Sean Clarke

Faculty

Sean Clarke Headshot

Sean Clarke

PhD RN FAAN

Ursula Springer Professor in Nursing Leadership

1 212 998 5264

433 First Ave
New York, NY 10010
United States

Sean Clarke, PhD, RN, FAAN is the Ursula Springer Professor in Nursing Leadership at the NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing. He is a nursing health services researcher with interests in quality and safety of nursing care, nurse workforce issues, management of nursing services, as well as questions related to health systems changes and their impacts on the nursing profession. He has taught nursing leadership and professional issues, health policy, research, and clinical science courses in universities in the United States, Canada, and beyond. He currently the Editor-in-Chief of Nursing Outlook, the official journal of the American Academy of Nursing and serves on a number of editorial boards and grant review panels.

Prof. Clarke is currently co-principal investigator of Towards Magnet 3.0, a multimethod evaluation study of the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet Recognition Program, and principal investigator of the evaluation of the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation’s $51 million 5- year Nursing Initiative that is supporting workforce strategies in 13 hospitals caring for vulnerable populations in New York State.

Prior to joining the faculty at NYU Meyers, Clarke was a tenured faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Toronto, and McGill University and held endowed chairs and codirected and directed research centers and other initiatives at those institutions before serving as Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Boston College’s Connell School of Nursing from 2014 to 2018. He served as Executive Vice Dean at NYU Meyers from 2019 to 2024.

Among his many honors, Clarke was named a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing in 2006. He has held visiting and honorary appointments at universities around the world, and in 2025 received the Academy’s Civitas Award, which recognizes extraordinary dedication to excellence in promoting quality care.

Post-MS certificate, Adult Critical Care Nurse Practitioner, University of Pennsylvania
PhD, Nursing, McGill University
MSc(A), Nursing, McGill University
BA, Psychology, Carleton University
BSc, Biochemistry-Nutrition, University of Ottawa

Acute Care
Adult Health
Health Services Research
Health Outcomes
Health Policy
Nursing Leadership
Nursing Professional Issues
Nurse Occupational Health
Nursing workforce

American Nurses Association
American Academy of Nursing
Sigma Theta Tau International

Civitas Award, American Academy of Nursing (2025)
Creative Teaching Award, Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto (2011)
Dean’s Award for Undergraduate Teaching, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing (2007)
Class of 1965 25th Reunion Term Chair, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing [for enduring contributions to undergraduate education] (2006)
Fellow, American Academy of Nursing (2006)
Junior Faculty Research Award, Biobehavioral and Health Sciences Division School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania (2006)
Article of the Year, Academy Health [Academy for Health Services Research and Health Policy] for Aiken, Clarke et al., JAMA, October 23/30, 2002 (2003)
American Academy of Nursing Media Award for coverage of Aiken, Clarke et al., JAMA, October 23/30, 2002 (2003)
American Academy of Nursing Media Award for coverage of Aiken, Clarke, et al. Health Affairs, 2001 (2002)
Induction into Sigma Theta Tau, Xi Chapter (1999)

Implications of the california nurse staffing mandate for other states : Nursing and home care

Aiken, L. H., Sloane, D. M., Cimiotti, J. P., Clarke, S., Flynn, L., Seago, J. A., Spetz, J., & Smith, H. L. (2010). In Health Services Research (Vols. 45, Issues 4, pp. 904-921). 10.1111/j.1475-6773.2010.01114.x
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Objectives. To determine whether nurse staffing in California hospitals, where state-mandated minimum nurse-to-patient ratios are in effect, differs from two states without legislation and whether those differences are associated with nurse and patient outcomes. Data Sources. Primary survey data from 22,336 hospital staff nurses in California, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey in 2006 and state hospital discharge databases. Study Design. Nurse workloads are compared across the three states and we examine how nurse and patient outcomes, including patient mortality and failure-to-rescue, are affected by the differences in nurse workloads across the hospitals in these states. Principal Findings. California hospital nurses cared for one less patient on average than nurses in the other states and two fewer patients on medical and surgical units. Lower ratios are associated with significantly lower mortality. When nurses' workloads were in line with California-mandated ratios in all three states, nurses' burnout and job dissatisfaction were lower, and nurses reported consistently better quality of care. Conclusions. Hospital nurse staffing ratios mandated in California are associated with lower mortality and nurse outcomes predictive of better nurse retention in California and in other states where they occur.

Nurse burnout and quality of care : cross-national investigation in six countries.

Poghosyan, L., Clarke, S., Finlayson, M., & Aiken, L. H. (2010). In Research in Nursing & Health (Vols. 33, Issues 4, pp. 288-298). 10.1002/nur.20383
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We explored the relationship between nurse burnout and ratings of quality of care in 53,846 nurses from six countries. In this secondary analysis, we used data from the International Hospital Outcomes Study; data were collected from 1998 to 2005. The Maslach Burnout Inventory and a single-item reflecting nurse-rated quality of care were used in multiple logistic regression modeling to investigate the association between nurse burnout and nurse-rated quality of care. Across countries, higher levels of burnout were associated with lower ratings of the quality of care independent of nurses' ratings of practice environments. These findings suggest that reducing nurse burnout may be an effective strategy for improving nurse-rated quality of care in hospitals. 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Nurses' work environments, care rationing, job outcomes, and quality of care on neonatal units

Rochefort, C. M., & Clarke, S. (2010). In Journal of Advanced Nursing (Vols. 66, Issues 10, pp. 2213-2224). 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2010.05376.x
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Aim: This paper is a report of a study of the relationship between work environment characteristics and neonatal intensive care unit nurses' perceptions of care rationing, job outcomes, and quality of care. Background: International evidence suggests that attention to work environments might improve nurse recruitment and retention, and the quality of care. However, comparatively little attention has been given to neonatal care, a specialty where patient and nurse outcomes are potentially quite sensitive to problems with staffing and work environments. Methods: Over a 6-month period in 2007-2008, a questionnaire containing measures of work environment characteristics, nursing care rationing, job satisfaction, burnout and quality of care was distributed to 553 nurses in all neonatal intensive care units in the province of Quebec (Canada). Results: A total of 339 nurses (61·3%) completed questionnaires. Overall, 18·6% were dissatisfied with their job, 35·7% showed high emotional exhaustion, and 19·2% rated the quality of care on their unit as fair or poor. Care activities most frequently rationed because of insufficient time were discharge planning, parental support and teaching, and comfort care. In multivariate analyses, higher work environment ratings were related to lower likelihood of reporting rationing and burnout, and better ratings of quality of care and job satisfaction. Conclusion: Additional research on the determinants of nurse outcomes, the quality of patient care, and the impact of rationing of nursing care on patient outcomes in neonatal intensive care units is required. The Neonatal Extent of Work Rationing Instrument appears to be a useful tool for monitoring the extent of rationing of nursing care in neonatal units.

Researchers and productivity metrics : The tail that wags the dog?

Clarke, S. (2010). In Canadian Journal of Nursing Research (Vols. 42, Issues 4, pp. 5-8).
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Vital Signs

Rose, L., & Clarke, S. (2010). In American Journal of Nursing (Vols. 110, Issues 5). 10.1097/01.NAJ.0000372049.58200.da
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What have we learned from the H1N1 crisis?

Clarke, S. (2010). In Canadian Journal of Nursing Research (Vols. 42, Issue 1, pp. 3-6).
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Cardiac rehabilitation research : New perspectives for a new century

Clarke, S. (2009). In Journal of Research in Nursing (Vols. 14, Issues 3, pp. 203-205). 10.1177/1744987109105711
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Effects of hospital care environment on patient mortality and nurse outcomes

Aiken, L. H., Clarke, S., Sloane, D. M., Lake, E. T., & Cheney, T. (2009). In Journal of Nursing Administration (Vols. 39, Issue 7-8 SUPPL., pp. S45-S51). 10.1097/NNA.0b013e3181aeb4cf
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The objective of this study was to analyze the net effects of nurse practice environments on nurse and patient outcomes after accounting for nurse staffing and education. Background: Staffing and education have welldocumented associations with patient outcomes, but evidence on the effect of care environments on outcomes has been more limited. Methods: Data from 10,184 nurses and 232,342 surgical patients in 168 Pennsylvania hospitals were analyzed. Care environments were measured using the practice environment scales of the Nursing Work Index. Outcomes included nurse job satisfaction, burnout, intent to leave, and reports of quality of care, as well as mortality and failure to rescue in patients. Results: Nurses reported more positive job experiences and fewer concerns with care quality, and patients had significantly lower risks of death and failure to rescue in hospitals with better care environments. Conclusion: Care environment elements must be optimized alongside nurse staffing and education to achieve high quality of care.

Factors affecting delivery of evidence-based procedural pain care in hospitalized neonates

Latimer, M. A., Johnston, C. C., Ritchie, J. A., Clarke, S., & Gilin, D. (2009). In JOGNN - Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing (Vols. 38, Issues 2, pp. 182-194). 10.1111/j.1552-6909.2009.01007.x
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Objective: To examine the effects of nurse, infant, and organizational factors on delivery of collaborative and evidence-based pain care by nurses. Design: Cross sectional. Setting: Two Level III neonatal intensive careunits in 2 large tertiary care centers in Canada. Participants: A convenience sample of 93 nurses completed survey data on procedures they performed on ill neonates. The 93 nurses performed a total of 170 pain producing procedures on 2 different shifts. Main Outcome: Nurse use of evidence-based protocols to manage procedure related pain using a scorecard of nurses' assessment, management, and documentation. Results: Procedural pain care was more likely to meet evidence-based criteria when nurse participants rated nurse-physician collaboration higher (odds ratio, 1.44; 95% confidence intervals 1.05-1.98), cared for higher care intensity infants (odds ratio, 1.21; 95% confidence intervals, 1.06-1.39), and experienced unexpected increases in work assignments (odds ratio, 1.55; 95% confidence intervals, 1.04-2.30). Nurses' knowledge about the protocols, educational preparation and experience were not significant predictors of evidence-based care for the most common procedures: heel lance and intravenous initiation. Conclusion: Nurse-physician collaboration and nurses' work assignments were more predictive of evidence-based care than infant and nurse factors. Nurses' knowledge regarding evidence-based care was not a predictor of implementation of protocols. In the final statistical modeling, collaboration with physicians, a variable amenable to intervention and further study, emerged as a strong predictor. The results highlight the complex issue of translating knowledge to practice, however, specific findings related to pain assessment and collaboration provide some direction for future practice and research initiatives.

Front-line management, staffing and nurse-doctor relationships as predictors of nurse and patient outcomes. A survey of Icelandic hospital nurses

Gunnarsdóttir, S., Clarke, S., Rafferty, A. M., & Nutbeam, D. (2009). In International Journal of Nursing Studies (Vols. 46, Issues 7, pp. 920-927). 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2006.11.007
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Objective: To investigate aspects of nurses' work environments linked with job outcomes and assessments of quality of care in an Icelandic hospital. Background: Prior research suggests that poor working environments in hospitals significantly hinder retention of nurses and high quality patient care. On the other hand, hospitals with high retention rates (such as Magnet hospitals) show supportive management, professional autonomy, good inter-professional relations and nurse job satisfaction, reduced nurse burnout and improved quality of patient care. Methods: Cross-sectional survey of 695 nurses at Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavík. Nurses' work environments were measured using the nursing work index-revised (NWI-R) and examined as predictors of job satisfaction, the Maslach burnout inventory (MBI) and nurse-assessed quality of patient care using linear and logistic regression approaches. Results: An Icelandic adaptation of the NWI-R showed a five-factor structure similar to that of Lake (2002). After controlling for nurses' personal characteristics, job satisfaction, emotional exhaustion and nurse rated quality of care were found to be independently associated with perceptions of support from unit-level managers, staffing adequacy, and nurse-doctor relations. Conclusions: The NWI-R measures elements of hospital nurses' work environments that predict job outcomes and nurses' ratings of the quality of patient care in Iceland. Efforts to improve and maintain nurses' relations with nurse managers and doctors, as well as their perceptions of staffing adequacy, will likely improve nurse job satisfaction and employee retention, and may improve the quality of patient care.