Dr. Aiken: Codman Award

Dr. Linda H. Aiken,  the Claire M. Fagin Leadership Professor in Nursing,  has been named the winner of the 2003 Ernest A. Codman Award for individuals. She was recognized by The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) for her leadership role in utilizing performance measures to draw attention to important issues in nursing care.

Dr. Aiken, director of the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research, and professor of sociology, has been a dominant and influential leader and researcher in the field of nursing outcomes research for the past two decades.

Named for the physician regarded in health care as the "father of outcomes measurement," the Ernest A. Codman Award showcases the effective use of performance measurement by health care organizations and recognizes industry leaders who have achieved extraordinary success in promoting and in using performance measurement to improve the quality and safety of health care.  A panel of national experts in quality measurement and improvement selected the recipients of the 2003 Awards.

"Linda Aiken has been a health services research star for many years," said Dr. Dennis S. O'Leary, JCAHO president. "It is especially fitting that her seminal work in demonstrating clear relationships between nursing care and patient outcomes is now getting the attention that it, and she, richly deserves."

"I am very gratified that JCAHO has recognized through this award the importance of nurses, nurse staffing levels, and their work environment to safe and effective hospital patient care," said Dr. Aiken. "While I am thrilled to accept this individual award, I am mindful that the work of many is reflected in it, especially the members of the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research at the School of Nursing, our funding agencies, and many supporters. We believe this recognition from JCAHO will help us to spotlight nursing on the national health care agenda."