Dr. Helene Moriarty inducted into American Academy of Nursing

Helene Moriarty ’77 BSN, PhD, RN, PMHCNS-BC, FAAN was inducted as a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing (AAN) at the AAN annual policy meeting in Washington, D.C. on October 17. She is Professor and the Diane L. and Robert F. Moritz Jr. Endowed Chair in Nursing Research at Villanova University College of Nursing since 2013 and Nurse Researcher at the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center since 1993.  

In her VA role, Dr. Moriarty created a robust nursing research program that developed national and interprofessional research capacity to address the health of our nation’s Wounded Warriors and their families.  She also served on the VA Research Council that published a book on outcome measurement, as Expert Researcher for the VA Nursing Indicator Development Group, and as Co-Director for a VA Interprofessional Fellowship in Patient Safety.  Through these leadership roles and serving as PI, co-investigator, or mentor on over 100 studies within the VA, Dr. Moriarty’s work has advanced science and practice around the complex challenges faced by veterans and their families.  In her position at the College of Nursing, Dr. Moriarty’s deep commitment to veterans continues, as she educates students about the unique health concerns of veterans and engages doctoral students in veteran-related research. 

Dr. Moriarty’s entire career has focused on improving our understanding and care of individuals and families experiencing severe stressors, with a special emphasis on veterans and their families.  Her current NIH-funded study evaluates the impact of an innovative in-home intervention for veterans with traumatic brain injury and their families. 

Recognized as a leader in family nursing, Dr. Moriarty has been Co-Chair of the Family Research Interest Group of ENRS and Editorial Board member of the Journal of Family Nursing since 1995, and Chair of the Research Committee of the International Family Nursing Association since 2013.  She also is a long-standing member of the NewCourtland Center for Transitions and Health at University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing.

Dr. Moriarty earned her BSN at Villanova University and her MSN and PhD at the University of Pennsylvania.