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)

More nursing, fewer deaths

Clarke, S., Clarke, S. P., & Aiken, L. H. (2006). In Quality and Safety in Health Care (Vols. 15, Issue 1, pp. 2-3). 10.1136/qshc.2005.017343
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Organizational climate and culture factors.

Clarke, S. (2006). In Annual review of nursing research (Vols. 24, pp. 255-272). 10.1891/0739-6686.24.1.255
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Nurses and others have expressed a great deal of interest in the potential for incorporating notions about organizational culture and climate in research and practice aiming to improve health care safety. In this review, definitions and measures of these terms are explored, the state of the research literature connecting culture and climate with safety is reviewed, and directions for future research and leadership practice are outlined.

Research on nurse staffing and its outcomes : The challenges and risks of grasping at shadows

Clarke, S. (2006). In The Complexities of Care : Nursing Reconsidered (pp. 161-184). Cornell University Press.
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Reviewing peer review : The three reviewers you meet at submission time

Clarke, S. (2006). In Canadian Journal of Nursing Research (Vols. 38, Issues 4, pp. 5-9).
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Advice to authors : The "big 4" reasons behind manuscript rejection

Clarke, S. (2005). In Canadian Journal of Nursing Research (Vols. 37, Issues 3, pp. 5-9).
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Head and neck cancer patient and family member interest in and use of E-mail to communicate with clinicians

Kagan, S. H., Clarke, S., & Happ, M. B. (2005). In Head and Neck (Vols. 27, Issues 11, pp. 976-981). 10.1002/hed.20263
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Background. E-mail is actively discussed as a promising method for clinical communication, but little study of patient and family preferences regarding its use has been done. This study aimed to describe patients' and family members' interest in and use of E-mail with their surgeons and nurses after head and neck cancer surgery. Methods. Surveys were distributed to patients and family members attending postoperative clinic visits. Seventy-four patients and 35 caregivers completed the surveys. Results. Although one in three patients expressed interest in E-mailing their clinicians, only 9.5% reported actually doing so. Symptom management and prescription refills were the most common issues addressed by E-mail. Few family members expressed any interest in using E-mail. Conclusions. The findings suggest that E-mail communication between patients with head and neck cancer or their family members with surgeons and nurses is not common. Interest in using E-mail tends to be stronger among patients than family members.

Impact factors and the law of unintended consequences

Gottlieb, L. N., & Clarke, S. (2005). In Canadian Journal of Nursing Research (Vols. 37, Issues 4, pp. 5-10).
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The policy implications of staffing-outcomes research

Clarke, S. (2005). In Journal of Nursing Administration (Vols. 35, Issue 1, pp. 17-19). 10.1097/00005110-200501000-00008
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Surgeon's and nurses' use of E-mail communication with head and neck cancer patients

Kagan, S. H., Clarke, S., & Happ, M. B. (2005). In Head and Neck (Vols. 27, Issues 2, pp. 108-113). 10.1002/hed.20119
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Background. "Telephone tag" for questions about postoperative symptoms and other concerns often engenders dissatisfaction. E-mail use may improve communication between patients and clinicians. This study aimed to describe surgeons' and nurses' use of E-mail with patients and their caregivers after head and neck cancer surgery. Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional national survey of head and neck nurses and surgeons. Results. Ninety-six percent of surgeon and 87% of nurse respondents used E-mail, but only 40% and 25%, respectively, used it with patients. More than 50% of both clinician groups that used E-mail with patients have done so for 2 to 5 years and began this practice at the request of patients. Surgeons not using E-mail with patients were twice as likely as nurses to cite privacy and liability issues, as well as time management and miscommunication concerns. Conclusions. Some clinicians use E-mail with patients, most often by patient request. Medicolegal and clinical ramifications require further study.

Failure to rescue : Lessons from missed opportunities in care

Clarke, S. (2004). In Nursing Inquiry (Vols. 11, Issues 2, pp. 67-71). 10.1111/j.1440-1800.2004.00210.x
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