Skip redundant pieces
School of Nursing
Valmi D. Sousa, PhD, APRN, BC

Academic Information

BSN, School of Nursing and Obstetrics of Guarulhos

MSN, Federal University of São Paulo

PhD, Case Western Reserve University

Post Doctoral Research Fellowship, The University of Iowa

Valmi D. Sousa, PhD, CNS-BC, RN


Associate Professor

Email: vsousa@kumc.edu
Phone: (913) 588-1459

Dr. Sousa is a board certified clinical nurse specialist in adult health. He has taught theory and research methodology courses. His research focuses on the following areas:

  • Measurement and Instrumentation
  • Prevention of type 2 diabetes
  • Self-management of type 2 diabetes

Dr. Sousa has been developing, refining, and testing specific research instruments for the prevention and/or management of type 2 diabetes mellitus. In addition, he continues to refine and test a conceptual framework for diabetes self-care management. These studies will lay the groundwork to design and implement individualized and tailored interventions that may be effective in:

  • Reducing risks for type 2 diabetes
  • Enhancing diabetes self-care agency, diabetes self-efficacy, and diabetes self-management
  • Improving glycemic control and quality of life
  • Delaying and/or preventing diabetes-related complications

Professional Membership

  • American Nurses Association
  • Sigma Theta Tau International
  • Midwest Nursing Research Society
  • Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science
  • National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists

Recent Publications:

  • Huang C. Y., Sousa V. D., Tsai C. C., & Hwang, M. Y. (2008). Social support and adaptation of Taiwanese adults with mental illness. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 17(13), 1795-1802.
  • Sousa V. D., Zauszniewski, J. A., Zeller, R. A., & Neese, J. B. (2008). Factor analysis of the appraisal of self-care agency in American adults with diabetes mellitus. The Diabetes Educator, 34(1), 98-108.
  • Driessnack, M., Sousa, V. D., Mendes, I. A. C. (2007). An overview of research designs relevant to nursing: Part 3: Mixed and Multiple Methods. Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem, 15(5), 1046-1049.
  • Driessnack, M., Sousa, V. D., Mendes, I. A. C. (2007). An overview of research designs relevant to nursing: Part 2: qualitative research designs. Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem, 15(4), 684-688.
  • Sousa, V. D., Driessnack, M., Mendes, I. A. C. (2007). An overview of research designs relevant to nursing: Part 1: quantitative research designs. Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem, 15(3), 502-507.
  • Huang, C. Y, Sousa, V. D., Chen, H. F., Tu, S. Y., Chang, C. J., Pan, I. J. (2007). Stressors, depressive symptoms, and learned resourcefulness among Taiwanese adults with diabetes mellitus. Research and Theory for Nursing Practice: An International Journal, 21(2), 83-97.
  • Sousa, V. D., Cooksey-James, T. J., & Driessnack, M. (2006). Ratings and rankings: Judging the evaluation of quality. Nursing Outlook, 54(2, 67.
  • Sousa, V. D., & Martinez, N. C. (2006). The diabetes educator online: Letter to the editor. The Diabetes Educator, 32(3), 353.
  • Sousa, V. D., Driessnack, M., & Flória-Santos, M. (2006). How to write an abstract for a manuscript publication. Acta Paulista de Enfermagem, 19(3), IX-XII.
  • Sousa, V. D., Driessnack, M., & Flória-Santos, M. (2006). Como escrever o resumo de um artigo para publicacao. Acta Paulista de Enfermagem, 19(3), V-VIII (In Portuguese).
  • Sousa, V. D., Driessnack, M., & Flória-Santos, M. (2006). Cómo escribir el resumen de un artículo para publicación. Acta Paulista de Enfermagem, 19(3), XIII-XVI (In Spanish).
  • Sousa, V. D., Zauszniewski, J. A., & Musil, C. M. (2006). Demographic differences of adults with diabetes mellitus: A cross-sectional study. Online Brazilian Journal of Nursing, 5(2) [Online]. Available at http://www.uff.br/objnursing/index.php/nursing/article/view/294/60
  • Huang, C., Sousa, V. D., Tu, S., & Hwang, M. (2005). Depressive symptoms and learned resourcefulness among Taiwanese female adolescents. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 19(3), 133-140.
  • Sousa V. D., Zauszniewski, J. A.; & Musil, C. M., Price-Lea, P. J., & Davis, S. A. (2005). Relationships among self-care agency, self-efficacy, self-care, and glycemic control. Research and Theory for Nursing Practice: An International Journal, 19(3), 217-230.
  • Sousa, V. D., Zauszniewski, J. A., Mendes, I. A. C., & Zanetti, M. L. (2005). Cross-cultural equivalence and psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the depressive cognition scale. Journal of Nursing Measurement, 13(2), 87-99.
  • Sousa, V. D., & Zauszniewski, J. A. (2005). Toward a theory of diabetes self-care management. Journal of Theory Construction and Testing, 9(2), 61-67.
  • Sousa, V. D., Zauszniewski, J. A., & Musil, C. M (2004). How to determine whether a convenience sample represents the population. Applied Nursing Research, 17(2), 130-133.
  • Sousa, V. D., Zauszniewski, J. A., McDonald, A. P, Musil, C. M., & Sharon, E. M. (2004). Testing a conceptual framework for diabetes self-care management. Research and Theory for Nursing Practice: An International Journal, 18(4), 293-316.
  • Sousa, V. D. & Hayman, L. L. (2002). Nursing theory development. Online Brazilian Journal of Nursing, 1(2) [Online]. Available at http://www.uff.br/nepae/objn102sousaetal.htm
  • Sousa, V. D. (2002). Conceptual analysis of self-care agency. Online Brazilian Journal of Nursing, 1(3) [Online]. Available at http://www.uff.br/nepae/objn103sousa.htm
  • Zauszniewski, J. A., Chung, C., Krafcik, K., & Sousa, V. D. (2001). Psychometric testing of the depressive cognition scale in women with type 2 diabetes. Journal of Nursing Measurement, 9 (1), 61-72.

BioSketch