Spotlight The 2011 Doris Schwartz Gerontological Nursing Research Award Terry T. Fulmer, PhD, RN, FAAN: A Career of Firsts Keela A. Herr, PhD, RN, AGSF, FAAN hen asked to prepare a brief Terry’s academic career began at and to inform her teaching and gener- Wpiece on last year’s Doris Skidmore College, where she received ate research ideas and innovative solu- Schwartz Gerontological Nurs- her bachelor’s degree in nursing tions for practice and system changes, ing Research Award recipient, Dr. in 1975, followed quickly by her certification as a geriatric nurse Terry Fulmer, I was so pleased to master’s degree in 1977 and doctoral practitioner would be useful. She accept this honor to cel- completed her geriatric nurse ebrate the lifetime work of practitioner post-master’s my colleague and friend. certificate program from New In gathering information York University in 2001. to share with readers, my Terry held academic first inclination was to at- appointments at Boston tend the presentation Terry College, Harvard University, shared with the nursing Yale University, Columbia special interest group on University, and New York the receipt of her award at University (NYU). During the Gerontological Society her more than 15 years at of America’s (GSA) annual NYU, Terry served in various meeting, which typically leadership capacities, includ- highlights the career achieve- ing co-director of the John A. ments of the recipient. Well, Hartford Institute for Geriat- not Terry’s. Instead of an ric Nursing, taking the helm overview of her career high- of the Division of Nursing in lights, the entire presentation 2002. A most notable achieve- was a sharing of the history, ment in her division head vision, and contributions of position was establishment the award namesake, Doris of the College of Nursing Schwartz. I make this point at NYU, assuming the first because this gesture is a re- Dean position as the Erline flection of Terry’s approach Perkins McGriff Professor. to her professional life—her Photo courtesy of Northeastern University She has held numerous clini- nurturing and lifting up of cal appointments that have others, rather than herself. Terry is a degree in 1983, both from Boston engaged her ideas and facilitation modest hero in our field of geron- College. She had held certification skills to improve best practices and tological nursing—one who inspires in gerontological nursing through creative system changes for health her peers and those aspiring to be the American Nurses Credentialing care improvement, including those leaders in improving the quality of Center since 1978 but decided later in at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, care for older adults—who has led her career that to fully appreciate the Massachusetts General Hospital, and the way as first in many arenas. nuances of clinical practice challenges, NYU’s Langone Medical Center. 20 Copyright © SLACK Incorporated Terry is nationally and interna- GITT programs. GITT continues to adults were not at the same level tionally recognized as a leader in ge- be available to the field through its as standards for younger adults or riatric nursing education, research, website (http://www.gittprogram. children. Geriatric patients’ con- and practice. She has enabled the org) and through onsite consulta- cerns were often written off as the development of geriatric education tion. Terry was also the first nurse logical sequelae of dementia or “old in countless academic institutions, director of a Geriatric Education age.” With new legislation in Mas- with models of geriatric nursing Center (GEC), a national initia- sachusetts on mandatory reporting care, textbooks, and publications tive funded by the Health Resource in 1979 for elder abuse and neglect, used in nursing programs and clini- Service Administration (HRSA) to Terry worked to promote best cal agencies around the globe. Terry establish GECs as faculty training practices that would assist busy has been an exemplary member centers in all 50 states. The focus of clinicians who needed guidelines of the professoriate for almost 3 GECs is to conduct interdisciplin- for the assessment and detection decades, gaining the reputation of ary education to health care profes- of elder abuse and neglect. Since an outstanding educator and men- sional faculty and clinicians. that time, she has been steadfastly tor whose passion and devotion to Terry is also well known nation- committed to this area of research improving the care of older adults ally and internationally for her work and has competed successfully for has inspired both undergraduate and establishing and leading Nurses funding on an ongoing basis from graduate students, as well as col- Improving Care for Healthsystem both foundations and the National leagues. Elders (NICHE, http://www. Institutes of Health (NIH). Cur- Her textbook, Critical Care nicheprogram.org). NICHE was rently, Terry’s program of research Nursing of the Elderly (Fulmer, the first national nursing pro- on elder abuse and neglect is moving Foreman, Walker, & Montgomery, gram providing essential tools and in a new direction. Having re- 2001), was the first such textbook evidence-based resources to ben- cently completed an NIH explor- and continues to be used extensively efit hospitalized older patients. In atory grant on screening in complex by nursing students in addition to partnership with Drs. Mathy Mezey practice settings, Terry intends to practitioners. Fulmer SPICES, an and Elizabeth Capezuti of NYU, move forward with a program for overall assessment tool for older NICHE is currently incorporated interventions that prevent the oc- adults (Fulmer & Wallace, 2012), is into more than 320 hospitals in currence of elder mistreatment. Her the lead and one of the most widely North America. NICHE offers research findings are published in used assessment instruments in the strategic and innovative methods prestigious peer-reviewed journals, Hartford Institute for Geriatric to improve care to older patients, including the American Journal of Nursing’s Try This® General Assess- including an institutional assess- Public Health and the Journal of the ment Series. Her clinical credibility ment and benchmarking service, American Medical Association. and academic accomplishments have models of geriatric nursing, and The full breadth of Terry’s underpinned the past 20 years of resources that address the needs of contributions to nursing education, advancements in the field of geriat- direct nurse providers and nursing research, and practice is reflected ric nursing. management. Within NICHE, Terry in her textbooks and numerous Terry distinguished herself as conceived, implemented, and evalu- publications over the past 20 years, an exemplary scholar committed ated the first Geriatric Resource all of which further attest to the to interdisciplinary education and Nurse model for delivery of care commitment she has for advancing practice, mentoring untold numbers to older adults in the hospital. This the health and well-being of older of geriatric physicians and social model of care has been adopted by adults. Her work has been dis- workers, in addition to her nursing all NICHE hospitals and has shown seminated broadly in 150 journal mentees. Terry directed the Re- to significantly improve outcomes publications, 15 edited or authored source Center for the Geriatric In- for older patients. textbooks, and more than 100 book terdisciplinary Team Training Pro- Although committed to the chapters, contributing foundational gram (GITT) from its beginning in overall field of gerontology and the work for future scientists and prac- the early 1990s, funded by The John care of older adults, her particular titioners. She has also disseminated A. Hartford Foundation. GITT was passion and focus of research has her work and ideas in countless one of the first initiatives in interdis- been on issues of elder mistreat- invited and competitive national and ciplinary team training that included ment, which began during her years international presentations in presti- a rigorous evaluation tool used by in practice at Beth Israel Hospital in gious nursing and multidisciplinary all of the original sites and became a 1975. At that time, it was extremely venues. component for subsequent publica- evident to Terry that ageism existed Terry has clearly had a unique tions as to the effectiveness of the and standards of care for older influence on aging and gerontologi- Journal of GerontoloGical nursinG • Vol. 38, no. 11, 2012 21 cal nursing and has advanced new Terry has been a trailblazer for and their three children: Nina, who areas of knowledge and contributed recognition of nurses as strong is in advertising in Chicago; Holly, a to a new paradigm for the future interdisciplinary team members and nurse in Boston; and Sam, who is in care of older adults. Her outstand- subsequently leaders of that team, in communications in New York City. ing contributions to creation and more than one circumstance. Terry Her family has been an important dissemination of knowledge are was the first nurse to serve on the element of a balanced and successful demonstrated through her research board of directors of the American career and life. and educational program funding. Geriatrics Society, an organization The career path that Terry chose Terry’s funding success is daunting with more than 80% physician (or that chose her) has led to a re- but reflects her incessant efforts membership. Being elected into this cent position change with significant to advance innovative solutions to leadership role illustrates the respect potential to impact health care from the care of older adults collaborat- from other disciplines, particularly a different vantage point. In 2011, ing with many interdisciplinary medicine, Terry earned and pro- Terry assumed the leadership role at colleagues in educational, practice, vided a pathway for other nurses Northeastern University in Boston and research initiatives. Terry has to participate and lead changes as Professor and Dean of the Bouvé amassed nearly $18 million as prin- to promote quality of care for all College of Health Sciences and cipal investigator (PI) and another older adults.