Susan Paparella, MSN, RN

Vice President, Services

Susan Paparella, MSN, RN is a registered nurse and Vice President, Services at the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP); first joining ISMP in 2000. Presently, Susan oversees the development and implementation of ISMP’s Consulting, Collaborative, and Educational Services including Proactive Medication Safety Risk Assessments, Root Cause Analyses, Practitioner in Residence Program™, and ISMP’s International Experience. Susan is a key contributor to ISMP’s research agenda and has co-led several national safety summits resulting in the creation/revision of several ISMP Safe Practice Guideline documents. She often participates in consultation engagements including the investigation of adverse medication safety events in adult populations; specifically involving critical care/emergency care and oncology infusion practices and has developed and led a number of group collaboratives focusing on the adoption of a shared safety learning culture and strategies for advancing medication safety. Susan speaks regularly on medication safety-related risks and strategy challenges to national audiences across the US.

Before joining ISMP, Susan spent 20 years in acute care practice as the Director for Critical Care and Emergency Services, then a number of years as the Director for Hospital-wide Quality Improvement, Risk Management, and Education. Susan represents ISMP on the National Steering Committee for Patient Safety (NSC). She is also the coauthor and faculty for the ASHP/ISMP Medication Safety Certificate Program and a co-lead of ISMP’s Medication Safety Intensive program. Since 2002, Susan has been adjunct faculty at the Temple University School of Pharmacy. Susan is a member of the American Association of Hospital Risk Managers (ASHRM), Sigma Theta Tau International, the American College of Healthcare Executives, and was past chair of the Emergency Nurse’s Association (ENA’s) Patient Safety Committee.

In 2012, Susan was awarded a Villanova University College of Nursing Medallion for Distinguished Contributions to Nursing Practice. In 2016, she was inducted into the Abington-Dixon School of Nursing Hall of Fame. Susan is a graduate of the Abington Memorial Hospital School of Nursing and received a BSN and MSN with honors from Villanova University.