice of four million RNs.

First vice president of the International Council of Nurses. Chief Nursing Officer at UVA Medical Center. Veteran professor and mentor to legions. And now, dean of UVA School of Nursing and the Sadie Heath Cabaniss Professor.

We sat down with Pamela Cipriano as she settles into the corner office to ask about her vision, plans, why she took the job—and how she’ll ready the School for what’s next.

Q: Let’s start with your personal style. What’s your leadership like?

A: I’ve always been inclusive, and believed in servant-leader principles. As professionals, we want our work to be meaningful, and to take part in shaping our destiny, so it’s important that everyone be involved in and have opportunities to participate in and influence decisions. Our thoughts and opinions must be heard and included.
When leading a team, board, or committee, I strive for consensus—something that doesn’t mean everyone agrees on everything, but rather, that a final decision on an issue reflects the best thinking and most feasible path forward. Once we agree to a decision, we move forward together.

"In almost every job I've taken, the place has been a mess, and they've really needed someone to fix things. That's very different from my arrival at our School, which is really doing well and has a strong leadership team in place."

Dean Pam Cipriano

Q: You just finished your second term as ANA president. Why become dean?

A: I wasn’t planning on working full time this year [laughs], which many of my friends know. But I care greatly for UVA, my colleagues here, and at the Medical Center, so when I was asked if I would consider being the dean, it was impossible to say no. Not only did I want to see a really nice transition from Dorrie’s [Fontaine] time, and help bring in the next leader, but also recognized that it was a unique opportunity for me to bring my learning and experience in national and international leadership to a really strong, thriving organization.In almost every job I’ve taken, the place has been a mess, and they’ve really needed someone to fix things. That’s very different from my arrival at our School, which is really doing well and has a strong leadership team in place. My unique background and experience will help lead the discussions and decisions we’ll be addressing as a School under what I believe is really stellar leadership at UVA.

During this transition period, I have about two years—that’s not a lot of time. So I’ll need to prioritize: what will have the greatest impact so the School is positioned to bring in the very best permanent dean?

Q: What do you see as some of our strengths? What challenges do we face?

A: One of our strengths is always our people, who work tirelessly to achieve our mission. So we start with a strong sense of who we are, and people who demonstrate their care for one another, and the community.

We continue to have a very strong applicant pool, which keeps a steady pipeline of highly qualified students, and so our standing in the U.S. is strong. We’ve built our reputation through strong academics, and efforts that differentiate us, like the Compassionate Care Initiative, and our diversity, inclusion, and equity work. We also value the clinical and hands-on work that are part every nursing student’s experience.

"When you have a leadership role, there’s a curiosity; What are you thinking? What are you saying? Do I agree with you?"

Dean Pam Cipriano (on Twitter @PamCiprianoRN)

Q: What do you see as some of our strengths? What challenges do we face?

A: One of our strengths is always our people, who work tirelessly to achieve our mission. So we start with a strong sense of who we are, and people who demonstrate their care for one another, and the community.

We continue to have a very strong applicant pool, which keeps a steady pipeline of highly qualified students, and so our standing in the U.S. is strong. We’ve built our reputation through strong academics, and efforts that differentiate us, like the Compassionate Care Initiative, and our diversity, inclusion, and equity work. We also value the clinical and hands-on work that are part every nursing student’s experience.

Of course, every nursing school has areas that could be better, bigger, and stronger. I already know we want to continue to increase our number of funded researchers, and our overall funding—probably a goal of almost every American school of nursing—because that is really part of sustainability. We want to build on our strengths—in palliative and end-of-life care, women’s health and violence prevention, cancer, global health, and working on behalf of disadvantaged populations. We know we can’t do everything, so we’ll look at areas where we already have clusters of faculty expertise to build on.

We’ve also demonstrated that we value caring for caregivers, supporting a healthy and ethical work environment, and helping individuals be as healthy as they can in all parts of their life. Our pioneering work in interprofessional education must assume a bigger role in practice, too, as there’s growing recognition of its impact on clinician well-being and resilience.

We also have strength in simulation. How can we enhance it? Use it to collaborate with other programs, so it’s not just used in nursing?

I’m fortunate to have a new courtesy appointment in the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, and with that, will ensure our colleagues understand how nurse leaders influence health care and policy in the U.S., and around the world. As a School, we have many individuals who serve or have served in national leadership roles—a strength we can leverage. I want to be sure we’re recognized for our ability to educate leaders. Batten also has a Global Health Policy Center with which we’ll look to share expertise and collaborate.

It’s really my job to see what doors can be opened, how we can amplify what we’re doing, and educate others about what goes on in nursing. There’s a strong desire across Grounds to find ways to collaborate, and that will start with a deeper understanding of nursing as distinct profession, and nurses as significant players in creating health and addressing the well-being of people across the lifespan.

"I believe we’re going to see more respect for what a strong nurse brings to the table. I think the world is ready for us."

Dean Pam Cipriano

Q: How’s our relationship with the Medical Center?

A: We’re at a point of opportunity, really, with the recruitment of a new Executive Vice President of Health Affairs. It’s essential that we be full partners, along with the School of Medicine, the Medical Center, and the Health System Library as we reengage and help craft a strategic plan to dovetail with the University’s 2030 Strategic Plan. If we’re not on the inside track, we risk being left out, so it’s important to reestablish some of the relationships that have, perhaps, waned over time. We want to ensure the commitment to education, research and service is inclusive of the School of Nursing students, faculty, and staff.

Q: You’re active on social media. Why?

A: I had a Twitter account before I became ANA president, and didn’t use it much. I realized, though, that even if you don’t like social media, it’s a fact of life, and it is a major tool for communication. It’s part of what’s expected in today’s world; social media reaches multiple generations. We must be able to relate beyond our own demographic.

When you have a leadership role, there’s a curiosity; What are you thinking? What are you saying? Do I agree with you? I don’t shy away from controversy, but I don’t use incendiary language, and try not to be too adversarial or critical. If I feel really strongly about something, I’m going to say it. But I’ll always try to take the high ground, because I think it’s important that leaders look for the best way forward.

Q: You’re a passionate advocate for gender equity and women’s equality. How will you wear your feminism here?

A: We’re not going to change this world until we have more women leading in education, politics, policy, and local communities. We have to make it happen wherever we do our work.

I grew up in a very traditional household, and wasn’t encouraged necessarily to speak my mind but always did, from the time I was a student. If you can’t speak your mind, you won’t be treated like you have a voice, and will always be perceived as “less than” other people.

I try not to be offensive; when I disagree with people, it’s OK. But sometimes, how you frame things matters. In a group where I’m presenting something I know is controversial, I often put it out as a question: “This may not be a shared value or belief, but let’s consider . . . ” A lot of it is how you speak about issues when you’re not sure how the group feels.

We’ve got more nurses who are becoming CEOs, and I’d like to think we’re seeing a difference. As we recognize that an organization’s culture has to support its people, I believe we’re going to see more respect for what a strong nurse brings to the table. I think the world is ready for us.

Q: You’re a steadfast mentor. What advice do you routinely give students?

A: I tell undergraduates to find a mentor because it can be a really scary, lonely place when you’re first starting out, and it’s important to have someone you feel safe with, and can reach out to. For nurses at the graduate level, taking on leadership and service roles is an expectation—particularly graduates of a prestigious school like UVA.

My other advice is this: You have to take care of yourself both personally and professionally. No one’s going to look out for you the way you’ll look out for yourself. That’s my party line. So if you have a job that you love, and people you feel good about, work well with, and you feel like you’re contributing—great. But if those conditions are not there—maybe you have a boss you can’t support, or are part of an organization that’s lost its way, isn’t true to its values, or doesn’t support an environment that is good for patients and practice—you need to think clearly about why you’re staying. Seek advice from your colleagues and mentors; life is too short and we work too many hours to be miserable.

Q: How will you interact with alumni?

A: I’m fortunate that I know many already, and am always grateful to hear how important and meaningful their education at UVA has been to their careers. There’s a strong following here, but I believe we can tap our alumni even more for their ideas about how to strengthen our programs, and where and how to advance our work for the future.

One of the things I value greatly is feedback, so I invite everyone—alumni, students, faculty, and staff—to tell me what’s on their minds: what concerns they have, what they value, what we can do to make us better.