Linda H. Aiken, PhD, RN is Director and Founder of Penn Nursing’s Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research, the Claire M. Fagin Leadership Professor of Nursing and of Sociology, and National Program Director for the Hillman Scholars Program in Nursing Innovation. Dr. Aiken is an internationally recognized expert on health care policy and health outcomes research. She is best known for her research on the use of performance measures to demonstrate relationships between nursing care and patient outcomes in the U.S. and abroad.
She co-directs Magnet4Europe, the largest initiative to redesign hospital workplaces to improve the mental health and wellbeing of nurses and physicians and to improve patient safety. She has authored nearly 350 publications and received every major award in her field, including the American Academy of Nursing Living Legend; Joint Commission Accreditation of Health Care Organizations’ Individual Ernest A. Codman Award; National Academy of Medicine’s Lienhard Award for the cumulative impact of her research on the improvement of health services; Consortium of Universities for Global Health’s Velji Global Health Project of the Year Award; AcademyHealth Distinguished Investigator Award; William B. Graham Prize for Health Services Research; inaugural Princess Muna al-Hussein Award for contributions to healthcare across borders; Inaugural International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame from Sigma Theta Tau International; Christiane Reimann Prize from the International Council of Nurses; and Sigma Theta Tau International Nell Watts Lifetime Achievement of Nursing.
Dr. Aiken has mentored 40+ doctoral graduates and 50+ post‐doctoral fellows, including Harkness and Fulbright Scholars. She is the founder and director of the longest continuously NIH-funded PhD training program in nursing in the country.
