Connell School of Nursing

Pamela J. Grace, PhD, APRN

associate professor - adult health & ethics

Pamela Grace

Office

Cushing Hall 336 E
617-552-1246
gracepa@bc.edu




educational history

  • PhD University of Tennessee
  • MSN West Virginia University
  • BSN West Virginia University

recent publications

  • Grace, P.J. (in press). Review of a book, Easeful death: Is there a case for assisted dying. Authors Warnock, M. & McDonald, E. Journal of Palliative Medicine.
  • Grace, P.J. (2009). Nursing Ethics and Professional Responsibility in Advanced Practice. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett.
  • WillIis. D. G., Grace, P.J., & Roy, C. (2008). A central unifying focus for the discipline: Facilitating humanization, meaning, choice, quality of life, and healing in living and dying. Advances in Nursing Science, 31(1): E28-E40.
  • Haggerty, L. A., & Grace, P. J. (2008). Clinical wisdom: The essential component of 'good' nursing care. Journal of Professional Nursing, 24(4), 235-40.
  • Grace, P.J. & Hardt, E. (2008). Ethics Column: I don’t trust hospitals and I don’t want strangers in my home! Should Mrs. Rosario be permitted to refuse assistance? America Journal of Nursing.
  • Grace, P. J. (2008). Genetics, aging, and primary Care: Ethical implications for clinicians. In C.Y. Read, R.C. Green, &  M.A. Smyer (Eds). Aging, Biotechnology and the Future. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press. Chapter 17.
  • Grace, P. J., Willis, D. G., & Jurchak, M. (2007). Good patient care: Egalitarian inter-professional collaboration as a moral imperative. American Society of Bioethics an Humanities. Exchange, 10(1), 8-9.
  • Fry, S. T., & Grace, P. J. (2007). Ethical dimensions of nursing and health care. In J. L. Creasia, & B. Parker (Eds), Conceptual foundations: The bridge to professional practice (4th Ed.).
  • Grace, P. J. (2006). The clinical use of placebos: Is it ethical? American Journal of Nursing, 106(2), 58-61.
  • Grace, P. J. (2006). Philosophies, Models, and Theories: Moral obligations (Chapter 4), In M. R. Alligood & A. Marriner-Tomey, Nursing theory: Utilization and application (3nd ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier/Mosby.
  • Grace, P. J. (2005). Ethical issues relevant to health promotion (Chapter 5). In C. Edelman & C.L. Mandle (Eds.) Health promotion throughout the lifespan (6th Ed.): St. Louis, MO: Elsevier/Mosby.
  • Grace, P. J. and McLaughlin, M. (2005). Ethics Column: When consent isn't informed enough. American Journal of Nursing, 105 (4), pp. 79-85.
  • Grace, P. J. (2004). Ethics Column: Patient safety and the limits of confidentiality. American Journal of  Nursing, 104(11), pp.33-37.
  • Grace, P. J. (2004) Advocacy of the Elderly.  Web-Based Continuing Education Course (7 course series).  Series Coordinator, Sara T. Fry. Principal Investigator – New England Research Institute, Watertown, MA.
  • Grace, P. J. (2004). Philosophical considerations in nurse practitioner practice. In S. Chase Clinical judgment and communication in nurse practitioner practice. Philadelphia, PA: F. A. Davis. (pp. 279-294
  • Grace, P. J. (2004). Ethics in the clinical encounter. In S. Chase Clinical judgment and communication in nurse   practitioner practice. Philadelphia, PA: F. A. Davis. (pp.295-332)
  • Grace, P. J., Fry, S. T., & Schultz, G. S. (2003).  Ethical issues experienced by psychiatric/mental health and substance abuse nurses.  Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurse’s Association, 9(1), 17-23.

international presentations


  • Mind Changers: the Heinz Dilemma. BBC Radio 4 Interview. Claudia Hammond series presenter. Aired December 5, 2007. Accessible from http://www.bc.co.uk/
    radio4/mindchangers/pip/obk2u/

  • The status and moral implications of nursing knowledge development – dialect or dialectic? D. Willis, P. Grace, & C. Roy.  10th Annual International Philosophy of Nursing Conference. Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland. September 4-6, 2006.
  • Mobilizing the nursing profession: Educating for empowerment. Gaylord, N. & Grace, P. J. 9th International Philosophy of Nursing Conference.Leeds, UK, September 5-7, 2005.
  • A stunning silence: Nursing discourse on the foundations of boy's and men's violence. Willis, D. G., & Grace, P. J.. 9th International Philosophy of Nursing Conference.Leeds, UK, September 5-7, 2005.
  • Nursing Ethics: Resisting the Medical Model of Applied Ethics. The 8th International Philosophy 
    of Nursing Conference. University of Wales, Swansea, UK. September 7-9, 2004.
  • Clinical and Ethical Decision-Making: Are They Inseparable or Distinct Processes.  Danish Society for Medical Philosophy, Ethics, and Methods.  Panum Building, Copenhagen University, Denmark, May 6, 2003.
  • The Danish Fulbright Experience: European Dimension Panel. German Fulbright Commission Conference. Berlin, Germany. March 23-27, 2003.
  • Part 1: The Moral Implications Inherent in Using Nursing's  Philosophical and Theoretical Works as Guides to Practice and Research. Department of Nursing, Aarhus University March 7, 2003; 10a-11:30a.
  • Part 2: The Scope and Limits of a Nurse's Ethical Responsibilities. Department of Nursing, Aarhus University, Denmark. March 7, 2003; 11:45- 1p.
  • Professional Advocacy:  Addressing Vulnerability with Nursing Expertise.  6th International Nursing Philosophy Conference, Dublin, Ireland, September 5-7, 2002.


                              









Pamela Grace, APRN, PhD is an experienced critical care nurse and a primary care nurse practitioner. Her doctorate is in philosophy with a concentration in medical ethics. She is also nurse scientist at the Munn Center for Nursing Research at Massachusetts General Hospital where she collaborates with colleagues on nursing ethics research endeavors. She also serves on the Human Research and Investigation Committee of Newton-Wellesley Hospital and on Beacon Hospice's Ethics Committee. She is a past fellow in medical ethics at Harvard University’s School of Social Medicine and received a Fulbright Senior Scholarship grant in 2003 to Lecture and Research in Denmark. Her research interests include professional ethics, nursing ethics, moral decision making, justice in healthcare, and advocacy.


research interests

All aspects of nursing and healthcare ethics, especially issues of professional obligaion towards individuals and society; ethical decision making; problem analysis; philosophy of nursing


appointments & awards

  • 2008 - Co-chair Planning Committee for the Combined 12th Annual International Philosophy of Nursing Conference and 15th New England Knowledge Conference. September 24-26th. Boston Park Plaza, MA.
  • 2008 - Guest Editor, Nursing Philosophy-Special Edition on Individual and Societal Good. January 2010 Edition.
  • 2008 - American Society for Bioethics and Humanities. Nursing Interest Group Advisory Committee
  • 2007 - International Philosophy of Nursing Society: Member of the Executive Committee
  • 2007 - Nurse Scientist Massachusetts General Hospital Munn Center for Nursing Research.
  • 2006 - Winston Center for Leadership and Ethics Grant to plan and hold a Clinical Ethics Conference in collaboration with MGH, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Dana Farber Cancer Institute.
  • 2003 - Dartmouth College Summer Faculty Institute on the Ethical, Legal and Social Implications of the Human Genome Project
  • 2003 - Fulbright Lecture/Research Scholarship to Denmark for Spring 2003. Lecturing in Health Care Ethics. Research: A comparative analysis of obstacles to health care practice experienced by Danish health care professionals and US health care professionals.
  • Editorial - Ethics Column Editor and Contributor American Journal of Nursing