World Health Organization

In 1988, Penn Nursing earned the prestigious designation of being named a World Health Organization Collaborating Center (WHOCC) for Nursing and Midwifery Leadership, and we’ve been working with the WHO ever since.

We are a member of a global network of WHOCCs supporting WHO global health priorities.

Our work is focused on the goal of “health for all through nursing and midwifery.” As a collaborating center, we commit to a certain number of projects with the WHO during each four-year cycle of work. For 2022-2026, we plan to support the WHO and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in the Latin American and Caribbean region via three Terms of Reference (TOR). These TORs focus on 1) the increase in knowledge and understanding of maternal health and mortality, 2) the building of capacity in nursing education, and 3) strengthening nursing research.  

Resources created by Penn Nursing to support our WHOCC Work

Summit to Advance PhD Nursing Programs in Latin American & the Caribbean - June 2022 Report in LINKS MAGAZINE

Authors: Eileen T. Lake, PhD, RN, FAAN1; Adriana Perez, PhD, CRNP, ANP-BC, FAAN, FGSA1; Laura Vargas, PhD, MSW, MPA1; Antonia M. Villarruel, PhD, RN, FAAN1

Background: A comprehensive report Formación doctoral en enfermería en América Latina y el Caribe (Doctoral Training in Nursing Latin America and the Caribbean) was developed by PAHO (2017), to facilitate the advancement of doctoral education in nursing in the region. In addition to the Doctoral Formation report, a key policy instrument of relevance to PhD education was promulgated in 2018: The Sustainable Health Agenda for the Americas 2018-2030 (SHAA2030) was adopted by the PAHO/WHO and Secretaries of Health of the countries of the Region of the Americas (SHRA), as a strategic policy instrument that provides direction and political vision for health development in the Region for the next 13 years. To further advance the recommendations of the Doctoral Formation report, and in consideration of the SHAA2030, the World Health Organization Collaborating Center (WHOCC) for Nursing and Midwifery Leadership at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing along with PAHO leadership designed a two-day summit on the advancement, re-envisioning, and reaffirmation of doctoral nursing in the Americas. An international gathering of leaders and experts in nursing research and practice, the purpose of this summit was to develop recommendations for the growth and continued success of PhD nursing education throughout the Americas. This summit was part of the Penn Nursing WHOCC Terms of Reference developed with PAHO. This article describes the Summit structure and purpose, summarizes discussion by Summit participants, and proposes further actions to be taken. Read the full article here.

Collaboration with the Nicaragua Ministry of Health for Train the Trainers in Maternal Health and Community Strategies “Curso de Entrenador en Salud Materna y Estrategias Comunitarias”

National School of Nursing and Obstetrics of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM): Leadership Conference In Nursing For What And For Whom?”/Escuela Nacional de Enfermería y Obstetricia de la UNAM: Conferencia “Liderazgo en Enfermería ¿Para qué?” - January 8, 2021

PAHO/OPS Nicaragua — Special Webinar on BSN Education Curricular Standards/ Seminario web del taller de la OPS en Nicaragua — November 15, 2019

PAHO/WHO Webinar Series: Building Research Excellence in Latin America and the Caribbean | Serie de seminario web de OPS/OMS: Construyendo Excelencia en Investigación en América Latina y el Caribe:

“Developing a Program of Research” / “Desarrollando un programa de investigación”

Picture of Dean Antonia Villarruel and Dr. Eileen Lake for promotion of PAHO/WHO Webinar on May 22, 2019.

“Developing Programs of Research to Address WHO and National Priorities” / “Desarrollo de Programas de Investigación para Abordar la OMS y las Prioridades Nacionales”

  • Part 1 (Pre-recorded) / Parte 1 (Pregrabada): Video

Other Resources

Nurse Practitioner Model in LIFE/PACE: Living Independently for Elders/ Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly

  • Video 1: What is LIFE / PACE — Who is Served / What has been the role of Penn Nursing?
  • Video 2: Client-centered, integrated, convenient, worry-free care that does more and costs less.
  • Video 3: Nurse Practitioner Model: Focus on care and Council of Elders-approved research to improve care.

Nursing & Quality of Care (Enfermería y Calidad de Atención) Video Series

Part 1 / Parte 1: Theory / Teoría

Part 2 / Parte 2: Research Methodology /Metodologías de Investigación

Part 3 / Parte 3: A Decade of Evidence / Una Década de Evidencia

Part 4 / Parte 4: Evidence in Neonatal Care / Evidencia en Cuidado Neonatal Intensivo

Part 5 / Parte 5: Pathway to Quality / Persiguiendo el Camino de la Calidad

Coursera– Vital Signs: Understanding What the Body Is Telling Us

The vital signs – heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, respiration rate, and pain – communicate important information about the physiological status of the human body. This six-part course is for anyone who wants to better understand how the body functions.

For more information and to register for the course: Vital Signs Coursera

 


LINKS magazine | June 2022

This edition of LINKS includes a special 12-page report by Drs. Lake, Perez, Vargas, and Villarruel on the Penn Nursing-hosted “Summit to Advance PhD Nursing Programs in Latin America & the Caribbean.”

 

LINKS magazine | June 2021

This edition of LINKS covers a few of the many experiences and accomplishments of nurses, midwives, students, and educators world-wide, during a critical COVID-19 period and features three Penn Nursing entries.

 

Contributions of Nursing and Midwifery Professionals to Women’s Health

This PAHO publication contains reports from countries throughout the Americas, highlighting the initiatives of health professionals who work to ensure equity in health in order to achieve universal access to health and universal health coverage.