Xu receives Hartford Award for contributions to geriatric quality of care

Dongjuan (Donna) Xu, an assistant professor of nursing, received the 2018 John A. Hartford Foundation Award from the Midwest Nursing Research Society. The award recognizes members who have demonstrated leadership potential in geriatric nursing science and who are poised to improve the quality of care for aging adults. Recipients have conducted research that has guided and improved geriatric nursing practice and promoted science-based education in geriatric nursing. 

Xu’s research was cited as  “ … a quest to improve the quality of care and quality of life experienced by older adults who are community dwellers as well as long-term care residents.”

Her work has revealed that the current criteria in evaluating quality hospitalization are not adequately representative of the aspects of a true quality experience. Such findings will be important in informing the policies that reward high-performing facilities, which aids families in selecting quality care. 

Xu’s research articles have appeared nationally and internationally. Her first authored work has appeared in the highest-tier journals in nursing and gerontology research: The Gerontologist, International Journal of Nursing and Journal of Advanced Nursing.

Xu teaches biostatistics and evidence-based practice at the School of Nursing.