Eileen M. Sullivan-Marx

Faculty

Eileen M. Sullivan Marx headshot

Eileen M. Sullivan-Marx

FAAN PhD RN

Professor
Immediate Past Dean

1 212 998 5303

433 First Ave
New York, NY 10010
United States

Eileen M. Sullivan-Marx's additional information

Eileen Sullivan-Marx is immediate past dean of New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing. She served as dean and Erline Perkins McGriff Professor from 2012-2023. She is past president of the American Academy of Nursing. Prior to NYU, Dr. Sullivan-Marx had a distinguished career at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, where she was the associate dean for practice & community affairs, creating community partnerships for care of older adults and promotion of healthy activities entitled Healthy in Philadelphia. She is a distinguished nursing leader, educator, and clinician known for research and innovative approaches in primary care, testing methods of payment for nurses particularly with Medicaid and Medicare, sustaining models of care using advanced practice nurses locally and globally, and developing health policy in community-based settings. With a strong belief in the integration of practice, research, education, and interdisciplinary teamwork, Dr. Sullivan-Marx has built and sustained models of team care including a private family practice, growing a Program of All Inclusive Care for Elders (PACE) from 75 persons to 525 persons in five years that saved the state of Pennsylvania fifteen cents on the dollar in Medicaid funding and launched numerous older adult team programs in academic centers as well as the Veterans Administration. Dr. Sullivan-Marx has been on numerous community planning and advisory boards including the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Patient and Safety Board from 2009-2012.

She was the first nurse to serve as the American Nurses Association representative to the American Medical Association’s Resource Based Relative Value Update Committee and did so for 11 years, demonstrating through research that nurse practitioner and physician work can be valued equally in that payment structure. Dr. Sullivan-Marx has been active in regional, state, and national policy. She has served as Chair of the Pennsylvania Commission on Senior Care Services in 2008, as a member of the Philadelphia Emergency Preparation Review Commission in 2006, and as an American Political Science Congressional Fellow and Senior Advisor to the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Medicaid and Medicare Coordination in 2010, just after passage of the Affordable Care Act. As part of this position, she worked to bring promising models of care to scale such as the PACE Programs. She is a former member of the American Academy of Nursing’s (AAN) Board of Directors and is currently an AAN Edge Runner. Dr. Sullivan-Marx is a Fellow in both the New York Academy of Medicine and the Gerontology Society of America.

Among the numerous awards that she has received are the international Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society Best of Image research award (1993) and its excellence in practice award (2011), the Springer Publishing Research Award, the Doris Schwartz Gerontological Nursing Research Award. She is a Distinguished Alumni of the University of Rochester School of Nursing.

Dean Sullivan-Marx began her nursing career in 1972 in Philadelphia, earned a BSN (1976) from the University of Pennsylvania, and an MS (1980) from the University of Rochester School of Nursing as a family health nurse practitioner. She received a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing in 1995. Her nurse practitioner career was exemplified by forging and sustaining primary care practices which she successfully and uniquely integrated into her academic research and teaching career.

PhD, Gerontology - University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing (1995)
MS, Family Health Nurse Clinician - University of Rochester School of Nursing (1980)
BSN - University of Pennsylvania (1976)
Nursing Diploma - Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing (1972)

Gerontology
Health Policy
Global
Home care

American Nurses Association
American Nurses Association, Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science, ANA-New York
Eastern Nursing Research Society
Gerontological Society of America
Fellow, Institute on Aging, University of Pennsylvania
Senior Fellow, Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics University of Pennsylvania
Sigma Theta Tau, Xi Upsilon Chapter

Faculty Honors Awards

American Academy of Nursing President's Award (2023)
Arnold P. Gold Foundation Humanism in Medicine Award (2023)
United Hospital Fund Special Tribute (2019)
Top 50 Health Care Leaders, Irish America Magazine (2019)
American Academy of Nursing President's Award (2016)
VillageCare Distinguished Service Award (2016)
Herman Briggs Society, NY (2013)
Fellow, Gerontological Society of America (2013)
Doris Schwartz Gerontological Nursing Research Award, Gerontological Society of America (2013)
Fellow, New York Academy of Medicine (2012)
American Academy of Nursing Edge Runner Designation (2012)
Research Associate, Penn Institute for Urban Research University of Pennsylvania (2012)
Dean’s Professional Practice Award, University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing (2011)
Board Member, American Academy of Nursing (2011)
Distinguished Alumni Award, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing (2011)
Health and Aging Fellowship, American Political Science Association (2011)
Marie Hippensteel Lingeman Award for Excellence in Nursing Practice, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society (2011)
American Academy of Nursing Edge Runner Designation (2011)
Health and Aging Fellowship, American Political Science Association (2010)
Legislative Award, Pennsylvania State Nurses Association Advocacy (2010)
American Academy of Nursing Edge Runner Designation (2010)
American Academy of Nursing Edge Runner Designation (2009)
Faculty Fellow, Penn Institute for Urban Research (2009)
Eastern Nursing Research Society, The John A. Hartford Foundation Geriatric Research Award (2008)
American Academy of Nursing Edge Runner Designation (2008)
American Academy of Nursing Edge Runner Designation (2007)
American Academy of Nursing Edge Runner Designation (2006)
Society of Primary Care Policy Fellows (2004)
Department of Health & Human Services Primary Care Health Policy Fellowship (2004)
Undergraduate Student Advising Award, University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing (2002)
Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Rochester, School of Nursing (2001)
Society for Advancement of Nursing Science (2000)
Springer Publishing Company Research Award for most outstanding project, “Relative Work Values of Nurse Practitioner Services,” American Nurses Association Council for Nursing Research 1998 Research Utilization Conference (1998)
Ethel F. Lord Fellowship, Soroptomist Organization scholarship for graduate study in field of gerontology (1993)
Sigma Theta Tau International Best of Image Award for scholarly excellence in research, "Functional Status Outcomes of a Nursing Intervention in Hospitalized Elderly" (1993)
Nursing Practice Award, Pennsylvania Nurses' Association (1986)
Louise Wilson Haller Memorial Prize for Excellence in Professional Nursing, University of Rochester, School of Nursing (1980)
fellow, American Academy of Nursing

Publications

The frequency and course of delirium in older surgical intensive care unit patients

Balas, M. C., Deutschman, C. S., Sullivan-Marx, E., Alston, R. P., Strumpf, N. E., & Richmond, T. S. (2007). Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 39, 147-154.

Aging is a human experience of courage and human development

Sullivan-Marx, E., & Gueldner, S. H. (2006). Journal of Professional Nursing, 22(2), 71-72. 10.1016/j.profnurs.2006.01.009

Art Therapy: Using the Creative Process for Healing and Hope Among African American Older Adults

Johnson, C. M., & Sullivan-Marx, E. M. (2006). Geriatric Nursing, 27(5), 309-316. 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2006.08.010
Abstract
Abstract
This article provides an introduction to the field of art therapy and the potential it can offer to address the emotional needs of the frail elderly. Two case studies are discussed, and examples of artwork are provided. The case studies and artwork were created under the guidance of an art therapist at a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) site in an urban African American community. This article explores how art making addresses the specific developmental tasks of the elderly in a culturally competent manner. Included are practical considerations in the choice of art media and directives for working with elderly clients, as well as resources for further information on the use of art in therapy.

Best practice initiatives in geriatric nursing: Experiences from the John A. Hartford Foundation Centers of Geriatric Nursing Excellence

Harvath, T. A., Beck, C., Flaherty-Robb, M., Hartz, C. H., Specht, J., Sullivan-Marx, E., & Archbold, P. (2006). Nursing Outlook, 54(4), 212-218. 10.1016/j.outlook.2006.05.002
Abstract
Abstract
Four of the five John A. Hartford Foundation Centers of Geriatric Nursing Excellence (HCGNEs) have been involved in efforts designed to improve the quality of nursing care to older adults through evidence-based Best Practice Initiatives. This article describes the important role these initiatives play in building academic geriatric nursing capacity. Building on the work of other nurse researchers, these projects attend to organizational and individual aspects of change theory, the scientific basis for practice innovations, and the role of expert consultation to support change. Best practice examples from the HCGNE demonstrate how the science involved in translating research into gerontological nursing practice has evolved, creating important educational opportunities for nursing students at all levels. In order to build academic geriatric nursing capacity, it is essential that schools of nursing help undergraduate and advanced practice nursing students develop an appreciation for how research and education can improve the care of older adults.

Directions for the development of nursing knowledge

Sullivan-Marx, E. M. (2006). Policy, Politics, and Nursing Practice, 7(3), 164-168. 10.1177/1527154406294185
Abstract
Abstract
Nurses and health care increasingly are embracing and guided by achievements and challenges of evidence-based practice and reflective practice. Nursing science advances have positioned nurses to move forward in the development of science. New directions for nursing knowledge need to emerge in several ways including the development of interdisciplinary knowledge, emphasis on the nursing care process, creation of new workforce patterns, and development of economic theories of nursing practice.

Successful recruiting into geriatric nursing: The experience of the John A. Hartford Foundation Centers of Geriatric Nursing Excellence

Mackin, L. A., Kayser-Jones, J., Franklin, P. D., Evans, L. K., Sullivan-Marx, E. M., Herr, K. A., Swanson, E. A., Lubin, S. A., & Messecar, D. C. (2006). Nursing Outlook, 54(4), 197-203. 10.1016/j.outlook.2006.05.009
Abstract
Abstract
The overall goal of the John A. Hartford Foundation Centers of Geriatric Nursing Excellence (HCGNE or Center) program is to build academic geriatric nursing capacity. Thus, a key component of the program is to increase enrollment into geriatric nursing programs at the master's and doctoral levels. The Centers successfully utilized a variety of recruitment strategies targeting prospective students who expressed an interest in geriatric nursing. These included exemplary use of media resources; participation in local, regional, and national recruiting events; establishing and maintaining personal contact with prospective students; garnering financial support; and curricular enhancements including new course/program offerings designed to meet specific needs. The aggregate outcome of the HCGNE student recruitment activities has been to enlist large cohorts of motivated and gifted students into graduate programs in geriatric nursing.

Functional outcomes for older adults with cognitive impairment in a comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facility

Yu, F., Evans, L. K., & Sullivan-Marx, E. M. (2005). Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 53(9), 1599-1606. 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2005.53453.x
Abstract
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to examine functional outcomes of a nurse-managed, community-based Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facility (CORF) for frail older adults and to compare the outcomes between two groups: older adults with cognitive impairment and those with intact cognition. A retrospective cohort design using healthcare record abstraction was used for the study. Two hundred and one older adults who were admitted to the CORF from the end of 1997 to early 1999 were included in the study. Data were abstracted from healthcare records, including clinician-generated Mini-Mental State Examination, Geriatric Depression Scale, and Functional Independence Measure scores from the healthcare records and investigator-constructed measures of functional gain, rehabilitation efficiency, days of service, and discharge location. Multivariate regression analyses were performed to compare rehabilitation outcomes between the two groups. Regardless of cognitive status, all subjects improved significantly in their levels of functional dependence through participating in this outpatient rehabilitation program (P<.001). Subjects with cognitive impairment exhibited more functional dependence at baseline and discharge than did their cognitively intact counterparts. Nevertheless, there was no difference between the two groups in functional gain (P = .63), rehabilitation efficiency (P = .66), days of service (P = .83), or discharge location (P =.69). Therefore, despite their greater degree of functional dependence on admission, older adults with cognitive impairment benefited from this CORF without requiring more days of service and should thus be referred for rehabilitation services.

Practice Patterns and Potential Solutions to the Shortage of Providers of Older Adult Mental Health Services

Hanrahan, N. P., & Sullivan-Marx, E. M. (2005). Policy, Politics, & Nursing Practice, 6(3), 236-245. 10.1177/1527154405279195
Abstract
Abstract
Little is known about the contribution of advanced practice nurses (APNs) to the mental health care of older adults. This study describes mental health services to older adults by APNs compared with primary care physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers. The study uses a retrospective, cross-sectional design with a 5% national sample of 1999 Medicare outpatient claims. Bivariate statistics and multinomial logit models were used to determine differences among these mental health providers. A small proportion of the nationally available providers (10.4%) submitted claims for mental health services rendered to older adults. APNs, psychiatrists, and primary care physicians care for a disproportionate number of rural and poor older adults with complex medical/psychiatric needs compared with psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers. APNs seem to be an untapped resource for providing mental health services to older adults. Health policy reform is needed to remove barriers to meet mental health care needs.

Physical restraint among hospitalized nursing home residents: Predictors and outcomes

Sullivan-Marx, E. M., Kurlowicz, L. H., Maislin, G., & Carson, J. L. (2002). Clinical Gerontologist, 24(1), 85-101. 10.1300/J018v24n01_07
Abstract
Abstract
We examined physical restraint use among 1856 nursing home residents hospitalized with hip fracture using a data set of hip fracture patients in 20 U. S. hospitals from 1983-1993. Mean age of patients was 85.2 years, 81.7% were women, and 91.3% were white. Rate of physical restraint use was 59.4%. Pre-operative physical restraint use was predicted by younger age, confusion, dementia, and needing assistance or dependency in activities of daily living (ADL). Physical restraint use following surgery was predicted by pre-operative physical restraint use, confusion, dementia, and lower co-morbidity of illness. At hospital discharge, restrained patients were more likely to be dependent in ADL and continence. The reduction of physical restraints among hospitalized nursing home residents will require attention to a multiplicity of factors that contribute to restraint use.

Achieving restraint-free care of acutely confused older adults.

Sullivan-Marx, E. M. (2001). Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 27(4), 56-61. 10.3928/0098-9134-20010401-11
Abstract
Abstract
Restraint-free care has emerged as an indicator of quality care for older adults in all settings. The most difficult challenges to achieving this goal are care of hospitalized older adults who are functionally dependent and cognitively impaired. The purpose of this article is to report findings from a descriptive study of restrained hip fracture patients, and discuss approaches to achieving restraint-free care. Rate of restraint use was 33.2% among hospitalized hip fracture patients during an 11-year period in 20 metropolitan teaching hospitals. Restrained patients were older men who resided in nursing homes prior to hospitalization. Clinically, restrained patients had a diagnosis of dementia, were noted to be confused or disoriented by nursing staff, and were dependent in activities of daily living. An individualized approach to care is the best method to avoid use of physical restraints for patients with acute confusion and cognitive impairment.