Listed below are the School of Nursing faculty with current research projects. All of the following faculty are authorized to chair masters theses. Those with dissertation chairing privileges are indicated.

Research Faculty

SON Research Faculty - August 2007
Health Behavior and Symptom Management Research Emphasis Area

LAUREN S. AARONSON, RN, PhD, FAAN, Professor, School of Nursing and Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Medicine

Dr. Aaronson also is the deputy director of the Heartland Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (HICTR). She is Principal Investigator on a sub-contract with KU-Lawrence and senior Co-Investigator on the parent grant, "Exercise Trial for Wheelchair Users" (PI: K. Grobe) funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Development (NICHD) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She also is the Co-investigator on a National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) grant, "Promoting and Supporting Breastfeeding in Adolescents" (PI: K. Wambach). Dr. Aaronson was formerly funded by NINR, NIH as Co-investigator on "Symptom Responses to Exercise in Rheumatoid Arthritis" (PI: G. Neuberger); and by NINR, NIH for the establishment of an "Exploratory Center for Biobehavioral Studies of Fatigue Management" as Principal Investigator and Center Director.

Otherpast research includes previous funding as PI by NINR, NIH for "Nursing Factors in Pregnancy Health Behavior and Outcome", a privately funded project, "Dietary Intervention for Hypercholesterolemia" (PI: C. Orringer), and studies of fatigue in healthy persons and those with chronic fatigue syndrome (with L. Pallikkathayil).

Dissertation chair, Dissertation committee member.

GINGER BREEDLOVE, PhD, CNM, ARNP, FACNM, Assistant Professor

Current research includes: (1) Co-investigator with Dr. Karen Wambach on Infant feeding decision making among pregnant adolescents, (2) Principal Investigator for pilot study: A comparison of pre and postnatal maternal stress, depression, pregnancy outcomes and cost of care in private and publicly insured populations of pregnant women, and (3) Principal Investigator for pending qualitative study: The perceived experience of peer counselors in providing social support and perinatal and breastfeeding education to pregnant and parenting adolescents in a randomized controlled trial.

Dr. Breedlove's dissertation focused on adolescent pregnancy in vulnerable populations, social support, doula work and the concept of hope. Her doctoral research was fully funded by the American Nurses Foundation and the National March of Dimes organization.

Dissertation committee member.

M. KATHLEEN BREWER, PHD, ARNP, BC, Associate Professor

Dr. Brewer’s research and clinical practice focuses on alcohol and substance abuse among women. Her doctoral dissertation explored the experiences of recovery from alcoholism for a diverse group of women. She submitted a proposal to National Institutes of Health (NIH) to explore acculturation and alcohol use among immigrant Hispanic and Latina women. Her clinical practice for the past 15 years has been working with the chronically mentally ill and substance abusing clients in community settings. As an educator she has conducted and published several research projects that explored various learning experiences for nursing students. The bulk of her research activities to date have been funded by Sigma Theta Tau and Graduate Research Awards. Additionally, Dr. Brewer is on the Board of Directors for the Kansas Nurse Advocate Program (KNAP). KNAP monitors alcohol and substance treatment and recovery of Registered Nurses for the Kansas Board of Nursing.

Dissertation committee member.

ELAINE WILLIAMS DOMIAN, ARNP, PhD, Clinical Assistant Professor

Dr. Domian's research focus and interest are in qualitative research-ethnography, pregnancy outcomes for minority women, and vulnerable populations-specifically women and children's health care needs. She was the on-site program coordinator of a grant from Children Internationalthat provided health services to low-income children at two preschool centers in Kansas City, Kan. Dr. Domianhas also been a Co-investigatorwith Dr. Karen Wambach, Principal Investigator, on a National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) funded research study on "Promoting and Supporting Breast-feeding in Adolescents."

Past research includes four years funded NRSA Pre-doctoral Fellowship, Individual and Institutional National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), National Institutes of Health (NIH) for dissertation research “Contextual Factors and Meaningful Pregnancies: An Ethnographic Study of Pregnant Hispanic Females and Their Families in Northern New Mexico.” She has worked as a consultant on a qualitative NINR funded research project studying interventions with children with chronically ill or disabled siblings (PI: P. Williams). Dr. Domian has just completed a Post Doctoral Fellowship with the Juniper Gardens Children’s Project at the University of Kansas where she conducted and continues to be involved in qualitative research on high risk mothers for child abuse and neglect.

Dissertation committee member.

EDNA HAMERA, PhD, APRN, Associate Professor

Previous funding from National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), National Institutes of Health (NIH) for "Symptom Use and Self-regulation in Type II Diabetes", Principal Investigator; by National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration (ADAMHA), Principal Investigator for "Substance Abuse/Use and Self-regulation in Schizophrenia", and for “Independent Living for People with Psychiatric Disabilities: Using Contextual Cues to Remove Environmental Barriers.” Co-investigator funded by National Institute of Disability Rehabilitation Research and Health Resources and Services Administration and “Partnerships in Health Promotion”, funded by Health Resources and Services Administration.

Current funding from National Institute of Mental Health for study of “Psychiatric rehabilitation approach to weight loss”.

Other research foci include cognitive rehabilitation and skills training in schizophrenia and other individuals with severe and persistent mental illness.

Dissertation chair, Dissertation committee member.

GERI BUDESHEIM NEUBERGER, RN, EdD, Professor

Project Coordinator on funded HRSA grant, “Career Ladder, Adult-Geriatric CNS/Clinical Educator” (PI: W. Bonnel) (6/01/04-6/30/07); and Safety Officer on funded NIH grant, “Exercise for Wheelchair Users” (PI: K. Grobe) (1/01/06-1/01/10).

Previously funded (9/20/96 – 6/30/02) by the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) as Principal Investigator for RO1 study entitled "Symptom Responses to Exercise in Rheumatoid Arthritis Clients."

Past research includes previous funding by NINR, NIH through the Exploratory Center for Biobehavioral Studies of Fatigue Management, Lauren Aaronson, RN, PhD, Principal Investigator, Center Director, additional support from Delta Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau and the Research Office of the School of Nursing: Study #2 entitled: "Correlates of Fatigue in Rheumatoid Arthritis Clients,” previous funding by NINR, NIH through grant no. R21NR01507, National Research Emphasis Grant Doctoral Program in Nursing, NINR, NIH, Roma Lee Taunton, RN, PhD, Principal Investigator, Geri Neuberger, RN, EdD, Project Director of study: “Determinants of Exercise and Aerobic Fitness in Outpatients with Arthritis," and previous funding by the National Arthritis Foundation, "A comparison of the relative effects of instruction contracting and practice on knowledge of and compliance to an arthritis treatment regimen."

Dissertation chair, Dissertation committee member.

LEONIE PALLIKKATHAYIL, RN, DNS, Associate Professor

Consultant on “Threats to Patient Safety: The Lived Experience of the Acute Care Nurse”, Diane Kennedy, RN, PhD and Sharon Kumm, RN, MN, MS, CCRN, Co-investigators.  Proposal phase.

Consultant on “The Efficiency and the Side Effects of Clozapine in the Treatment of Residential Adolescents”, Suzy Shupe, RN, MN, CS, Principal Investigator. Implementation phase.

Consultant on “Multidisciplinary Education: Improving Elder Heart Failure Patients’ Self-Management”, Ubolrat Piamjariyakul, RN, PhD, Principal Investigator. Funded by American Heart Association.  Implementation phase.

Co-investigator, “The Experience of Living with Chronic Mental Illness: A Photovoice Study”, Noreen Thompson, RN, MS, Principal Investigator.  Publication phase.

NIH funded “Enhancements to KUMC Human Research Protections”, role - research subjects coordinator. Completed a survey and focus group entitled “Experience of Kansas University Medical Center Research Participation”, Co-investigator Dr. Lauren Aaronson.

Completed studies entitled “Anxiety in the Junior Nursing Students”, Co-investigator Dr. Karen Tarnow; and "The Experience of Fatigue in Healthy Individuals", funded through the Center for Biobehavioral Studies of Fatigue Management by NINR, Co-investigator Dr. Lauren Aaronson.

Completed the component study previously funded by National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), "Emergency Department Nurses Response to Attempted Suicide Patients", Roma Lee Taunton, Principal Investigator.

Dissertation chair, Dissertation committee member.

SUE POPKESS-VAWTER, RN, PhD, Professor

Completed studies funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) for a KO7 Academic Investigator Award. The study, entitled Reversal Theory and Motivation for Overeating, was an investigation of the adequacy of Apters reversal theory to explain motivations for overeating to measure tension and to develop nursing interventions to assist overweight women to stop weight cycling. Current study with doctoral student Kelli Kramer involves instrument development of computerized tension measures to assess overeating, skipped exercise, and poor self-esteem. Continue practice as a weight management clinical nurse specialist to apply study findings in intervention protocols for individuals and groups. Currently planning studies in weight management to examine spiritually-based interventions for adult women using holistic individual and group rural Telehealth interventions.

Previously funded by the University of Kansas School of Nursing for "Reversal Theory and Motivations for Overeating--A Pilot Study," University of Kansas Research Institute for "Tension Stress and Motivations for Overeating," and National Institutes of Health (NIH) for Doctoral Emphasis Grant studying body image in overweight women - instrument validation study.

Dissertation chair, Dissertation committee member.

MONICA SCHEIBMEIR, RN, PhD, ARNP, Associate Professor

Research activities/interests: Dr. Scheibmeir's current focus is on office-based smoking cessation assistant by nurse practitioners. She completed an NIH funded study that analyzed coping strategies used by women who quit smoking on their own early in their pregnancy with follow up assessments in the postpartum period.  Following the coping study, Dr. Scheibmeir completed a pilot study that examined computer generated gradual reduction of smoking by low-income women during pregnancy.

Additional research interests: For the past two years, Dr. Scheibmeir has been partnering with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment on delivering evidence-based tobacco cessation guidelines to health care providers who provide prenatal services in communities across Kansas.

Dissertation Co-chair, Dissertation committee member.

VALMI D. SOUSA, PhD, APRN, BC, Associate Professor

Dr. Sousa’s primary research interests include: (1) the development and testing of research instruments, (2) interventions focused on the prevention and self-care management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), and (3) the influence of genetic and environmental factors on the development of T2DM.  He is internally funded as Principal Investigator on the study, “Content Validity of Hurley's Insulin Management Self-Care and Self-Efficacy Scales”. The objectives of this study are to modify and refine the scales to reflect current standards of diabetes care and to establish clarity, consistency, and disease-specific content validity. The data from this study will provide preliminary data for an NIH R03 submission to evaluate the psychometric properties (reliability and dimensionality) of the scales.

Dr. Sousa’s long-term goal is to design interventions that (1) promote health-behaviors and prevent the development of T2DM in individuals at increased risk for the disease and (2) to enhance self-care management among individuals with either Type 1 or T2DM to delay disease-related complications.

Dissertation committee member.

 KAREN A. WAMBACH, RN, PhD, Associate Professor

Dr. Wambach's research program deals with issues related to breastfeeding promotion and support. In April 2003, Dr. Wambach received National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) funding for a randomized clinical trial titled "Promoting and Supporting Breastfeeding in Adolescents". This study tested a comprehensive prenatal, in-hospital, and postpartum intervention composed of lactation consultant and peer counselor education and support to impact breastfeeding decision-making, initiation and duration in teenage mothers fifteen to eighteen years of age. The study is now in its final year and well into the data analysis phase.  Completion of the study will be late 2007.

Past funding includes: (1) KU Research Institute for a bridging grant to support pilot work with adolescents related to breastfeeding; (2) the International Lactation Consultant Association, Sigma Theta Tau Delta Chapter, and the KU School of Nursing for "Lactation Mastitis: A Descriptive Study of the Experience”; (3) KU School of Nursing for research pilot: "Maternal Fatigue and Breastfeeding"; and (4) National Research Service Awards, Individual and Institutional by NINR, National Institutes of Health (NIH) for "Test of a Breastfeeding Intention and Outcome Model" (Dissertation Research).

Dissertation chair, Dissertation committee member.

KRISTINE WILLIAMS, RN, PhD, APRN, BC, Associate Professor

Research program focuses on aging, including communication, caregiving issues, and improving nursing care in supportive settings for older adults.

Currently funded by the National Institutes of Nursing Research and Aging in support of a study, “Elderspeak: Impact on Dementia Care”, using Behavioral and Psycholinguistic analyses of video recorded caregiving interactions to determine the impact of nursing staff elderspeak communication on problem behaviors of care recipients with dementia.

Dr. Williams is also a BIRCWH (Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health) K12 Scholar at KUMC with research focusing on identifying issues and promoting health related to physical and cognitive function and communication for elder women living in assisted living settings. She is currently pilot testing interventions to improve cognition and self-care for women living in assisted living facilities.

Dissertation chair, Dissertation committee member.

ANITA L. WINGATE, RN, PhD, Associate Professor, Assistant Dean, Academic Affairs

Current scholarship activities: My current areas of research interest are factors relative to fatigue and quality of life in oncology patients, and issues of nursing education related to predicting determinants of academic success (NCLEX pass rate, program completion). I welcome involvement with project and thesis students working with oncology topics such as quality of life, hope/hopelessness, fatigue and symptom distress.

Dissertation committee member.

 

Clinical and Organizational Systems Research Emphasis Area

SANDRA L. BERGQUIST-BERINGER, RN, PhD, Associate Professor

Program of research focuses on the assessment, prediction and prevention of pressure ulcers. Studies conducted also include wound measurement, tool validation, surveys to assess adoption of evidence based practice, and studies on process and outcome indicators for quality of care. Research methodologies include epidemiological research and quantitative analysis including regression analysis and research with large data sets.

Funded research studies include: (1) Sigma Theta Tau, Gamma Chapter and ConvaTec, Inc. for the study "Risk Factors for Pressure Ulcers in Community Based Older Adults Receiving Home Health Care" (Dissertation); (2) Faculty Research Grant, Office of Grants and Research for the study "Pressure Ulcer Prediction and Prevention in Home Health Care"; (3) Sigma Theta Tau, Delta Chapter for the study “Validation of a Tool to Monitor Healing of Pressure Ulcers”; (4) Faculty Research Grant, Office of Grants and Research for the study "Extracting Reliable Electronic Data on Pressure Ulcer Risk in Elder Home Health Care Patients: A Feasibility Study"; and (5) “The Reliability of the NDNQI Pressure Ulcer Indicator”.

Dissertation committee member.

MICHAEL R. BLEICH, PhD, RN, CNAA, FAAN, Professor and Associate Dean of Clinical and Community Affairs, School of Nursing

Research activities and interests include (a) leadership and complexity sciences/complex adaptive systems; (b) workforce supply and demand and work environment; (c) executive turnover and impact on staff/organizational transitions; (d) clinical systems analysis; and (e) action and program evaluation research in organizational settings.

Past research included an analysis of nursing documentation systems for evidence of the nursing process, determining head nurse job role characteristics and examining the development and social influence of hospital systems.

Dissertation Chair, Dissertation committee member.

WANDA BONNEL, PhD, ARNP, Associate Professor

Dr. Bonnel serves as Principal Investigator for two federally funded training grants from Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Division of Nursing. Her team initiated the online Nurse Educator Certificate and then blended with a School of Medicine HRSA grant to implement and evaluate the Web-based Health Professions Educator Certificate. Her current Career Ladder grant focuses on developing clinical leaders and educators via accessible online RN to BSN and graduate programs. Descriptive project evaluation includes qualitative and quantitative measures to evaluate program structure, process, and outcomes. Developing new clinical educators, with a particular focus on geriatrics, is a current emphasis within this grant.

Current educational research interests focus on best practices in online education. This work includes two funded projects from the National League for Nursing. The first study included development of a conceptual model emphasizing new ways of envisioning online course feedback to students with an emphasis on course design strategies. The second study further details this conceptual model using multi-site descriptive methods to identify faculty best practices in providing online course feedback.

Related to grant projects, further interests in evidence-based practice, patient education, and health literacy have evolved; pilot work continues. Past projects have addressed older adults and nutritional issues. Selected studies include Meal Management Strategies of Older Adult Women; Observations and Residents' Perceptions of the Nursing Home Group Dining Room; and Staff Perceptions of Successes and Challenges within the Nursing Home Group Dining Room. Dr. Bonnel is currently a team member of the Culture Change in Nursing Homes study funded by the Kansas Department on Aging.

Dissertation Co-chair, Dissertation committee member.

MARGE J. BOTT, RN, PhD, Associate Dean for Research, SON, Office of Grants and Research

Currently funded as Principal Investigator on the Kansas Department on Aging contract, “Culture Change and Turnover in Kansas Nursing Homes”. This study is to develop a survey tool that measures culture change (resident-centered care) in nursing homes. Recently funded as Co-Principal Investigator on the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) funded study “Care Planning Integrity and Nursing Home Resident Outcomes” (PI: R. Taunton). This study examines the MDS care planning process in nursing homes, proposes to identify associations with resident outcomes as well as estimate costs and assess efficiency.

Previously funded by NINR on “Nurse Managers, Nurse Retention, Patient Outcomes” (PI: R. Taunton) and “Behaviors and Cognitions for Resisting the Urge to Smoke” (PI: K. O’Connell). Other project collaborator and data analysis roles include: “The National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators” (PI: N. Dunton), “Nursing Facility Models for Resident Assessment and Care Planning” (PI: R. Taunton); and “Nursing Facility Survey and Facility Characteristics” (PI: S. Thompson).

Expertise in doing various types of data management including working with large databases and data analysis procedures including structural equation modeling. Has worked with several artificial intelligence methods (Bayesian approaches, influence diagrams, etc) to develop decision models for nursing home placement.

Dissertation chair, Dissertation committee member.

DIANE BOYLE, RN, PhD, Associate Professor, School of Nursing and Department of Health Policy and Management

Current research activities:  Co-investigator on the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI®).  NDNQI is sponsored by the American Nurses Association (ANA) as part of its Patient Safety/Nursing Quality initiative and is a repository for longitudinal data from over 1000 hospitals across the United States on nurse staffing, nurse turnover, and nursing sensitive patient outcome indicators. Patient outcomes are collected for adult medical, surgical, and critical care units; pediatric units; psych units; and rehab units.  New indicators are under development. NDNQI also collects an annual RN Job Satisfaction survey from nurses employed in all unit types (e.g., medical, surgical, critical care, pediatric, psychiatric, peri-operative, out patient, etc.).

Research interests include: RN job satisfaction and turnover; nurse sensitive quality indicators; and patient outcomes. Methodologies: quantitative, measurement.

Dissertation chair, Dissertation committee member.

LYNNE M. CONNELLY, PhD, RN, Assistant Professor and Clinical Nurse Researcher, Department of Nursing, University of Kansas Hospital

Dr. Connelly’s research focus is patient safety, leadership competencies, and educational research. She is currently conducting a study on Instrument Development for Patient’s Concerns about Healthcare Safety, which was funded by a grant from the Office of Grants and Research, School of Nursing, University of Kansas. Her research projects have included both qualitative and quantitative research.

Previously funded research includes: PI: “A Study of Staff Nurses’ Administration Practice Patterns and Attitudes Regarding the Titration of Opioids for Dying Patients in the Acute Care Setting” funded by Delta Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau International Reasons cited by Undergraduate nursing students for not participating in online evaluations Sigma Theta Tau and Office of Nursing Research; PI, “Patient’s Concerns about Healthcare,” which was funded by a grant from the University of Texas Health Science Center-San Antonio; Co-PI, “Tool Development of an On-line Patient Safety Climate Survey, funded by the Department of the Army; PI: “Professional Values of LVN-BSN Students,” funded by the University of Texas Health Science Center-San Antonio, School of Nursing Dean’s Teaching Scholar’s Program; PI: "Perceptions of Military Chief Nurse Competencies," funded by the Tri-Service Nursing Research Program; Co-Investigator, "Readiness Instrument Psychometric Evaluation," PI: Dr. Carol Reineck, funded by the Tri-Service Research Program; Co-Investigator, "Fatigue Experienced by Bone Marrow Transplant Patients," PI: Dr. Linda Yoder, funded by the Department of Clinical Investigation, Brooke Army Medical Center, Delta Alpha Chapter of Sigma Theta and the Oncology Nursing Society; PI: "Qualitative Study of Charge Nurse Competencies," funded by the Tri- Service Nursing Research Program; Co-PI, "Individual Medical Readiness in the Army Nurse Corps," PI: Dr. Carol Reineck, funded by the Tri-Service Nursing Research Program; Military Principal Investigator (Army), "Combat Readiness: Hygiene Issues Related to Military Women," PI: Dr. Barbara S. Czerwinski, University of Texas-Houston, funded by the Defense Women's Health Research Grant Program.

Dr. Connelly is currently a reviewer for Nursing Research and Journal of Nursing Scholarship. She was awarded the 2004 MEDSURG Nursing Research in Practice Writer’s Award for her article entitled “A Qualitative Study of Charge Nurse Competencies.”

Dissertation committee member, Comprehensive committee member.

NANCY DUNTON, PhD, Research Associate Professor, School of Nursing and Department of Health Policy and Management

Research interests focus on systems research, especially the effects of nurse staffing on patient outcomes in acute and long term care settings.

Currently funded by the American Nurses Association as Principal Investigator on the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI). Dr. Dunton also is a Co-principal investigator on a Study of the Survey Process for Kansas Nursing Homes funded by the Kansas Department of Aging.

Past research has focused on the outcomes of welfare reform, outcome indicators of children’s well being, use of Census data and administrative data systems, and various survey research projects.

Dissertation Co-chair, Dissertation committee member.

KAREN L. MILLER, RN, PhD, FAAN, Senior Vice Chancellor, Academic & Student Affairs, Dean and Professor

Previously funded by National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), National Institutes of Health (NIH) for “Effects of a Policy for Managing Children’s Pain,” Co-investigator; “Work Sampling Validation of Pediatric Patient Classification I-II”, Co-investigator, funded by The Children’s Hospital, Denver, Colo.; “Multiple Case Comparison of Nursing Practice Models: Rehabilitation Unit Pilot Study”, Principal Investigator, funded by the Kempe Research Center, Denver, Colo.

Among past national committee appointments, Dr. Miller has been a member of the Commission on Workforce for Hospitals & Health Systems of the American Hospital Association. She is active in the National Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Dr. Miller recently completed a four-year term on the National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and she has served on the National Advisory Council of the National Institute of Nursing Research of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dr. Miller was named a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing in 1995.

Currently, Dr. Miller serves as President of the Friends of the National Institute of Nursing Research and is on the following review/editorial boards: IMAGE: Journal of Nursing Scholarship; Collateral Reviewer, Sigma Theta Tau International, and the on-line Journal of Nursing Education. She also serves on corporate Boards of Directors including the University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City.

Dissertation chair, Dissertation committee member.

JANET D. PIERCE, ARNP, DSN, CCRN, Professor

Currently Dr. Pierce is studying diaphragm performance using an animal model in collaboration with Dr. Richard Clancy, Dr. Joyce Slusser, and Dr. Byron Gajewski. This year she will be investigating the effects of different fluid resuscitation fluids on diaphragm function following hemorrhagic shock. We will be measuring organ blood flow using fluorescent microspheres using spectrophometry and free radical formation using digital lazer scanning cytometry. It is the hope of the investigators that they will learn more about dopamine following a hemorrhagic event to understand how to assist patients who need fluid replacement.

Dissertation chair, Dissertation committee member.

CAROL E. SMITH, RN, PhD, Professor

Currently funded by National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) and National Health Lung & Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH) for “Technology Home Caregiving with HPN Families”, “Testing Internet Algorithm Support in HPN Caregivers”, and “Heart Failure Group Clinic Appointments with Nurse Practitioners: Re-hospitalization Prevention Clinical Trial”.  She was recently named by NIH as an Interdisciplinary Women’s Health Research Mentor and by American Heart Association as Interdisciplinary Sponsor on Clinical Trials Research.

Other current research activities/interests are assisting patients and their family caregivers who manage chronic illnesses such as congestive heart failure and highly technical care in the home. Subjects are families with adults dependent on mechanical respiratory assistance, total parenteral nutrition infusions or other complex devices and all family members including children. Model testing to identify caregiving variables associated with cost and quality of life outcomes is ongoing. Interventions being tested include: CPAP adherence support via in-home telehealth, computer systems that guide symptom monitoring, and using algorithm guides for daily technology care, interactive patient education on the Internet for adherence to CPAP, reducing infusion catheter sepsis, dealing with depression, and monitoring economic and human resources of the family. Developed and replicated with SEM and across populations the Caregiving Effectiveness Model into a Midrange Theory to guide practice.

Other nursing interventions such as caregivers mobilizing assistance, social support, patient to patient (peer) support, high tough for high technology, using internet and telehealth education and group clinics managed by nurse practitioners are being tested. Cost-benefit analysis for nurse practitioner group clinics are being studied.  Research methodologies used include telephone interview and survey, model development/testing, meta-analysis, videotape data analysis, time-series analysis and economic ratio comparisons. Dr. Smith has numerous publications in medical, nursing and laymen journals. She has been invited to Washington, DC to present data and health policy information in 1996, 1999, 2000 and 2001. She was an invited member of the NIH grant review panel NINR Special Emphasis Panel on Caregiving RFP applications, June 2002. She was awarded the 2003 Higuchi Endowment Association Research Achievement Award, the 2003 University of Kansas Chancellor Teaching Award, and the Sigma Theta Tau International Award for Research Dissemination in 2004 and 2005.

Dissertation chair, Dissertation committee member.

CYNTHIA S. TEEL, RN, PhD, Associate Professor, Assistant Dean, Academic Affairs

Dr. Teel is a 2006-09 Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Fellow.  In addition to participating in this 3 year advanced leadership program, her current research activities include testing a Self-Care TALK intervention partnership between nurses and older spouse caregivers of stroke survivors and spouses caring for persons with dementia. The stroke study is funded by the American Heart Association and the dementia study is funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR). Key propositions from the Self-care for Health Promotion in Aging model are tested, as they relate to the promotion of caregiver health. Dr. Teel also is coordinating a study with the Kansas Board of Regents and the Kansas State Board of Nursing to describe the clinical educational capacity for prelicensure nursing students in Kansas.

Dr. Teel’s previous related studies included the Kansas Memory Assessment Project (MAP) funded by the State of Kansas, and dementia diagnosis studies funded by a KU Primary Care Physician Education Grant. Other past funding has been through KUMC Center on Aging for development and testing of a music and movement intervention to promote the health of older adults. Other previous funding was through the Center for Biobehavioral Studies of Fatigue for study of fatigue in spouse caregivers of persons with dementia, Parkinson's disease, or cancer and among older spouses of persons without disability. A longitudinal study was conducted in conjunction with the Center on Aging Kansas City Stroke Study to investigate the experiences of family caregivers of persons with stroke at one, three, and six months after stroke.

Dissertation chair, Dissertation committee member.

JUDITH J. WARREN, PhD, RN, BC, FAAN, FACMI, Christine A. Hartley Professor

Research activities and interests include (1) designing and testing data structures that support nursing data, information, and knowledge; (2) testing proposed healthcare informatics standards for their ability to support nursing knowledge representation; (3) developing, modeling, and mapping nursing terminologies to terminologies of other healthcare disciplines to ensure interoperability; (4) testing approaches for developing evidence-based practice protocols; and (5) evaluating the use of the electronic patient record as an educational teaching strategy.

General interest: expertise in qualitative research methods, developing nursing data sets.

Dissertation chair, Dissertation committee member.

PHOEBE DAUZ WILLIAMS, RN, PhD, FAAN, Professor

Recently completed a study funded by National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), National Institutes of Health (NIH) RO1 grant award 7/1/98 - 6/30/02 for "Intervention for Siblings: Experience Enhancement (ISEE - or the "Sibling Project"); published in JPediatrics, September 2003.  Pilot replication with Hawaiian-Americans also presented at 2005 Sigma Theta Tau International Research Congress. Current studies also focus on symptom monitoring, management, and outcomes for oncology patients using the Therapy Related Symptom Checklist (TRSC, both the Child and Adult versions, copyright 1995 by P. Williams), published in the International J Nursing Studies, Cancer Nursing, etc.  Replications are ongoing in Thailand, the Philippines, and China.

Recently completeda Fulbright Scholar (Research/Teaching) award (11/00 - 3/01) from the Council for the International Exchange of Scholars in Washington, DC and the Thailand-U.S. Education Foundation (TUSEF) in Bangkok, Thailand.  Research: "Phase II: Testing an Intervention for Mothers of Young Children in Thailand" (pilot study).

Dissemination of findings ongoing (includes manuscript preparation for publications and research presentations).  Studies on: (1) the Sibling Project; (2) Instrument development: Therapy - Related Symptoms Checklist (TRSC) for oncology patients; (3) Fatigue in Caregivers of Preterm Infants at Home; and (4) Mothers' developmental expectations for young children.

Previously funded by: (1) NINR, NIH for "Hospitalized Child Parent Stress and Sleep Onset Latency", M. White, Principal Investigator, and P.D. Williams, Co-Principal Investigator; (2) the Council for the International Exchange of Scholars (Fulbright) for research on "Mothers' Developmental Timetables for Young Children in Two South East Asian Countries", P.D. Williams, Principal Investigator; (3) the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Child and Adolescent Nurse Research Mentorship Program, Phase III, for a research proposal titled "Sibling Experience Enhancement for Kids (SEEK)", P.D. Williams, Principal Investigator; (4) NINR, NIH through the Center for Biobehavioral Studies, located at the University of Kansas School of Nursing, for Study #4 entitled: "Caregiver Fatigue and At-Risk Infants at Home", P.D. Williams, Principal Investigator.

Dissertation chair, Dissertation committee member.

Statistician Information:

BYRON J. GAJEWSKI, PhD, Assistant Professor

Research activities and interests include (1) statistical applications in the fields of nursing, hearing and speech, physical therapy, diet and nutrition and medicine; (2) creating new Bayesian data analysis techniques and applying them to the above disciplines; and (3) developing new methods to teach statistical science to non-statisticians.

Dissertation committee member.