UNIVERSITY PARK — Distinguished nurse clinician, educator and researcher Donna M. Fick became president of the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) at its 2023 Annual Scientific meeting, which took place May 4-6.
Fick is Elouise Ross Eberly Endowed Professor of Nursing at Penn State’s Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing and director of the Tressa Nese and Helen Diskevich Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence (CGNE).
She is a nationally and internationally recognized expert in geriatric care and research focused on improving connections between settings and disciplines, disseminating geriatrics models of care, and supporting front-line staff and clinicians in the recognition of delirium. Fick has extensive expertise in and sustained National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding in delirium superimposed on dementia (DSD) and has led the updates of criteria for inappropriate medication use in the care of older adults for over 20 years.
“We are thrilled that Donna Fick — an exemplary scholar and, of course, a compassionate and accomplished Penn State nurse leader — will become AGS’ next president,” said Laurie Badzek, dean of the Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing. “Leading with intention and empathy will be hallmarks of Donna’s AGS tenure, I am certain. During this critical time in providing quality care, forwarding policy, and supporting interdisciplinary teams that surround our older adult populations, AGS is in good hands.”
An AGS member since 1999 who has served on its board since 2015, Fick said she is committed to working with the society’s leaders and 6,000+ members to improve the health, independence, and quality of life of all older adults.
“I have always appreciated AGS’ focus, support and advancement of an interprofessional team approach that puts older adults and caregivers at the center, embraces the best evidence and innovation, and is dedicated to caring for our workforce,” Fick said. “I am humbled and honored to be stepping into the presidential role at an organization that celebrates the joy of caring for older adults, supports its members to overcome the challenges that we face, and advocates for a future vision where we all are supported by and able to contribute to inclusive communities where ageism, ableism, classism, homophobia, racism, sexism, xenophobia, and other forms of bias and discrimination no longer impact healthcare access, quality and outcomes for older adults and their caregivers.”
Fick also serves as an expert faculty member and coach for the Creating an Age Friendly Health System Initiative funded by the John A. Hartford Foundation (JAH) and led by the Institute of Healthcare Improvement (IHI). She served on the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) Committee on the Public Health Dimensions of Cognitive Aging and has served on the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Forum on Aging, Disability and Independence since 2017. In 2020, she was an invited author on the NAM Health Affairs paper, “Actualizing Better Health and Health Care for Older Adults.”
At AGS, Fick has been involved in the updating of the AGS Beers Criteria for Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults since AGS became its steward, serving as expert panel co-chair for the 2012, 2015, and 2019 updates and as a member of the 2023 update panel. She is a frequent reviewer and contributor for the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS); the editor of Journal of Gerontological Nursing since 2011; and was an expert panel member for the AGS Clinical Practice Guideline for Delirium.
“Dr. Fick is a passionate advocate for interprofessional team care and for centering older adults and their caregivers in shared decision-making while ensuring that decision-making is informed by the best evidence and innovation,” said current AGS President G. Michael Harper. “Donna is a nationally recognized leader who has advanced our knowledge of how clinicians approach delirium in the hospital setting. She has shared her expertise with us across multiple initiatives and the AGS is stronger because of that. She is a wonderful colleague and friend, and I am looking forward to continuing to work with her to advance our vision in the coming year.”
