Dr. Martin-Plank is a Clinical Professor in the Advanced Practice DNP program at the University of Arizona, teaching remotely. She is an expert in online teaching and learning, including Quality Matters, curriculum, teaching health policy, and geriatrics, including pharmacotherapy.
Dr. Martin-Plank has been a nurse practitioner since 1986 (FNP), 1995(GNP) and has presented in numerous settings with a primary focus of health promotion, complex disease management, improving access to care and eliminating health disparities. She brought care to older adults in their homes and practiced to the full extent of the nursing role in several NNCC affiliated nurse-managed centers. Dr. Martin-Plank practiced with an interdisciplinary team in community health and primary care on a mobile unit.
In her current practice setting she does house calls for older adults, complex care in long-term care, and hospice.
Dr. Martin-Plank recently served as Region 3 Director on AANP Board of Directors; she previously served as an expert item writer and Commissioner for the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board.
Dr. Martin-Plank is very active legislatively and is the past President and Legislative Chair of the Buxmont Nurse Practitioner Group, a member of AANP and former PA. Coalition of Nurse Practitioners member. She was previously Secretary for the PCNP, and was a Board member until April 2017.
Dr. Martin-Plank received her BSN from Villanova University, a Master of Science in Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, including coursework with Duke University Center for the Study of Aging, an MSN from the University of Pennsylvania, a PhD from Duquesne University and also a post-Master's certificate in Transcultural Nursing. She completed a post-Master's program as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner from Arizona State University.
Dr. Martin-Plank received the Outstanding Abstract Award from the Western Institute of Nursing Gerontology SIG in 2023, the FAANP Legacy Award in 2022, the Suzanne Van Ort Peer Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2020, the GAPNA Foundation Virginia Lee Cora Award for Research in 2019, the NONPF Health Policy award in 2017, the Excellence in Teaching Award from the University of Arizona College of Nursing in 2015, the Sheila Gealey award for Advocacy and Leadership from the PA Coalition of Nurse Practitioners in 2014, and the NP of the Year award from the Buxmont Nurse Practitioner Group in 2010.
Dr. Martin-Plank was inducted as a Fellow in the American Association of Nurse Practitioners in 2009, a Distinguished Fellow of the National Academies of Practice in 2016, and a Distinguished Educator in Gerontological Nursing by the National Hartford Center for Gerontological Nursing Excellence in 2019.