On July 27, Terry Badger, PhD, RN, University of Arizona College of Nursing, will be inducted into Sigma Foundation for Nursing’s 2019 International Researcher Hall of Fame.

Dr. Badger, who also is the Eleanor Bauwens Endowed Chair, will join 23 other nurse researchers from the United States, Australia, Canada and Sweden to be recognized during Sigma’s 30^th International Nursing Research Congress in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Dr. Badger, also chair of the Division of Community and Systems Health Science at the College, is being recognized for her substantive research focusing on depression, symptom management and quality of life among cancer survivors and their families. She is conducting research testing theory-based methods to decrease psychological distress associated with cancer and its treatment and improve quality of life and symptom management for cancer survivors and their families during and after cancer treatment. 

“Dr. Badger is mission-driven, dedicated to advancing symptom-science research and an exemplary role model. She is a richly deserving of the STTI Hall of Fame Researcher Award." ~ Ki Moore, PhD, RN, FAAN, UA College of Nursing Interim Dean

Dr. Badger is interested in developing easily accessible, quality psychosocial oncology services for underserved, multicultural populations. Most recently, she was awarded two, four-year National Cancer Institute grants totaling $5 million to investigate a precision approach to decrease psychological distress and improve symptom management in cancer survivors and their caregivers during and after treatment.

“For the past 14 years I have had the pleasure of working closely with Dr. Badger,” said UA Nursing Interim Dean Ki Moore, PhD, RN, FAAN.  “As interim dean of the College of Nursing, I have gained an even greater appreciation of Terry as an accomplished and productive interdisciplinary scientist. For almost two decades she has conducted pathfinding investigations about the emotional and affective symptoms experienced by individuals with cancer and their caregivers. Terry is highly respected for her work and sought out as a collaborator by scholars in nursing and other disciplines. Dr. Badger is mission-driven, dedicated to advancing symptom-science research and an exemplary role model. She is a richly deserving of the STTI Hall of Fame Researcher Award.”

This year represents Sigma’s 10^th presentation of the International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame. The 2019 inductees will join the 176 previously inducted nurse-researchers – many of whom will be present at the 10-year anniversary induction – who have achieved significant and sustained national or international recognition and whose research has improved the profession and the people it serves.

“These Hall of Fame researchers have made highly substantive contributions to global health that will resonate for decades,” said Sigma President Beth Baldwin Tigges, PhD, RN, PNP, BC. “I offer my sincere congratulations to these 23 outstanding nurses.”

Sigma’s annual Congress attracts more than 1,000 nurse-researchers, students, clinicians and leaders who share information and learn from hundreds of peer-reviewed, evidence-based research presentations. The theme for the 30th International Nursing Research Congress is “Theory-to-Practice: Catalyzing Collaborations to Connect Globally.” 

When Ishmail Sillah came to the United States, he was a 7th grade student immigrating as a refugee from Sierra Leone. His home country was devastated by a civil war that lasted from 1991-2002, a period during which the people of Sierra Leone experienced troubling health statistics. At the height of the civil war in 1997, Sierra Leoneans suffered from one of the highest infant mortalities in the world, as well as one of the lowest life expectancies, with many adults not expected to live past their mid-40s.  Motivated by these formative experiences, Dr. Sillah has developed into a caring and compassionate individual determined to make a positive difference in the world through healthcare. He graduated with a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree from the University of Arizona College of Nursing in December 2018. on March 5th 2019, he became an American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) board certified Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP). 

“Regardless of what you do in your life, if you don’t try to help people something’s wrong,” he says. While obtaining his BS in physiology, Sillah worked part-time as a caregiver for a woman who was so impressed with his skills that she said, “You’re good at this. Have you ever considered going into nursing?”

“Regardless of what you do in life, if you don't try to help people, something's wrong," ~ Ishmail Sillah, UA College of Nursing DNP Alumnus 

Dr. Sillah had found his calling. He applied to UA Nursing’s MS-RN program and was accepted. “The interesting thing was I was dropped from the program because I was struggling with my tests in the first year,” he says. Undaunted, he reapplied and was accepted again. Resolving to do everything in his power to succeed, he intensified his studies, going so far as to read lectures before attending class, and finished the master’s program in 2014. Not content to rest on his laurels, he immediately enrolled in the UA DNP program (DNP). He studied full-time and paid the bills working first as an ER nurse and then as a cardiac ICU nurse at Tucson Medical Center. Through it all, he remained committed to making a difference not only in his homeland Sierra Leone but also in other sub-Saharan African Countries such as Kenya. 

With guidance from UA Nursing Associate Professor Matthew Gallek, PhD, RN, Sillah settled on stroke care as the focus of his research. “When people think about sub-Saharan Africa, they think infectious diseases,” he says. “But non-communicable diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases are also significant causes of death in the region. That is why I decided to go into stroke research. My work is focused on improving stroke assessment.” Sillah credits Dr. Gallek – who told him, “We can’t save the whole of Africa just now but let’s take baby steps and see what you can do,” – with helping him focus his approach. Dr. Sillah also received guidance from UA Nursing faculty member and recognized stroke expert Leslie Ritter, PhD, RN, FAAN, who helped him fine-tune his research while building his DNP project, “Needs Assessment for Using a Stroke Scale in Kenyan Hospitals.”

“Dr. Sillah is deeply committed to improving the health of the people of Kenya as evidenced by his work in identifying what barriers might exist in the rapid assessment of stroke in urban and rural Kenyan hospitals,” said Dr. Ritter. “He was able to successfully initiate and complete this important work because of his truly extraordinary ability to identify gaps in care, to understand cultural practices and to persist when challenges arose.”

Going into the project, Dr. Sillah knew he wanted to focus his efforts on cardiovascular disease in sub-Saharan Africa. He asked himself, “As a nurse, what can I do to help the situation?” His answer: Determine whether the widely used National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), which gauges stroke symptoms such as facial droop, arm drift and slurred speech to determine stroke severity-could be implemented in a sub-Saharan African healthcare setting. “The faster you respond to these symptoms, the less likely you are to suffer permanent brain damage,” Sillah explains.

After conducting a needs assessment for the use of a stroke scale in two Kenyan hospitals, Dr. Sillah determined that utilizing tools such as the NIHSS could vastly improve response to stroke patients. His results will fuel more efficient and effective ways to combat the dangers of stroke by creating improved communication between healthcare professionals when dealing with a patient. "The goal is to come up with a scale that is useful for nurses, clinical officers (NP and PA equivalents in Kenya), and medical doctors to communicate stroke severity effectively," says Dr. Sillah. 

This summer, he will present his findings at Sigma Theta Tau's 30th International Nursing Research Congress, held in Calgary, Canada on July 25th-29th. He is proud to give other nurse practitioner (NP) students a positive role model and he is eager to share his knowledge on a worldwide stage. "I can encourage NP students, and other health professions students by example," he says. "I would like to see my work support the continued growth of UA Nursing's recognition as an institution that does global research especially within the NP speciality. This goal is consistent with our UA mission of Bigger Questions, Better Answers, Bear Down and I am very grateful to know that I am a part of this mission."

Dr. Sillah’s nursing journey has been challenging but successful. Along the way, he has also built a meaningful personal life. He met and married his wife, had a daughter and fostered many lasting friendships, including his former college roommate and best friend who now lives down the street from him. He considers Tucson to be his home away from home, and the University of Arizona to be the stepping stone leading him to a lifelong career of helping others. “My wife feels the same way,” he says. “We both have felt so much support and love here.”

Professor Terry Badger, PhD, RN, PMHCNS-BC, FAAN, recently was appointed to the Eleanor Bauwens Endowed Chair of Nursing at the University of Arizona College of Nursing in recognition of her accomplishments as a nationally recognized nurse-scientist and leader in graduate education.

Dr. Badger  also is chair of the College’s Division of Community and System Health Science and an adjunct professor in the UA Department of Psychiatry.

The endowed chair is named in honor of  the late Eleanor Bauwens, PhD, UA professor emerita of nursing, who died in November 2016. Dr. Bauwens graduated with a bachelor’s degree  in nursing in 1966, and a master’s degree and doctorate in anthropology in 1970 and 1974, respectively. She went on to become the first person to hold two associate dean positions at the UA College of Nursing: Baccalaureate and the Extended College. In 2011, the College of Nursing created the Eleanor E. Bauwens Endowed Chair to recognize her exceptional leadership in nursing education from 1974 to 1991. 

“For more than 25 years, Dr. Badger has investigated affective symptoms and quality of life among individuals with cancer and their caregivers. She has an exceptional record of student mentorship and has received numerous awards for her achievements in research, education and service." ~ Ki Moore, PhD, RN, FAAN, UA College of Nursing Interim Dean

“The Eleanor Bauwens Endowed Chair is one of the highest honors bestowed upon a faculty member in acknowledgment of the significant professional accomplishments of Dr. Bowens,” said UA Nursing Interim Dean Ki Moore, PhD, RN, FAAN. “For more than 25 years, Dr. Badger has investigated affective symptoms and quality of life among individuals with cancer and their caregivers. She has an exceptional record of student mentorship and has received numerous awards for her achievements in research, education and service. I am pleased for Dr. Badger, who is so deserving of this honor.”

“I am deeply honored to receive this endowed chair, and since I knew Eleanor Bauwens, it is an extremely meaningful honor,” Dr. Badger said. “She was an amazing nurse leader.”

Dr. Badger’s research focuses on depression, symptom management and quality of life among cancer survivors and their families.

She is conducting research testing theory-based methods to decrease psychological distress associated with cancer and its treatment and improve quality of life and symptom management for cancer survivors and their families during and after cancer treatment. Dr. Badger is interested in developing easily accessible, quality psychosocial oncology services for underserved, multicultural populations. Most recently, she was awarded two, four-year National Cancer Institute grants totaling $5 million to investigate a precision approach to decrease psychological distress and improve symptom management in cancer survivors and their caregivers during and after treatment.

Her research shows the importance of including the informal caregivers in psychosocial care because survivors and their families react to the cancer experience as one emotional system. Caregivers’ well-being can influence survivors’ well-being and recovery. The long-term goal of Dr. Badger’s studies is to change oncology practice, moving beyond a one-size-fits-all approach so that all cancer survivors and their families have access to the psychosocial services they need during the cancer journey.

Dr. Badger has more than 20 years’ experience as a PI on various research proposals. She has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, the National Cancer Institute, the National Institute of Nursing Research and multiple foundations, including the Oncology Nursing Foundation, the V Foundation, the Livestrong Foundation and the American Cancer Society. She cofounded the Symptoms, Health, Innovation and Equity (SHINE) research group at the UA College of Nursing, which is a group of interprofessional investigators dedicated to symptom science research with cancer survivors and caregivers. She has reviewed grant proposals for internal and external grant mechanisms and has served on study sections for NIH. She has been a member of the UA Cancer Center for more than 10 years. 

Faculty, staff and students who wish to hone their writing skills to a razor-sharp point have a new resource. Leslie Dupont, PhD, joined the University of Arizona College of Nursing last month as Writing Coach. Her wordsmithing skills are available in a variety of ways: she’s available for one-on-one consultations or for working with small writing groups; she holds weekly open hours three times weekly for drop-in questions and brainstorming sessions; she tweets writing-related tips and tricks (follow here), leads workshops, delivers class presentations and holds focus groups. She also has a collection of writing-related books that are available for checkout for up to two weeks.

Tell us about your background and what drew you to a career as a writing coach/instructor.

My background is in writing and humanities. I've taught writing and writing-intensive subjects since 1989, and I earned my PhD in Rhetoric, Composition, and the Teaching of English in 1999. As a writing coach/instructor, I have worked with people from every continent and been exposed to hundreds of research topics, specialties, cultural and experiential backgrounds, learning styles, and learning contexts, both online and in person. This variety keeps me young at heart and challenges me to stay flexible and open.

“In my previous job, I worked with many undergraduate nursing students, and I found myself empathizing with the challenges many of them faced when shifting back and forth between clinical and academic writing styles" ~ Leslie Dupont, PhD, UA College of Nursing Writing Coach 

What attracted you to the College of Nursing?

In my previous job, I worked with many undergraduate and graduate Nursing students, and I found myself empathizing with the challenges many of them faced when shifting back and forth between clinical and academic writing styles. These same challenges are experienced by so many of us, both academic and non-academic, and I enjoy helping people become increasingly self-confident, flexible, and independent when writing for different purposes. In my imagination, I brainstormed ideas and strategies that might be useful for these writers, and when the opportunity arose to apply for the CON Writing Coach position, I jumped at the chance. 

How does writing for a higher education audience differ from writing for other groups?

Higher education writing contexts are often more formal in terms of style and content than writing for other groups. There is a strong emphasis on in-depth research and, for many, publication in peer-reviewed journals. Not all writing in higher ed is that structured and formal, though. Newsletters, emails, memos, reports, and less formal professional articles are all produced in higher ed settings as well as digital and other kinds of text. In fact, it might be this extreme variety of styles and genres that is most distinctive about writing in higher education.

Why are effective writing skills important?

We communicate through language--much of which is written. Having effective writing skills means that you not only communicate clearly but also remember the readers on the other end of your documents.

What are three things people might not know about effective writing?

• You don't have to be the world's greatest writer to be an effective writer. It's not about being perfect; it's about being accurate, clear, and aware of the impact your words and the ways you express them have on others.
• Writing is a skill, not an ability that you are born with. Just as in learning to play a sport or musical instrument, to become an effective writer, you need to practice, get feedback, revise, play, and experiment.
• Most effective writers start with messy, rough first drafts. They improve these drafts through revision. It's like warming up and practicing before a game--you never walk onto the court or field cold and stiff if you want to do well. It's the same with writing: If you write one draft and do little to nothing with it, you're not going to do well--not because you can't but because you didn't do the preparation you needed to do.

Where are you from originally?

I was born in Connecticut and spent most of my childhood there. After a very brief time in Florida when I was 17 and 18, I came out to Arizona and have been here ever since.

What do you like to spend your free time?

I love to watch creature features and found-footage horror movies, read cozy mysteries, go out to eat with friends, and explore thrift and antique stores. (There's more, but that's the short list!)

In fall 2019, the University of Arizona College of Nursing will advance its commitment to integrative health when it begins offering a new Bachelor of Science in Nursing pathway devoted to blending conventional health care with complementary approaches to mind-body-spirit wellbeing.

The new program will occupy the entire third floor of the University Building in downtown Gilbert, Ariz. The UA’s office of Academic Initiatives and Student Success, which handles leases on all distance campus network spaces, is leasing the space. With an expected enrollment of 72 students in its first year, the program is projected to have a total enrollment of 216 students by its third year. 

“We are thrilled that the University of Arizona is bringing its nationally ranked nursing program to Gilbert,” said Gilbert Mayor Jenn Daniels. “I look forward to supporting this great institution in its efforts to fill the demand in Arizona’s rapidly growing health-care industry.”

“We are excited to have the opportunity to launch our new BSN integrative health program in Gilbert,” said UA Nursing Interim Dean Ki Moore, PhD, RN, FAAN. “This will be the first nursing program nationally to incorporate integrative health content and interventions into a BSN program. We will use state-of-the art simulation to help students master clinical skills and innovative technology to deliver course content as we prepare the next generation of professional nurses.”

“This will be the first nursing program nationally to incorporate integrative health content and interventions into a BSN program. We will use state-of-the-art simulation to help students master clinical skills and innovative technology to deliver course content as we prepare the next generation of professional nurses." ~ Ki Moore, PhD, FAAN, UA College of Nursing Interim Dean 

A blend of online and traditional classroom learning, the four-semester, upper-division BSN-IH program differs from the conventional BSN pathway in that it focuses on integrative health and wellbeing assessment and promotion. Offering an alternative to traditional biomedical and pharmacological options, integrative health promotes a healing-oriented, whole-person approach to health care. Conditions are clinically treated through a variety of methods, including lifestyle enhancement, nutrition and appropriate biomedical therapies.

The BSN-IH program will help enrolled students obtain the education and experiences they need to become successful registered nurses with a focus on integrative management of chronic conditions and serious illnesses. The University Building is equipped with a nursing simulation suite designed to replicate a hospital patient-care setting, which was a major factor in the UA choosing to locate in Gilbert. This infrastructure aligns itself with the UA’s commitment to its 100-percent engagement initiative, which focuses on incorporating experiences beyond the classroom to provide a framework for students to enrich their professional and personal growth.

“This new BSN-IH program is unique in highlighting nurses’ role in leading integrative health care to consider whole person/whole system, relationship-based and person-centered approaches to care,” said Connie Miller, DNP, chair, the Division of General Nursing and Health Education. “Online courses, complemented by face-to-face skills development and maximized simulated learning experiences, will take full advantage of this wonderful simulation suite in Gilbert.”

The UA Health Sciences has outlined a set of mission-critical priorities, which include “future-proofing” its graduates, preparing them to lead and work with interdisciplinary teams to improve care.  

The BSN-IH program is the logical next step for UA Nursing’s focus on integrative health, which has developed strong academic and community ties through its landmark Integrative Nursing Fellowship and its partnership with The Hacienda at the River, a senior residential community in Tucson.

“This innovative BSN-IH degree program is another example of this university’s commitment to create world-class programs and curricula, while leveraging our vast expertise to make a healthy difference in the world around us. We have a unique opportunity in the City of Gilbert, which reinforces our commitment to have a statewide impact on health through excellence in education, breakthrough research and patient-centered care,” said Michael D. Dake, MD, senior vice president, UA Health Sciences.

“The UA is committed to offering high-quality degree programs in communities across Arizona where student demand, degree outcomes and the needs of the community are well-matched,” said Joel Hauff, associate vice president, academic initiatives and student success. “The location of the BSN-IH program in Gilbert represents a perfect match in all of these areas.”

For enrollment information, please visit UA Nursing’s BSN program page.

BSN student Hannah Garis Copley decided to pursue a career in nursing to help people, but during the course of her studies, she zeroed in a particularly vulnerable population: infants. Slated to graduate in fall 2019, she recently received an Honors Legacy Grant from the UA Honors College to fund her training for doula certification.

Doulas, trained professionals who provide guidance and support to pregnant women during labor, act as advocates and partners in the birthing process in ways that other members of the healthcare team are not equipped to do. They assist a woman before, during, or after childbirth, to provide emotional support and physical help. They also may provide support to the mother's partner and family. 

“I am super lucky to have the Honors Legacy Grant to fund my doula certification. It was a blessing to have the opportunity to get hands-on training and books that I needed, and to spend time with amazing doulas and people who do great things in the birth base in Arizona." ~ Hannah Garis Copley, UA College of Nursing BSN Student 

Not only will Copley’s project help clarify the role of doulas in the health care system, but it will aid in making the College’s undergraduate honors thesis options more hands-on with engaged learning opportunities.  "Hannah Copley is the perfect nursing student to help the College of Nursing develop new and innovative pathways for undergraduate honors projects at the College of Nursing,” says UA Nursing senior lecturer Lisa Kiser, CNM, WHNP. “She is deeply interested in maternal and child health and wanted to complete an honors project that actively helped her develop her skills and experience in maternal health, while also serving our community.” 

Copley’s interest in becoming a certified doula grew from her awareness of the high infant mortality rate in the U.S. – especially among women of color. “I wanted to find a way to help change that,” she says. “There’s been a lot of really promising research that talks about how doulas are one way to help change the model of maternity care in the U.S. I wanted to be boots on the ground, helping to solve the problem.”

Typically, OB training does not address the ways that doulas and nurses complement one another during the birthing process. Many times, Copley says, that lack of understanding can lead to an adversarial relationship. She hopes to change that with her thesis. “I wanted to look into ways that we can integrate the process of the work of nurses and doulas and the ways responsibility would have to be ceded to one another and ways to collaborate better,” she says.

One difference between nurses and doulas is that doulas are present for the entire birthing process. “That’s not always a luxury we have as nurses,” says Copley. “You have 12-hour shifts and you’ve got to go home. With doulas, there’s a level of emotional support and knowledge having the background knowledge of your client, knowing their desires and their communication style that makes doulas uniquely wonderful advocates and partners for the woman in labor.”

To complete her doula training, Copley worked with a local doula trainer for 30 hours, doing hands-on exercises with an emphasis on alternative pain control methods like massage and counter pressure. She has attended several births. She also completed childbirth training with UA Nursing’s Melissa Goldsmith, PhD, RNC, at Tucson’s Teen Outreach Pregnancy Services (TOPS).

Although many doulas do not have a nursing background, Copley says that having the proper training is becoming increasingly important. “I am super lucky to have received the Honors Legacy Grant to fund my doula certification,” she says. “It was a blessing to have the opportunity to get the hands-on training and books that I needed, and to spend time with amazing doulas and people who do great things in the birth base in Arizona.”

On January 26, University of Arizona College of Nursing Assistant Professor Helena Morrison, PhD, RN, received the 2018 Undergraduate Biology Research Program (UBRP) Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award. Each year, nominations for the UBRP Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award are submitted by students in UBRP who feel that their mentors have been exceptionally dedicated to their growth, willing to accommodate their needs, promoted their scientific and educational development, and demonstrated respect, loyalty and friendship. Dr. Morrison was nominated by two students who said her mentorship made a significant impact on their lives and studies.

“I have been involved in research since my sophomore year of high school,” said College of Science student Beca Gardner. “I entered UBRP with a good amount of experience, but I never truly embraced the passion for research until I entered Dr. Helena Morrison’s lab. She is more than just my research mentor; she is my role model in every sense of the word.”

“I am fortunate to be part of this program with the opportunity to mentor students who will be the future innovators in biomedical sciences." ~ Helena Morrison, PhD, RN

“Dr. Morrison is fully supportive of all my intellectual pursuits,” said College of Science student Ayumi Pottenger. “She has enabled me to learn new, important and marketable skills. She doesn’t shy away from letting the undergrads perform important experiments and encourages us to learn as many new techniques as possible.”

Dr. Morrison’s research focuses on improving stroke patient outcomes by informing novel sex-specific therapeutics. She investigates microglia cells—the brain phagocyte—under physiologic and pathologic conditions. Her primary research inquiry focuses on discovering how sex, estrus cycle and ovarian function influences microglial morphology in the healthy brain and their phagocytic phenotypes after ischemic stroke.

“UBRP encompasses a wonderful cadre of students and staff that provides much needed support for undergraduate research experiences,” said Dr. Morrison. “I am fortunate to be a part of this program with the opportunity to mentor students who will be the future innovators in biomedical sciences. Moreover, I am thankful to Walt Klimecki’s R25 and the EHS-TRUE program that was borne from his efforts. Mentoring past and current EHS-TRUE students as well as other honors students in my lab, has been a true gift. Their young spirit of inquiry is motivating. Ms. Pottenger and Ms. Gardner are a joy to teach and have true value to my research progress.”

In 2008, at the occasion of UBRP’s 20^th anniversary, the UBRP Outstanding Mentor Awards were created to recognize the excellent mentorship that students receive. Ever since, UBRP students and alumni nominate their mentors for these awards each year, and the finalists are chosen by a student committee. Two awards for outstanding mentorship are given each year: one to a faculty mentor, and one to a post-doc, graduate student, or research technician.

Two professors at the University of Arizona College of Nursing have been selected to the prestigious Fulbright Specialist Roster for three-year tenures.

On Dec. 11, Jane Carrington, PhD, RN, FAAN, and Kimberly Shea, PhD, RN, CHPN, learned that were about to become global ambassadors for the College.

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and World Learning informed them that the Peer Review Panel recommended them for placement on the Fulbright Specialist Roster.

The Fulbright Specialist Program, administered by the Council for International Exchange of Scholars, awards short-term Fulbright grants to qualified and approved U.S. faculty members and professionals for two to six weeks at host institutions in more than 140 nations. The shorter grant lengths allow grantees listed in the Fulbright Specialist Roster the opportunity to undertake various types of activities, including curriculum, faculty development, institutional planning and related subjects.

“We are thrilled and so proud for Kim and Jane. They bring collective depth and scope of expertise in informatics and use of state-of-the-science technology for health-care delivery" ~ Ki Moore, PhD, RN, FAAN, UA Nursing Interim Dean

“We are thrilled for and so proud of Jane and Kim,” said UA Nursing Interim Dean Ki Moore, PhD, RN, FAAN. “They bring collective depth and scope of expertise in informatics and use of state-of-the-science technology for health-care delivery. This is a wonderful opportunity for them to share their expertise globally. I am confident they will build new collaborations to advance nursing knowledge.” 

Dr. Carrington is a 2008 graduate of the UA College of Nursing PhD program. A nationally recognized expert in nursing informatics and health-care technology, Dr. Carrington is conducting a three-year study funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Institutes of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, to increase patient safety by enhancing nurse-to-nurse communication. She and her team aim to improve nurses’ identification and reporting of clinical events to prevent adverse consequences and save lives.

“A lot of humility goes with the Fulbright nomination,” she said. “You’re being trusted by another country to come in and share your expertise. It’s like when a new student asks me to be their mentor – they are trusting you that you are going to help them meet their professional goals. I don’t take it lightly. To me, this is similar to taking a mentoring role, not with a student anymore, but with a university in another country.”

Dr. Shea has been a nurse for more than 25 years, including more than 15 in hospice care. As a nationally funded nurse-scientist, she investigates technology-based delivery of health care in patients’ homes. She holds four degrees from the UA and is nationally certified as a hospice and palliative care nurse. Dr. Shea conducts research that combines serious illness care (palliative and hospice) and technology, primarily in residential settings. Currently, her studies focus on tele-palliative care that uses video conferencing software, installed on a mobile device, to improve communication, reduce stress and minimize time with agonizing symptoms.

“I’m excited to learn what the needs are for my specialty, which is telehealth, throughout the world and to learn from sponsoring universities what they need,” Dr. Shea said. “It’s really interesting to get a global perspective on telehealth and informatics. My area of interest is the Western Hemisphere, which includes Latin America, because I speak Spanish and have traveled throughout Central America.”

The primary goals of the Fulbright Specialist Program are to increase the number of exemplary U.S. scholars in Fulbright academic exchanges; to encourage new activities that expand the scope of traditional Fulbright teaching and research and to enhance relationships between United Sates and international academic institutions.

The Fulbright Specialist Roster is a list of all approved candidates eligible to be matched with incoming project requests from overseas academic institutions for Fulbright Specialists.