42 Sharp HealthCare Daniel L. Gross Outstanding Research Impact Award The Daniel L. Gross Outstanding Research Impact Award honors individuals whose work leaves a lasting mark on the field, and this year’s honoree, Kim Failla, PhD, RN, NE-BC, NPD-BC, exemplifies that impact through more than 18 years of scholarship on nursing leadership, gender outcomes in sepsis and workforce development. Kim Failla, PhD, RN, NE-BC, NPD-BC Director, Nursing Workforce Transitions, Caster Nursing Institute Since earning her master’s in nursing leadership in 2007, Kim has demonstrated over 18 years of impactful scholarship. Her first study, “Manager and Staff Perceptions of the Manager’s Leadership Style,” published in the Journal of Nursing Administration, has been cited more than 210 times. The awardee subsequently earned her PhD in Nursing from the University of San Diego in 2016. Her research has focused on leadership, gender outcomes in sepsis, and workforce development, with findings shared widely through peer-reviewed publications and regional, national and international presentations. She has been honored as Practice Transition Accreditation (PTAP) Program Director of the Year and collaborates with organizations including the American Nurses Credentialing Center, Association of California Nurse Leaders, and USD. A dedicated mentor, she supports emerging researchers and professional development through studies and initiatives. Her most significant contribution, the development and psychometric validation of the Nurse Residency Program Stakeholder Evaluation Survey, has been requested by over 200 organizations in seven countries and featured in more than 70 PTAP accreditation submissions — demonstrating global impact. Daniel Gross, DNS, RN, was Executive Vice President, Hospital Operations at Sharp HealthCare prior to his retirement in 2020. As one of the first doctorally prepared nurses at Sharp, he championed a culture of inquiry and research through his support and encouragement of nurses to obtain a doctoral degree in nursing and was the catalyst for the Center of Nursing Excellence, now the Caster Nursing Institute. Dr. Gross was a recipient of the Marion Hubbard scholarship specifically for Sharp nurses to obtain a PhD in nursing from the University of San Diego.
