Rita Olans, DNP, CPNP, APRN-BC

Rita Olans, DNP, RN, CPNP, APRN-BC, is Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing at the MGH Institute of Health Professions.

As the oldest of 7 children, Dr. Olans' passion has always been taking care of children and their families. Her specialty areas of interest have been in pediatric cardiology, rehabilitation, primary and acute care delivered in the school setting and non-conventional settings, as well as in community health centers. Dr. Olans teaches pediatrics, adolescent health, and community health at the Institute, and works part time as Nurse Practitioner Hospitalist at Spaulding Rehabilitation Center.

At times Dr. Olans has tried to leave pediatrics, and even nursing. As a graduate of a diploma school, she quickly realized she needed to go back to school to get a more rounded education. Early in the US hospice movement, she created an independent major at Boston University called Thanatology. This was the first undergraduate degree in death and dying in the US. By the time she was 30, Dr. Olans was president of Hospice of Massachusetts, the first hospice organization in Massachusetts.

Upon tuition emancipation (her daughters graduated), Dr. Olans immigrated with her husband to the US Virgin Islands to work with their Department of Health in HIV/STD/TB care. It was here she learned the importance of telling a story with epidemiological data and how systems of care are co-created with the aid of the Center for Disease Control and Health Resources & Services Administration.