Research Symposium Schedule

Ask the Experts: Practice-Based Nursing Research (RS02-A)

ANAE Research Advisory Council
Interactive session for discussion and to answer research questions from the audience. Topics were determined from a survey to registrants before the event.

Capacity Building for Nursing Research: Professional Development (RS02-B)

This session focuses on the topic of capacity building for nursing research through professional development opportunities. It aims to highlight initiatives and perspectives that enhance the skills and knowledge of nurses in conducting research, particularly in the areas of nursing science and clinical environments. The presentations discuss the establishment of research centers, the role of Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) projects, and insights from nurse scientists and leaders in the hospital setting.

The Center for Nursing Inquiry: Building Capacity for Nursing Science
Heather Watson, PhD, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, Johns Hopkins Health System
This presentation discusses the Center for Nursing Inquiry (CNI) and how it empowers nurses to engage in meaningful scholarly activities and promotes evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and research excellence. Through education, support, and resources, the CNI enhances nurses’ competence and confidence. Results include increased engagement in inquiry projects, dissemination of podcasts and videos, successful training programs, and active nurse participation in publications and research studies. The importance of dedicated resources and organizational support in advancing nursing practice and professional development will be discussed.

DNP Projects in the Clinical Environment: Issues and Perspectives from Hospital-Based Nurse Scientists and Leaders
Maria Yefimova, PhD, RN, University of California, San Francisco
The exponential growth of DNP programs has created challenges in facilitating student-led projects in healthcare systems. Distance-based programs add complexity by involving multiple academic institutions. This presentation discusses the difficulties in aligning priorities, providing resources, onboarding students, accessing patient information, and addressing legal and ethical concerns. It emphasizes the need for discussions between hospital-based and academic leaders to find solutions and prepare a nursing workforce for future challenges.

Promoting Nursing Research within Non-Academic Systems (RS02-C)

This session highlights the strategies and success stories that demonstrate the integration of research initiatives in non-academic healthcare organizations. The presentations discuss the creation of structures to support research projects within non-academic systems, the role of clinical-academic partnerships, and the positive outcomes achieved through these collaborations. This session aims to inspire healthcare organizations to create structures and foster collaborations that facilitate and promote nursing research.

Structure for Sustaining Research in a Non-Academic System
Amanda Brown, PhD, RN, CNL, FAB, Baptist Health and Wolfson Children’s Hospital
This presentation will discuss how a Nursing Scientific Review Committee was created to support nursing research projects within a health system. The presenter will outline how this committee, chaired by a nursing scientist, offers guidance, mentorship, and streamlined approval processes. It operates under the health system’s central IRB, reviews monthly project requests, and provides statistical support. A process that is more efficient and helpful, compared to the existing IRB approval process, will be discussed.

Clinical-Academic Partnerships: A Research Success Story
Danielle Sarik, PhD, APRN, CPNP-PC, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital
Clinical-academic partnerships are crucial for nursing research. This presentation highlights the partnership between a pediatric hospital and a research-intensive university, focusing on the Baby Steps program. Key elements of the partnership’s success will be discussed, including clear leadership, communication, and leveraging strengths. Through this partnership a clinical intervention has been implemented, creating research ties and opportunities for publications.

Examples of Successful Practice-Based Nursing Research (RS03-A)

This session showcases examples of successful practice-based nursing research, providing insights into innovative studies conducted within different healthcare settings. The session aims to inspire and educate attendees about the potential impact of nursing research on improving patient outcomes and enhancing nursing practice.

Strategic Value and Research Opportunities Created in a Nurse-Led Integrative Oncology Clinic
Marie O’Brien, DNP, ANP-C, PMGT-BC, CCRN, Mather Hospital Northwell Health
The American Cancer Society emphasizes pain management as a priority in oncology care. Nurses play a vital role in developing comprehensive pain management plans that address physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects. Creating sustainable nurse-led programs and engaging interdisciplinary partnerships are key challenges. In this presentation, an integrative care oncology clinic serves as a model for this approach, fostering research projects and collaborative partnerships. The speakers will share insights on securing funding, creating a sustainable clinic program, and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration.

The Critical Care Nursing Experience with Xenograft Research
Karen Cantor, BSN, RN-BC, NYU Langone Health
This presentation will narrate an experience where critical care nurses participated in xenotransplant research using brain dead decedents, specifically porcine xenografts for kidney and heart transplants. Nurses managed hemodynamic support devices, collected physiological data, and conducted postmortem care. This experience allowed nurses to collaborate with a multidisciplinary team and push the boundaries of nursing excellence in transplant science. Presenters will discuss the use of this as a model for centers looking to engage critical care nurses in this field of research.

Increasing CRC screening Uptake in Hispanic Patients in Middle Tennessee
Erick Hernandez Campos, RN, MSN, FNP-BC, Belmont University
Cancer screening rates for Latino individuals are well below target levels. This presentation will discuss a study implemented using a provider-driven communication language-concordant communication intervention for Hispanic patients eligible for colorectal cancer screening. Of the patients who received the intervention, 68.5% completed the screening. However, underutilization of annual wellness visits remains a barrier to screening. The presenter will discuss the importance of counseling and recommendations during follow-up visits to improve screening rates among Latino patients.

Engaging Nurses in Research (RS03-B)

This session focuses on the theme of engaging nurses in research, highlighting initiatives and experiences that encourage active participation and collaboration of clinical nurses in research activities. The presentations showcase different approaches, including involving nurses in brainstorming clinical issues, leading and engaging nurses in multisite studies, and fostering academic-clinical practice partnerships to promote research and healthcare innovation.

Here’s What Happens When You Brainstorm Clinical Issues in the Medication Room
Crystal Nash, BSN, RN, CRRN, Craig Hospital
Two bedside nurses discovered a high rate of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in spinal cord injury patients due to inadequate educational resources for safe intermittent catheterization. This presentation will discuss how they collaborated with healthcare professionals to develop a standardized educational tool and turned their quality improvement project into a research endeavor. This presentation showcases their journey, highlighting the challenges and achievements of conducting a research project led by bedside nurses and the need for clinician-researcher collaboration to enhance patient care.

Leading and Engaging Clinical Nurses in Multisite Studies: A Journey towards Magnet^® Designation
Lina Najib Kawar, PhD, RN, CNS, Kaiser Permanente Southern California
This presentation will discuss how a Regional Nursing Research Team (RNRT) implemented strategies to support clinical nurses in achieving Magnet® designation and meeting research requirements. These strategies include involving clinical nurses in multisite studies through a virtual platform, providing mentorship for research involvement, offering guidance in proposal development, and offering supplemental resources, tools, and workshops to enhance their research capacity.

Academic-Clinical Practice Partnerships: Engaging Clinical Nurses in Research and Healthcare Innovation
Karen Giuliano, PhD, RN, FAAN, MBA, University of Massachusetts-Amherst
This presentation will discuss an academic-clinical partnership program that supports interdisciplinary collaboration among frontline nurses, promoting their growth as clinicians, researchers, and leaders in healthcare innovation. Led by a nurse scientist, the program focuses on projects in implementation science, nursing research, and medical product development. Additionally, the importance of research fellowships, mentorship programs, and interdisciplinary partnerships with biomedical students will be discussed.

Strategies for Sustaining Practice-Based Nursing Research (RS03-C)

This session focuses on discussing strategies for sustaining practice-based nursing research, emphasizing the importance of creating a culture of scientific inquiry and fostering collaborations between clinical and academic settings. The presentations highlight successful initiatives and partnerships that have contributed to the sustainability and advancement of practice-based nursing research.

Spearheading a Spirited Culture of Scientific Inquiry in an Academic Health System
Kathleen Zavotsky, RN, CCRN, CEN, ACNS-BC, FAEN, FCNS
NYU Langone
This presentation describes a collaborative journey undertaken by nursing leaders in an academic health system to promote a culture of scientific inquiry among clinical nurses. The methods included strategic planning, support for innovative strategies, resource availability, dissemination of scholarly work, and grant funding opportunities. The importance of establishing and translating science in nursing practice through research, evidence-based practice (EBP), and quality improvement (QI) is highlighted.

Collaboration Fills the Gaps: Use a Clinical-Academic Partnership to Cultivate Practice-based Research
Christine Somberg, APRN-CNS, ACNS-BC, NE-BC
Northwestern Medicine-Lake Forest Hospital
In this presentation, the presenter will discuss how a healthcare system worked to strategically meet research and evidence-based practice (EBP) goals by forming a strong academic partnership to address gaps in their interprofessional research infrastructure. They combined a clinical inquiry algorithm with a professional development program and integrated the expertise and resources of the academic partner, leading to successful outcomes.

Research on Nurse Well-Being (RS04-A)

This session focuses on the topic of nurse well-being and presents research findings related to various aspects of nurse mental health, spiritual distress, burnout, moral distress, and access to support resources. The goal of this session is to shed light on the challenges nurses face and the potential strategies for promoting their well-being and professional satisfaction.

Tragedy or Transformation? How Do Spiritual Distress and Growth Contribute to Nurse Burnout?
Carrie DuPee, RN, DNP, PCNS-BC, Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center
The presenter will discuss how nurse spirituality or religiosity (S/R) distress and growth contribute to burnout among nurses during the pandemic. The study findings show correlation between burnout and S/R struggle, moral injury, and post-traumatic growth. This presentation offers insight into how addressing PTSD, valuing nurses holistically, and supporting those with S/R struggles and post-traumatic growth may help reduce burnout.

Exploring Moral Distress and Intent to Leave: The Perceptions of the Registered Nurse
Katherine Sheppard, DNP, APRN, AGCNS-BC, CCRN, Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center
This presentation will explore factors that influence moral distress and intent to leave among registered nurses (RNs) in a healthcare system. Findings revealed that RNs who recently completed the NCLEX and those in direct patient care had a higher likelihood of intending to leave. Factors such as lack of equipment, fear of retribution, and perceived lack of institutional support for patient safety contributed to moral distress among direct care RNs. The results of this study highlight the importance of improving the work environment to reduce RN turnover.

The Midnight Monday Campaign: An Observational Study of Access to and Utilization of Integrated Health Modalities Materials by RNs Working in an Academic Health System at Night
Jennifer Withall, PhD, RN, ACNS, ONC, NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital
This presentation will discuss how nurses working night shifts in an academic health system engaged with an electronically delivered integrative health micro-learning intervention. The intervention, consisting of 13 weekly email communications, aimed to promote health and wellness. Nurses appreciated the intervention designed specifically for their night shift schedule. The presenter will discuss how delivering integrative health resources electronically can effectively engage nurses working at night who may have limited access to traditional wellness programs.

Promoting Inclusion and Collaboration in Nursing Research (RS04-B)

This session highlights strategies and initiatives that aim to enhance equity, diversity, and belonging in research endeavors. The presentations discuss the importance of engaging with diverse communities and backgrounds, building collaborative relationships, and maximizing doctoral nurse collaborations to foster inclusive research environments.

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging in Practice-Based Research
Christi Zuber, PhD, RN, Stanford Health Care
The presentation will discuss the case study of an Employee Resource Group (ERG) for Black Employee for Advancement and Mentorship (BEAM Team), focused on DEI and HE for marginalized nurses. Using Human-Centered Design, the goal of this team is to empower Black employees, address power dynamics, and foster connections. The two-phase process involves gathering insights, creating ideas, and testing solutions. It emphasizes centering Black voices for research engagement, shared decision-making, and positive outcomes.

Strategies for Collaborating and Engaging with Nurses and Community Health Workers who come from Diverse Communities and Backgrounds
Elyssa Wood, PhD, MPH, RN, FAEN, Inova Health System
This presentation discusses collaborating with nurses and community health workers from diverse backgrounds in a nurse-led research study targeting childhood obesity in Hispanic children. The study utilized virtual programming and community engagement strategies, including training Spanish-speaking facilitators and incorporating a Community Advisory Board. The presenter will share strategies for collaboration, working with the advisory board, and lessons learned during the study process.

Building Bench Strength for a Program of Clinical Nurse Led Research Development while Maximizing Doctoral Nurse Collaborations
Mary Gullatte, PhD, RN, ANP-BC, AOCN, LSSYB, FAAN, Emory Healthcare
This presentation highlights an organizational program of research, clinical inquiry, and mentorship. It includes the narrative of the annual Nurse Research and Evidence-Based Practice Academy and a Doctoral Nurse Mentor Program. The presenter will discuss how this initiative addresses the need for mentorship and support in research and evidence-based practice and promotes collaboration with academic institutions and interprofessional partners. This presentation will also discuss how to support diverse and multicultural nurses at an introductory level up to academic authorship.

Interprofessional Collaboration for Nursing Research (RS04-C)

This session focuses on the theme of interprofessional collaboration for nursing research, highlighting the significance of collaboration between different healthcare disciplines in advancing nursing scholarship and research. The presentations discuss the benefits, strategies, and innovative approaches to foster interprofessional collaboration, engagement, and knowledge exchange in the context of nursing research.

Embracing Interprofessional: Advancing Scholarship through Collaborative Research
Katherine Hinderer, PhD, RN, CNE, NEA-BC, Connecticut Children’s
Beth A. Wentland, MBA, BSN, RN, NPD-BC, Connecticut Children’s
This presentation highlights the methods used to establish an interprofessional-friendly research environment, resulting in successful projects and improved patient care. Nurse scientists and evidence-based practice specialists play key roles in supporting and advocating for interprofessional collaborations. The discussion emphasizes the importance of thinking and acting interprofessionally, initiating smaller projects, and embracing opportunities to foster collaborative research.

A Budget-Neutral Research Immersion Certificate Program to Foster Engagement in Nursing and Interdisciplinary Research
Judy Davidson, DNP, RN, MCCM, FAAN, UC San Diego
This presentation will discuss the development of a certificate program and present it as a replicable strategy to foster a culture of engagement in nursing and interprofessional research/publication. The Research Immersion Certificate Program utilizes a hands-on learning approach without lectures, accommodating participants of all educational backgrounds. Results show high participant satisfaction, increased sense of belonging, and successful publication outcomes. The program is flexible, interdisciplinary, and budget-neutral, offering practical research experiences and promoting collaboration.

A Learning Healthcare Approach to Engaging Nurses in Research
Catherine Ivory, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
This presentation will discuss the role of nurses in generating new knowledge through research. A Learning Healthcare System (LHS) Platform at a large academic medical center will be discussed, detailing how it supports nursing research by providing infrastructure, governance, and expertise for translational research. Nurses are actively engaged in proposing studies, receiving consultation and support, and contributing to dissemination and implementation. Strategies to promote nurse engagement in LHS activities and expand research capacity will be discussed, including academic-practice partnerships and LHS collaboratives.