Dr. Susan Salmond leads a discussion on the emotional well-being of nurses at the New Jersey League for Nursing 2023 annual conference.

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Nationally recognized nurse leader Susan W. Salmond (EdD, RN, ANEF, FAAN), executive vice dean and a tenured professor at Rutgers School of Nursing, has been named a recipient of the 2023 Legacy Award from the Philippine Nurses Association of New Jersey (PNANJ).

Salmond is one of just five outstanding nurses to be presented with the prestigious statewide honor at a gala ceremony on September 15 at the Pines Manor in Edison. In addition to Salmond, this year’s Legacy Award recipients include another Rutgers School of Nursing luminary– alumna Robyn Begley (DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAC). Begley, a 2009 graduate of the school’s doctor of nursing practice program, is the chief executive officer of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership and chief nursing officer and senior vice president of workforce for the American Hospital Association.

“Dr. Salmond’s exemplary leadership, dedication, and contributions as a role model, advocate, educator, mentor, and leader continue to inspire and impact the next generation of nurses and healthcare professionals,” said PNANJ President Tess Medina (DNP, MAS, PMH, RN, BC). “We applaud her outstanding work in advancing nursing education and positively impacting the community.”

Rose Estrada (DNP, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, CPN), executive director of the PNANJ and president of the PNANJ Foundation, said the award recognizes “distinguished individuals who’ve greatly contributed to the academic, professional, and personal successes of Filipino nurses.” An advocate for transcultural nursing who is passionate about advancing evidence-based, culturally competent care, Salmond is a lifetime honorary member of PNANJ.

As executive vice dean, Salmond oversees all academic programs at Rutgers School of Nursing, one of the highest-ranked, most comprehensive nursing schools in the nation. Her previous roles include dean of the School of Nursing at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and chair of nursing at Kean University. At UMDNJ, with support from nearly $10 million in federal and private funding, she spearheaded the development of groundbreaking academic offerings including New Jersey’s first doctor of nursing practice degree program.

Her research and scholarship span a wide range of topics including evidenced-informed health care, population health and health disparities, the emotional well-being of nurses, and orthopedic nursing. She is co-director of the Northeast Institute for Evidence Synthesis and Translation (NEST) within the School of Nursing and is co-author of Comprehensive Systematic Review for Advanced Nursing Practice, an American Journal of Nursing Book of the Year.

She is a founding co-director of the New Jersey Nursing and Emotional Well-Being Institute (NJ-NEW), which functions under the auspices of the New Jersey Collaborating Center for Nursing housed at Rutgers School of Nursing.

From 2013 to 2021, Salmond led the New Jersey Nursing Initiative (NJNI), a multi-million-dollar program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Her clinical interests vary, but orthopedic nursing has always held a special place in her heart. She is a former president of the National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses and former chief editor of the journal, Orthopaedic Nursing, where she has continued to serve as research editor for the past 10 years.

Salmond earned her BSN from Villanova University College of Nursing; her MSN from Seton Hall University College of Nursing; and her EdD from Teachers College, Columbia University. Her numerous awards and honors include the Villanova College of Nursing Medallion and induction into the Hall of Honor at Seton Hall College of Nursing. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and the National League of Nursing Academy of Nursing Education.