Sharon Irving, professor of pediatric nursing at the University of Pennsylvania, has been awarded the 2024 Isabel Hampton Robb Award for Outstanding Leadership in Clinical Practice from the National League of Nursing. The annual award recognizes an individual who inspires a passion for clinical nursing through their outstanding leadership, professional collaboration, clinical expertise, research, and dedication to patient care.
Dr. Irving began her career with the University of Pennsylvania in 2010 as a lecturer in the School of Nursing. Two years later, she joined the faculty full-time as an assistant professor of pediatric nursing. Currently, she serves as a full professor and holds the Miriam Stirl Endowed Term Chair in Nutrition. For the past four years, she served as vice-chair for graduate education in the School of Nursing’s department of family and community health.
Outside of her role with Penn Nursing, Dr. Irving is an academic partner liaison, nurse practitioner, and clinical nurse scientist with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She has conducted extensive research on clinical care delivery, particularly nutrition care delivery for critically ill infants and children. Earlier this year, she was elected vice president of the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.
Dr. Irving is a graduate of Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she majored in nursing. She holds a master’s degree and Ph.D. in nursing from the University of Pennsylvania.