Zane Robinson Wolf, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN

Dean Emerita and Professor of Nursing
Nursing, Professor

Zane Robinson WolfPh.D., R.N., FAAN is Dean Emerita and Professor, School of Nursing and Health Sciences at La Salle. She returned to full-time teaching in the fall of 2012. She practiced as a critical care and medical surgical nurse and has worked in nursing education, teaching in diploma, associate, baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral nursing programs. Dr. Wolf teaches courses on patient safety, nursing research, evidence-based practice, and caring; and she continues to conduct qualitative and quantitative research on medication errors, nurse caring, nursing education concerns, and other topics. She is a board member of the Institute for Safe Medication Practices and a member of the Patient Safety Committee of St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children and the Fox Chase Cancer Center. She reviews manuscripts for various nursing and healthcare journals. Dr. Wolf has been an editor of the International Journal for Human Caring since 1999. She is a former board member and past president of the International Association for Human Caring.  She is also a member of Advisory Board of the Anne Boykin Institute for the Advancement of Caring in Nursing. Dr. Wolf has hosted three International Caring Conferences in Philadelphia. The Christine E. Lynne College of Nursing of Florida Atlantic University honored her by designating her as Caring Scholar.

Areas of Expertise

Nursing research
Nursing rituals
Patient safety
Qualitative research
Wounded healer/second victim
Nurse caring

Education

Ph.D., Clinical Nursing Research, University of Pennsylvania, 1986
(Dissertation – Nursing Rituals in an Adult Acute Care Hospital: An Ethnography)
MSN—Medical/Surgical Teaching, Boston College, 1974
BSN, University of Pennsylvania, 1968
Diploma, Germantown Dispensary and Hospital, 1965

Teaching

NUR 750: Translating Evidence into Practice
NUR 605: Research and Evidence-Based Practice II
NUR 408: Nursing Research
NUR 465: Safety Strategies for Healthcare Delivery Systems
NUR 467: Caring Theory, Caring Practice

Publications (most recent)

Wolf, Z. R. (2012). Systematic review of effect of a caring protocol provided by nursing staff on patient satisfaction of adult hospitalized patients. International Journal for Human Caring, 16(4), 58-70.

Books

Wolf, Z.R. (1986). Nursing rituals in an adult acute care hospital: An ethnography. Ann Arbor, MI: University Microfilms.

Wolf, Z.R. (1988). Nurses’ work: The sacred and the profane. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press.

Wolf, Z.R. (1994). Medication errors: The nursing experience. Albany, NY: Delmar.

Wolf, Z.R. (Ed.). (1994). The experience of the expert advanced practice nurse. Philadelphia, PA: La Salle University. (Unpublished manuscript).

Wolf, Z.R., Beitz, J.M., & Gaberson, K. (Eds.). (2002). Teaching tips for Pennsylvania nurse educators. Paoli, PA: Pennsylvania League for Nursing.

Beitz, J., Wolf, Z. & Olive, D. (2005). Test manual for LoBiondo-Woods & Haber’s Nursing research (6th ed.)Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier.

Smith, M., Turkel, M., & Wolf, Z. R. (Eds.). (2013). Caring classics: Sentinel literature on caring in nursing. New York, NY: Springer Publications. (In press).

Wolf, Z. R., & Turkel, M. (2013). Caring in nursing classics: An essential resource. Teachers’ and students’ resource book. New York, NY: Springer Publications. In press.

Wolf, Z. R. (2013). Rituals in nursing. Manuscript in press. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.

Honors, Awards

Germantown Hospital School of Nursing, September, 1965; Graduate with highest average.

Sigma Theta Tau, International Nursing Honor Society, Xi Chapter Induction, University of Pennsylvania.; Kappa Delta and Xi Chapters. Virginia Henderson Fellow.

Boston College Graduate Program in Nursing – passed oral comprehensive examination with distinction; January, 1974.

Villanova University College of Nursing, Teaching and Service Award; May, 1980.

University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing – passed oral defense of Ph.D. dissertation with distinction; April 24, 1986.

Mary and Christian Lindback Distinguished Teaching Award, La Salle University, May 14, 1989.

Kappa Delta Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society, Excellence in Education Award, April 20, 1990.

Doris Mathis Distinguished Service Award; Southeastern Pennsylvania League for Nursing, October 25, 1990.

Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, inducted October 26, 1991.

Pennsylvania League for Nursing Recognition Award for Leadership in the Field of Nursing, March 12, 1993.

Honorary Member, 1993-1994, Delaware Valley Nurse Educator Group.

Writers Award, MEDSURG Nursing: The Journal of Adult Health, October 18, 1996, Chicago.

Research Dissemination Award, Region 6, Sigma Theta Tau International, March 23, 2001 for Wolf, Z.R. (2000). Understanding medication errors. Continuing education 220. Nursing Spectrum (Greater Philadelphia/Tri-State Edition), 9(5), 14-16; (Greater Chicago/NE Illinois & NW Indiana Edition, 13(5), 28-30); Washington, DC/Baltimore Metro Edition, 10(5), 16-18); (Florida Edition, 10(5), 14-16); (New England Edition, 4(5), 10-12); (West Region, Metro Edition, 2001. 2(5), 29-34).

Nursing Research Award, Pennsylvania State Nurses Association, September 28, 2001, Harrisburg, PA.

Nightingale Awards of Pennsylvania, 12th Annual Awards Gala, one of three finalists for Nursing Research Award, October 19, 2001, Hershey, PA.

2002 Award, Excellence in Education, Authorship and Mentorship fostering the aims of human understanding, International Institute for Human Understanding, Miami, FL, March 8, 2002.

Honorable Mention, Writers Award for Relationship between Nurse Caring and Patient Satisfaction in Patients Undergoing Invasive Cardiac Procedures, MEDSURG Nursing, July, 12, 2004.

Distinguished Lecturer, Keynote at Donna Cox Bridger Lectureship on “Emotional Aspects of Errors for Health Care Providers,” Capstone College of Nursing, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa AL, March 5, 2004.

Fellow of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, Inducted December 7, 2005.

2005-2006, Caring Scholar, designation by Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, Florida Atlantic University.

Volunteer Award from Pennsylvania State Nurses Association for Chairing Pennsylvania Nurse, October 20, 2007, Harrisburg, PA.

Certificate of Appreciation from Pennsylvania State Nurses Association for service on Board of Directors 2005-2007, October 20, 2007, Harrisburg, PA.

Caring Scholar designation by Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, Florida Atlantic University 2005-2008.

Sigma Theta Tau International, 2009 International Excellence Awards, Biennial Convention, Melanie C. Dreher Outstanding Dean Award for Chapter Support to Zane Robinson Wolf, RN, PhD, FAAN, November 2, 2009, Indianapolis, IN.

Convocation Speaker, Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, Gathering Stories: locating Nursing Student Chronicles, September 24, 2010; Dialog with DNP and PhD nursing students and Drs. Smith and Valentine on the discipline of nursing and caring, September 25, 2010.

Distinguished Colleague Award, Pennsylvania Higher Education Schools of Nursing 2012.

Certificate of Appreciation, Pennsylvania State Nurses Association in recognition of valuable contributions to ideals of professional nursing the support demonstrated to Pennsylvania State Nurses Association in our movement with the Pennsylvania Coalition for the Advancement of Nursing Education, April 18, 2012.

Certificate of Recognition and Appreciation, Pennsylvania Higher Education Schools of Nursing for distinguished leadership in nursing education, April, 2012.

Dean Emerita, School of Nursing and Health Sciences, La Salle University, August 2012.

Anne Boykin Institute for the Advancement of Caring in Nursing, September 2012.