Rita Ferrari D'Aoust serves as an Associate Professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing with additional affiliations at the JHU Center for Equity in Aging. She holds multiple professional certifications including ACNP, APN-BC, APRN, CNE, FAAN, FAANP, and FNAP. Her research focuses on critical intersections of nursing education, workforce development, and health policy. Key areas include aging populations, palliative care, military/veteran health services, interprofessional education, and chronic disease management. She has pioneered program development initiatives addressing nursing faculty shortages and advanced practice readiness. Analysis of her recent publications reveals strong emphasis on: Veteran healthcare systems and family support structures Competency-based nursing education models Workforce diversity and immigrant healthcare contributions Palliative care for chronic/neuromuscular conditions Policy impacts of full practice authority for nurse practitioners Scientific recognition includes: Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (2018) National Academies of Practice Fellow (2012-present) Maryland Nurse Support Program II Appreciation Award (2021) Edward Peck Curtis Award for Teaching Excellence (2002) Dr. D'Aoust directs significant grant-funded initiatives including the $3.5M Cohen Graduate Nurse Faculty Cohort Mode (2020-2025) and the PRIME Model for DNP-NP Education ($1M, 2019-2022). She serves as Principal Investigator for the Nurse Faculty Loan Program ($2.29M) and Co-PI for the Nurse Practitioner Compensation Study with the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. Her leadership extends to national mentorship through Sigma Theta Tau and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, with specialized expertise in gerontology developed through the UCLA Geriatrics Mini-fellowship.








