Celebrating Margaret Graham

by Phil Saken

After a career that spanned more than 40 years as a nurse practitioner, an educator, a vice dean and an inspiration and mentor to thousands of students, Margaret Graham, PhD, APRN-CNP, FAANP, FNAP, FAAN, will retire from the College of Nursing in December. We asked the leader who Dean Bernadette Melnyk called “the wind beneath my wings” about her retirement, her accomplishments at Ohio State and what the future holds.

How are you feeling as you prepare to close this chapter with the College of Nursing?

I feel thankful to have the opportunity to end my career at Ohio State … The work we do has been very rewarding and fulfilling. I have made very close, lifelong friends. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with our amazing students. It makes me very hopeful for healthcare in the future.

You’ve been a nurse educator for more than 40 years. What was it like at the beginning of your career?

I really consider myself a nurse practitioner first, then an educator. I was in the U.S. Public Health Service in an underserved rural area. I grew up in an underserved rural area, so that did not feel different, but the feeling of responsibility for the care of the patients was a bit anxiety-producing.

What are you proudest of in your time at the College of Nursing?

I had the opportunity to write the grant to put our FNP and our psychiatric mental health NP programs online. I think I have had the opportunity to be the project director on approximately $10 million in grants and the co-director on about $10 million more. One of these grants was to get the initial funding to start Total Health and Wellness, which is now a Federally Qualified Health Center. I think the main theme of every grant I have been fortunate to have funded is access to care. Educating nurses and nurse practitioners to provide care for patients in rural and underserved areas has been a major focus.

You worked with Ohio legislator Merle Kearns here in Ohio to pass legislation that gave APRNs prescriptive authority in the early 2000s. What are the biggest gaps in health policy that still remain?

In 2000, when this legislation finally passed, I never dreamed 20 years later we would still be trying to achieve full practice authority in Ohio. Sadly, we are. It is clear that all healthcare providers need to be allowed to practice at the full scope of their knowledge, skills and abilities. In Ohio, we have changes that need to be made in law for RNs and APRNs to practice at top of scope. Until nurses and other healthcare professionals are able to practice at top of scope in Ohio, we will not be using our resources to provide badly needed care for citizens.

What are you most looking forward to in retirement?

All three of our daughters and their families, including our five grandchildren, now live within 20 minutes of us. I look forward to spending a lot of time with our grandchildren, who are all six and under. We also hope to travel, and I am sure we will still attend Ohio State events, including football!

From your perspective, what makes our College of Nursing special?

The people! Also, Bern’s leadership has brought our College of Nursing to a national level. We have had the opportunity to work on many innovative projects. Our faculty, staff and students are all so talented.