Patricia Gonce Morton, RN, PhD, ACNP, FAAN
Professor and Assistant Dean for Master’ Studies
University of Maryland School of Nursing
University of Maryland, Baltimore

Patricia Gonce Morton received a BS in Biology from Loyola College in Baltimore, a BS in Nursing from the Johns Hopkins University, an MS and PhD in Nursing from the University of Maryland School of Nursing, and a post-master’s certificate as an acute care nurse practitioner from Georgetown University School of Nursing and Health Sciences.
Dr. Morton’s research interests are in cardiovascular nursing.  Currently, she is a co-investigator on an international study funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research titled “The Patients' and Families' Psychological Response to Home Automatic Defibrillator (PRHAT).”  The study is an independent project complementary to the NIH clinical trial "Home Automatic Defibrillator Trial (HAT)."  The PRHAT examines the long term psychological responses (anxiety and depression) and the moderating influences of social support and family coping skills on these changes for post-myocardial infarction patients and their spouses/companions who are being trained to respond to a sudden cardiac arrest.   PRHAT compares the psychological responses of both patients and spouses/companions to standard lay training (call EMS/CPR) and standard lay training plus the use of a home automatic external defibrillator (AED).  
Dr. Morton has authored or co-authored four books, 8 book chapters, and more than 30 journal articles. She serves on the editorial boards of numerous journals and was the Editor-in-Chief of the journal AACN Clinical Issues: Advanced Practice in Acute and Critical Care for 6 years.  She is a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing and has received numerous other honors and awards in her career.