Janice Whitaker, M.Ed., BSN, RN, CDP
Administrator and Education Program Manager
Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence, Penn State Nese College of Nursing
Bio: Registered Nurse with expertise in geriatrics, education, administration, leadership, curricular and program development. Provides strategic oversight and operational management of educational, research, translation of best practice, and service activities for Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence, Penn State Nese College of Nursing. Serve as community liaison, communicating and collaborating with both internal and external stakeholders. Collaborate with Penn State College of Medicine as Co-I for South Central A Long-Term Care RISE (Resiliency, Infrastructure, and Empowerment) funded by Department of Health, presenting Project ECHO sessions and coordinating cohort of Nurse Educators to provide Dementia Careforce trainings and quality improvement consultation to long-term care facilities. Also provide consultation to LTCFs towards AFHS level 1 and 2 recognition. As part of HRSA-GWEP Age-Friendly Care PA porject, served as team member on Project ECHO expert hub and project lead for Living with Dementia community education series with optional Memory Cafés. Led PEEC (Program for Enhancing Excellence in Care) at SNF and four SeniorLIFE clinical sites to promote change towards age and dementia friendly care, improve geriatric care competencies, enhance nursing leadership skills, and provide coaching to foster team approach and translate best practice approaches into care setting with PIPs (performance improvement projects) Former Director of Nursing at high-quality skilled nursing facility serving older adults receiving long-term care, rehabilitative and skilled nursing services. Ensured highest practical care and quality of life for older adults through effective nursing management, interdisciplinary care plan coordination, knowledge of DHHS and CMS regulatory standards, facilitation of quality assurance and performance improvement, enhanced staff professional development, abuse/neglect prevention, and more. As former Health Careers instructor, taught undergraduate nursing courses, developed nursing assistance program, facilitated clinical rotations, and served on VT Board of Education curriculum committee.