Hilary Barnes

Hilary Barnes, PhD, NP-C, FAANP, is an Associate Professor and Director of the Nursing DNP Program at Widener University's School of Nursing. She holds academic affiliations with the Nursing Science (PhD) and Nursing Practice (DNP) programs, specializing in preparing advanced practice nurses. Her academic career includes teaching in DNP and PhD programs, mentoring students in clinical and research scholarship, and directing graduate nursing programs.

• PhD in Nursing Science (Widener University, 2013)
• MSN in Family Nurse Practitioner (Widener University, 2008)
• BSN in Nursing (University of Pennsylvania, 2005)
• BA in German-Economics (Skidmore College, NY, 1997)

Dr. Barnes' research focuses on the nurse practitioner workforce, role transition challenges, and health policy impacts on care delivery. She employs advanced statistical methods, secondary data analysis, and primary data collection to address workforce sustainability and clinical practice integration. Notable areas include nurse practitioner turnover analysis, scope of practice policy effects, and interprofessional collaboration dynamics.

Her publications span journals like Health Affairs Scholar and Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, emphasizing workforce policy, role transition frameworks, and healthcare labor economics. Recent work examines how public insurance expansions influence provider labor demand and the disruptive potential of retail health clinics.

• Excellence in Research Award (Sigma Theta Tau, 2023)
• AANP Open Access Award (2021)
• Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (2020)

Barnes has led grant-funded projects on NP workforce dynamics and participated in the NINR T32 postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania. She advises on transition-to-practice programs and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to optimize advanced practice provider roles in evolving healthcare systems.

Her research lab focuses on workforce analytics and policy solutions, supported by affiliations with Widener's School of Nursing and national organizations like the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties.