Pamela Zenz Adamshick, associate professor of nursing at Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pa., received the 2013 Shirley Novosel Distinguished Nursing Alumni Award, presented by the Penn State Nursing Alumni Society, at the College of Nursing’s third annual Homecoming brunch on Oct. 13.
A faculty member at Moravian College since 2001, Adamshick received her doctorate in nursing from Penn State in 2006. Her dissertation was titled “The lived experience of girl-to-girl aggression.” Prior to joining Moravian’s nursing program, she taught nursing at Northampton Community College in Bethlehem and Lewis University in Romeoville, Ill.
Adamshick’s specialty is adult psychiatric/mental health nursing, with a focus on the needs of vulnerable populations. She has disseminated her research findings in scholarly writings, poster presentations, and group presentations. Her poster presentation, “The Intersection of Homelessness and Mental Health Illness: Implications for Psychiatric Mental Health Nurses,” was presented at the American Psychiatric Nurses Association annual conference this month in San Antonio. In addition, an article she co-authored, titled “Oh, the Things You Will Learn: Taking Undergraduate Research to the Homeless Shelter,” was published in the June 2013 issue of the Journal of Nursing Education.
In addition to her teaching and research activities, Adamshick is involved in many community projects. She developed and leads the RICHES program, a support group for at-risk teen girls in the Bethlehem Area School District. Adamshick has been actively involved in the Choices program of the Lehigh Valley Coalition to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, as well as projects that assist the homeless population of Bethlehem. As a participant in the MAMA (Mujeres Amigas Miles Apart) Project, Inc., she mentored students in Honduras. At Moravian College, she has served as an advocate against sexual assault.
Adamshick has received numerous accolades for nursing excellence. Most recently, she was honored by the Upsilon Alpha chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing in May for her contributions to the advancement of nursing knowledge and practice.
Adamshick received her bachelor of science in nursing (cum laude) from University of Detroit Mercy and her masters in psychiatric/community mental health nursing from the University of Illinois. Before entering the teaching profession, she worked as a psychiatric nurse at hospitals in Illinois and Pennsylvania.
The Novosel Award was established in 1996 in memory of Shirley Novosel, a past president of the Penn State Nursing Alumni Society. It is presented annually to an alumnus/alumna who exemplifies the spirit of nursing and the Penn State College of Nursing’s ideals and philosophy. To be considered, alumni must be currently active in the nursing profession and demonstrate a caring, professional style and commitment to the profession.