Voice magazine, fall 2022

Fall 2022

Leaning into Formative Education Three nursing school deans reflect on leadership lessons from their BC education

from the dean

Dear friends and colleagues,

dean Katherine E. Gregory

Academic nursing has never been more important. At a time when the nursing profession undergoes rapid change, we— alongside our clinical partners and clinical preceptors—will prepare highly competent individuals to take on the health care challenges of tomorrow. I find this challenge exciting. But more importantly, I’m inspired and hopeful that so many others are excited by the future of nursing as well. The evidence? Here at Boston College and at many other nursing schools around the Photograph: Caitlin Cunningham country, we are receiving record numbers of applicants. People want to be nurses. People recognize that our profession is more dynamic, more independent, and more integrated than at any time in its history. We are key members of health-related industries from biotech to clinical practice organizations to public policy. Nursing, while certainly in a challenging time of change, has the opportunity to thrive like never before.

The fall 2022 issue of Voice is an apt reflection of nursing and all the dynamism that makes it such a sought-after profession. In the pages that follow, you will read about Assistant Professor Victor Petreca’s work to understand the intersection of mental illness and incarceration. You will learn about how the Connell School’s model of formative education has made a lasting impact across academic institutions. And you will meet our new faculty members, whose backgrounds and experiences are a great asset to our academic community here at Boston College.

I am eager for you to read these stories and let me know what they mean to you.

They highlight some of Boston College’s contributions to the ever-evolving pursuit of nursing and health. So please enjoy them. I believe they will fill you with inspiration and hope as well.

Sincerely,

katherine e. gregory Dean

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editors John Shakespear Kathleen Sullivan

managing editor Tracy Bienen

art director Diana Parziale

graphic designer Monica DeSalvo

contributors Nathaniel Moore Debra Bradley Ruder John Shakespear Kathleen Sullivan

photographers Caitlin Cunningham Lee Pellegrini

Voice is published by the William F. Connell School of Nursing and the Boston College Office of University Communications.

Address letters and comments to: csonalum@bc.edu Associate Director, Marketing and Communications William F. Connell School of Nursing Maloney Hall 140 Commonwealth Ave. Chestnut Hill, MA 02467

cover Photography by Caitlin Cunningham

contents

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Photographs: Caitlin Cunningham

Photograph: Caitlin Cunningham

Artwork: Alamy

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Fall 2022 Features

news

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CSON entered into an international collaboration, is named a 2022 NLN Center of Excellence by the National League for Nursing, and was awarded a $1M grant from the American Nurses Foundation.

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A more compassionate approach to mental illness Assistant Professor Victor Petreca receives a grant to help keep the vulnerable out of prison.

Leaning into formative education Three nursing school deans reflect on leadership lessons from their BC education.

achievements

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Connell’s newest faculty members From mental health to data analysis, CSON’s newest faculty members bring a range of expertise.

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Faculty publications, research posters, and presentations

www.bc.edu/voice

Baccalaureate and direct entry master’s degree programs have full approval by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing.

CCNE Accredited 2018–2028

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news Faculty Professor Ann Burgess and Steven Constantine, associate director of marketing and communications, who co-authored the book A Killer by Design, were interviewed about the case of convicted serial killer Henry Wallace on ABC News’s 20/20.

Research Five students were honored at the Eastern Nursing Research Society conference last spring: ▪

▪

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Karen Aldana ’23 presented her paper “The Role of Race on Prenatal Care Experiences” with Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs Colleen Simonelli with additional mentorship from Assistant Professor of the Practice Melissa Pérez Capotosto.

Monika DeTurk, D.N.P. ’22, Joelle Mamon, D.N.P. ’23, and Ellen Tracy, D.N.P. ’22, won first place in the D.N.P. Poster category for “Eliminating Race-Based Medicine in Primary Care.” They were mentored by Associate Professor Corrine Jurgens.

Ph.D. candidate Amy Goh received an ENRS Student Conference Scholarship.

Amy Goh

Associate Professor Corrine Jurgens and Christopher Lee, CSON’s Barry Family/Goldman Sachs Endowed Chair and associate dean for research, led a committee of experts in writing a scientific statement for the American Heart Association (AHA) titled State of the Science: The Relevance of Symptoms in Cardiovascular Disease and Research. Published in AHA’s journal Circulation in August, the research was covered

by NBC’s Today Show, The Sun, and other media outlets.

Assistant Professor Cherlie Magny-Normilus’s project to develop a culturally tailored diabetes self-management intervention in adult Haitians entered the second phase of its five-year K99/R00 grant from the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Nursing Research.

Monica O’Reilly-Jacob

CSON was awarded a $1M grant from the American Nurses Foundation to fund a pilot project led by Assistant Professor Monica O’Reilly-Jacob that aims to reduce the barriers to financial reimbursement for nurse practitionerled practices.

Donna Cullinan was promoted to associate professor of the practice, Cherlie Magny-Normilus was promoted to assistant professor, and Victor Petreca was promoted to assistant professor.

Dean Katherine Gregory spoke with Boston 25 News about the current nursing shortage and various barriers to addressing it.

Associate Dean for Research Christopher S. Lee was named the Barry Family/Goldman Sachs Endowed Chair in Nursing, which was established by a gift from Boston College Trustee Associate Steven M. Barry ’85 and Tammy J. Barry ’85, M.Ed. ’87.

Christopher Lee

Associate Professor Tam H. Nguyen received a Betty Irene Moore Fellowship for Nurse Leaders and Innovators from the University of California-Davis nursing school for her leadership in nursing research, practice, education, policy, and entrepreneurship.

Alumni The American Academy of Nursing (AAN) honored Jennie Chin Hansen ’70, H’08, with its Health Care Leader Award for her influential leadership to improve the health of the nation.

Hansen, former CEO of the American Geriatrics Society and former AARP president, was recognized at AAN’s Health Policy Conference in October.

Sara Dolan Looby, Ph.D. ’08, received an A. Clifford Barger Mentoring Award from the Harvard Medical School (HMS) Office for Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Partnership. Looby is an HMS assistant professor of medicine and a clinical investigator in Mass. General’s Metabolism Unit and its Munn Center for Nursing Research.

Sara Dolan Looby

Anne P. Manton, M.S. ’81, was inducted into the American Nurses Association Hall of Fame in recognition of her 60-year career as a practicing nurse, educator, leader, editor, and mentor.

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Community Students Ph.D. candidate Amy Delaney was named Distinguished NP of the Year by the Massachusetts Coalition of Nurse Practitioners for her policy, practice, and research.

Ph.D. candidates Erin George and Amy Goh earned Nurses Educational Funds Scholarships. George also received the 2022 March of Dimes Margaret Comerford Freda “Saving Babies, Together®” Award from the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses for her study “DecisionMaking and Care Experiences at Birth Centers in the United States.”

Soo Ae Ono ’22 was featured in BC News for her journey as an Air Force ROTC cadet, which led to her role as an Air Force nurse.

Six CSON community members received KILN (Keys to Inclusive Leadership in Nursing) Awards this spring: ▪

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Catherine Yetter Read Award: Kimberlyn Jones ’22 Faculty Mentor Award: Melissa Pérez Capotosto, assistant professor of the practice Inclusivity Award: Jamarii Johnson ’22 Key Award: Sun Kim ’22 Leadership Award: Brianna Cheatham ’22 Rising Star Award: Lesley Carranza Bonilla ’24

Cristo Rey Boston High School awarded Connell School a Service and Dedication Award for its work on the school’s COVID-19 vaccination clinic.

CSON signed a memorandum of understanding with Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan College of Nursing in the Philippines to support academic and research collaboration between the two Jesuit nursing schools.

Events CSON resumed its Grand Rounds lecture series this fall with two visiting speakers: ▪

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Susanne Grylka-Baeschlin, from the Institute of Midwifery at Zurich University of Applied Sciences, spoke on “Advising Primiparous Women during Early Labor.”

Shawn M. Kneipp, from UNC-Chapel Hill’s School of Nursing, spoke on “Intervention Designs to Modify Social Determinants of Health.”

pinnacle lecture In November, Angelleen Peters-Lewis, Ph.D. ’06, COO and chief nurse executive at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, presented CSON’s Pinnacle Lecture, “Seizing the Momentum: Elevating Nursing Post-Pandemic.”

Angelleen Peters-Lewis

2022 graduates in the KILN program Back row: Michelle Antonio, Anna Chen, Shaniel Nelson, Sun Kim, Arely Liberti, Julie Moran, Jamarii Johnson.

Front row: Kimberlyn Jones, Brianna Cheatham, Alejandra Leon, Erin Nuestro.

Not pictured: Christina Park and David Zulewski

IN MEMORY

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The National League for Nursing (NLN) named CSON a 2022 NLN Center of Excellence for its success in faculty development, nursing education research, student learning and professional development, and academic progression in nursing.

Jean O’Neil, associate professor emerita and former acting dean of the School of Nursing, died on September 2 at the age of 88. She graduated cum laude from BC’s baccalaureate nursing program in 1955 and earned a master’s degree in 1963.

Claudia Sheila Daileader ’66, a lifelong nurse and a benefactor of Boston College, passed away on July 15 in Williamsburg, VA, at the age of 77.

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A More Compassionate Approach

to Mental Illness let alone amid the stressful experiences that

Assistant Professor Victor Petreca receives a grant to help keep the vulnerable out of prison

By Nathaniel Moore

patients can go through while incarcerated. That is why Victor Petreca, an assistant professor at the Connell School of Nursing, has dedicated his career as a forensic nurse to meeting the distinct mental health needs of this at-risk population—and his research to finding safe ways of preventing people

Though not primarily designed to promote mental

whose needs would be better addressed in other

health, America’s jails and prisons have become

settings from getting incarcerated in the first place.

integral players in the country’s health care system.

Recent policies—including the widespread closure of state psychiatric hospitals—have produced a national incarcerated population of 2.2 million people whose rates of serious mental illness are as high as 25 percent, far exceeding those found in the general public. Today, for every severely mentally ill person in a hospital bed, there are 10 in the correctional system.

The mental disorders found within the carceral system also tend to differ from those found outside it, with an unusually high prevalence of schizophrenia, major depression, and “cluster B personality disorders”: antisocial personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, and narcissistic personality disorder, among others. Substance use disorder also manifests at extremely high rates, often associated with these other conditions.

In recognition of Petreca’s groundbreaking academic work, the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health (DMH) Jail/Arrest Diversion Grant Program has awarded him and his team funding for their research project “Exploring the Biopsychosocial Factors in Diversion to Other TreatmentBased Alternatives.”

In this project, which will involve collaborations with police departments and practicing clinicians throughout the state, Petreca will assess, create, and investigate systems and strategies for delivering services that divert some people away from incarceration and toward community-based treatment when it is safe and effective to do so. If successful, he says, the project will help reduce the number of incarcerated people; improve the overall mental health of those diverted from jails and prisons; and promote public safety more effectively

All of these disorders pose real challenges for

than the current system, which treats mental health

clinicians working in the most salutary conditions,

disorders as problems of law and order. boston college william f. connell school of nursing

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The Current State of Carceral Mental Health Care Thanks to years working in Massachusetts jails and prisons, Petreca has seen the best and the worst of what the mentally ill encounter while incarcerated. As a forensic nurse, he performed psychiatric evaluations to determine each inmate’s mental health needs while in jail or prison. “It was my job to design a treatment plan,” he said.

“And in many cases, I cared for them while in custody and then helped them to successfully reintegrate into the community.”

When the system works well, it can make a positive difference in people’s lives: for some, their first contact with the criminal justice system also marks the first time they’ve received adequate mental health care. “Sometimes people come in with something that wasn’t diagnosed in the community,” Petreca said. “I’m in a better position to help them because in a forensic setting I know what’s happening with them 24 hours a day.”

Indeed, for some people, this close supervision can be necessary for them to get effective care. “I had a patient on thew

psychopathic side of things who was pretending to be schizophrenic by talking to the wall,” Petreca continued, “but I knew something didn’t seem right. So, after the session, I went to the officer bubble, which has a one-way mirror, and there he was, chatting and playing chess. That’s an example of how this setting can allow for more diagnostic clarification.”

However, Petreca stressed that everyone who goes through the carceral system will face a common mental health challenge when they leave: learning to live with the social stigma that attaches to the incarcerated.

“People often ask me, ‘Why do you want to help bad people?’” he said. “But they’re not bad people, just people who are in need of care who might have done something bad—might have. Not all of these people are guilty—some of them are just accused.

Even so, for many people who have spent time in jail, even being acquitted isn’t enough to reintegrate.”

In fact, as Petreca learned firsthand, this prejudice is common even among clinicians in ways that can have a deleterious effect on patient care. When he was a nursing student at Mass General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, he said, his fellow students were reluctant to work in the local jail. Luckily, their aversion made him want to work there all the more.

“I have always been the sort of person who, when everyone else wants strawberry, wants vanilla,” he said with a laugh. “All the same, when I arrived at the jail, I came to the realization that society had taught me to automatically reduce people to their charge.”

Society continues to reduce this marginalized population upon their release, and many feel they wear a scarlet letter for the

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rest of their days, no matter how well they behave. This problem is compounded by the logistical challenges many face upon release after a long sentence. “Some people don’t even know how to use cell phones when they’re released,” Petreca said.

People who reenter society lacking such fundamental skills are more likely to struggle to establish stable, healthy lives.

So, after years as a forensic nurse, Petreca reached a simple conclusion: many of his patients who had been in jail because their mental illness was not properly managed in the community would have been better served if they had received compassionate care from the start instead of incarceration.

But how could he tell which ones would respond to treatment and would not, if left at liberty, become repeat offenders and jeopardize public safety?

Alternatives to Incarceration For about 10 years, the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health has experimented with alternatives to incarceration through its Jail/Arrest Diversion Grant Program. “The program focuses on developing and implementing different strategies to use when law enforcement comes in contact with a person experiencing a behavioral crisis,” Petreca explained.

For example, consider how a police officer might respond to an incident of rowdy public drunkenness. Traditionally, the police arrest the inebriate and the legal system sentences him and returns him to the community. “But then, of course, he gets drunk again in public and disturbs

the peace,” said Petreca. The goal of the DMH’s program would be to find an effective alternative to arrest; for instance, rather than treat public drunkenness as a legal matter, the police might divert an inebriate elsewhere, such as a detox clinic.

“This might actually address the underlying issue and stop the revolving jail door.”

The DMH has experimented with many such programs to test new ways of responding to substance abuse, psychosis, and other conditions. However, the efficacy of these programs has largely gone uninvestigated. That’s where Petreca and his team come in.

“I got access to a lot of state data—nearly a hundred thousand cases’ worth,” he said.

“But we just don’t yet know which programs work best for which circumstances. It might be an officer who has more training. It might be a clinician who accompanies an officer to guide them through the interaction to help get people the treatment they need. We have to analyze the data to find out.”

Petreca’s Boston College colleague and frequent collaborator Professor Ann Burgess—a pioneer in forensic nursing who helped transform the way the FBI interacts with rape victims—stressed the potential importance of Petreca’s project.

“Jail diversion is a very important issue in law enforcement and mental health,” she said. “Finding effective ways of handling certain types of legal issues other than putting people in jail will make a big difference.”

However, she emphasized that not all crimes necessarily lend themselves to incarceration alternatives—and that the public will have to learn more in order to trust these programs. “I think part of the job is educating the public about which aspects of the law are good for diversion,” she said.

“Perhaps we’ll find that some crimes are good for that and some aren’t. The main thing is that you don’t generate repeat

offenders. I think Victor will find out which programs are effective. He’s got a wonderful team; I can’t emphasize that enough.”

As he works to identify which people can be safely diverted from the carceral system, Petreca is more immediately concerned with a practical challenge: the volume of data he has received is so large that he will have to spend time organizing it before he can subject it to analysis. However, in this vast trove he sees as much opportunity as challenge: he expects the data to be so rich that he may wish to collaborate with the DMH for the rest of his career.

Page 6: Brain illustration by Alamy; Illustration montage by Monica DeSalvo Photographs: Page 8: Victor Petreca and Ann Burgess,

by Lee Pellegrini Page 9: Peter Julian

“In the end,” Petreca said, “all of this research really boils down to public safety.

If I can develop any new knowledge that helps prevent someone from committing a future crime, people are healthier and we are all safer.” ▪

Assistant Professor Victor Petreca has dedicated his career as a forensic nurse to meeting the distinct mental health needs of this at-risk population—and his research to finding safe ways of preventing people whose needs would be better addressed in other settings from getting incarcerated in the first place.

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Leaning into Formative Education Three nursing school deans reflect on leadership lessons from their BC education

by John Shakespear

Every student who passes through the Connell School of Nursing encounters the principles of formative education that serve as the core of Boston College’s tradition: care for the whole person, rigorous inquiry, critical thinking, and service to others. Although they are rooted in Jesuit pedagogy, these principles have broad applications, and they shape the ways our alumni approach nursing care. For those who also become leaders, they offer a roadmap.

“The best leaders tend to be lifelong learners who use their gifts and their access to education in service to others,” says Connell School Dean Katherine E. Gregory, who is herself a 2005 graduate of CSON’s doctoral program. “Formative education excels at fostering these qualities: reflection, deep curiosity, and servant leadership.”

Three of her fellow Connell School Ph.D. alumnae are now deans at very different institutions—two state university nursing schools on opposite coasts, and Texas’s oldest Historically Black College and University (HBCU). In this Q&A, they shared their insights on how formative education guides their leadership in a fast-changing world.

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Meet the Alumnae Deans ALLYSSA L. HARRIS • ’94, M.S. ’96, PH.D. ’08, RN, WHNP-BC Dean and Professor, Prairie View A&M University College of Nursing As dean at Prairie View A&M, Allyssa Harris leads the nursing school of the oldest state-supported HBCU in Texas. An authority on adolescent sexual risk behaviors and Black women’s health, she earned three degrees at Boston College and taught at CSON for 14 years, serving as department chair and program director for the Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner program.

BARBARA E. WOLFE • PH.D. ’95, APRN-CNS, PMHCNS-BC, FAAN Dean and Professor, University of Rhode Island College of Nursing An expert on intervention and relapse prevention for women with disordered eating, Barbara Wolfe was named dean of the University of Rhode Island (URI) College of Nursing in 2016. Prior to joining URI, she served as professor and associate dean for research at the Connell School, and as a lecturer at Harvard Medical School.

LIN ZHAN • PH.D. ’93, RN, FAAN Dean and Professor, UCLA School of Nursing Before coming to UCLA, Lin Zhan held deanships at the University of Memphis Loewenberg College of Nursing and the School of Nursing at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health. A leading researcher on health equity and the promotion of diversity in higher education, she is also an honorary professor at 10 universities in her native China.

What does formative education mean to you?

ALLYSSA HARRIS: Formative education is about helping people understand who they are, who they want to be, and where they belong in the world. It’s not just about being a good nurse, it’s about being a good human being.

BARBARA WOLFE: I think of formative education as having three pillars: scientific

inquiry, academic excellence, and student formation, which develops students’ minds, talents, and unique personhood. The ultimate goal is service—helping students f lourish so they can help others f lourish.

LIN ZHAN: Formative education, to me, is ref lective education. It happens through

ongoing engagement and communication, and by placing the learner at the center of the classroom. For faculty and leaders, it’s about listening to your students and asking, “Who are they as people? Is my approach helping them learn?” In my experience, most students want not just to know things, but to be able to synthesize what they know and conduct in-depth analysis. Formative education is about teaching those big-picture skills, too.

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How can formative education inform patient care?

AH: As a nurse, you don’t just treat the disease; you treat the whole person. A patient might

have hypertension, for example, but to provide good care, you need to understand their situation holistically. Maybe they don’t have access to money or decent food. Maybe they can’t pick up their medication because the city changed the bus line. Formative education prepares you to get to know your patients and understand what they’re going through.

How has your Connell School education influenced your approach to leadership?

BW: When I first started my Ph.D., I wasn’t sure that BC’s courses on philosophy and epistemology were going to be relevant to me as a nurse. But over the course of my career, I’ve gone back to that intellectual foundation so often. As a leader, it helps me make decisions, and it gives me a language I can use to nurture the quest for learning in others and articulate my vision.

LZ: I learned so much from my dissertation chair, the renowned

nursing theorist Sister Callista Roy. Along with a wealth of knowledge, she has tremendous humility. She showed us that it was possible to think about nursing at every level from the microscopic to the global. BC professors like Sister Roy and Dottie Jones cultivated good thinkers, and I aim to do the same at UCLA.

What role does formative education play at the institution you currently lead?

AH: Prairie View A&M has such a rich legacy, and part of my job as dean is to be a lifelong learner—to listen to colleagues who’ve been here longer, and to my fellow nurses’ experiences of racism and resistance. I do incorporate a whole-person, social justice philosophy here, and I find that resonates with people. We’re building the next generation of diverse nurse leaders, and we know that having more diverse nurses means better outcomes and better advocacy for patients. The research proves it.

LZ: At UCLA School of Nursing, only 27 percent of our students are white. Every single one of our students has individual life experiences that can enrich the classroom, and I encourage my colleagues to bring those experiences out. When we connect nursing to the broader societal and cultural issues that matter to students, they feel empowered to learn and make meaning.

BW: Part of my goal at URI has been to create opportunities for students at a larger nursing

school to engage with research and policy. We started experiential learning courses in Providence and abroad, faculty-student research collaborations, and annual trips to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing convention in D.C. It’s about creating a culture that embraces scientific inquiry and the pursuit of knowledge while keeping those things engaging, fun, and crucially—especially at a public institution—accessible and affordable for anyone who wants to become a nurse.

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What challenges do you see facing nursing education today? How can we navigate them?

AH: Post-pandemic, we’re living in a changed world. Right now, nurses have a huge oppor-

tunity to look outward—as our BC education encouraged us to do—and help the public. We can educate our communities about the importance of vaccination and wellness, and in turn, we can also educate the broader public about the health issues facing our communities.

Nurses see what’s happening daily in those communities, so we’re well positioned to advocate for system-wide policy change.

BW: Since March 2020, a lot of health professionals have left the workforce. The good news is that, simultaneously, we’ve also seen increased interest in nursing and NP roles. The challenge for nursing education is to educate these folks as quickly as possible without compromising the standards and outcomes we are striving for. One of the things URI is doing is offering a postgraduate certificate for nurses with a master’s degree to become credentialed nurse practitioners to better meet societal needs.

LZ: Along with the rising cost of living and rapid technological change, mental health is a huge issue today—and one that a whole-person approach can help us navigate. I believe that academic leaders have a responsibility to check in with both faculty and students regularly.

Taking the time to ask, “How are you?” is essential, and so is the ability to see one another’s lives in their broader contexts.

What lessons do you want to share with future nurse leaders?

BW: Stay open to unexpected opportunities. When I was 21, I just wanted to be a nurse in the clinical setting with patients, because I felt I could make an impact there. But don’t underestimate the impact you can have in other roles. It’s so exciting to have the chance to impact a whole community of faculty, staff, and students, and to know that each of them will go on to impact the lives of others.

AH: Listen to your mentors, step out on a limb, and be willing to take a leap of faith. Before

I accepted this deanship, I was hesitant, but one of my mentors said, “I think you can do this.” My faculty peers seemed to think so, too. I’m so glad I trusted them. Also, I always tell people that it’s okay to fall down. Everybody does; the important thing is to get up and keep going.

Black and white photography

by Caitlin Cunningham Portraits on page 11: Allyssa L. Harris courtesy of Prairie View A&M University; Barbara E. Wolfe courtesy of University of Rhode Island; Lin Zhan courtesy of UCLA

LZ: It boils down to leading with moral courage. At

the end of the day, leadership is not about you. It’s about making decisions for the good of the students, the faculty, the school, the nursing profession, and the broader communities you serve. That’s why I value formative education and continue to practice it—because it focuses on self lessness, and on being a good thinker and scientist for the greater good. In that way, Boston College shaped my career and my thinking, and I’m grateful for that. ▪

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connell ’s newest faculty members

Eunji Cho Ph.D., RN Assistant Professor

Background: Nursing researcher focused on promoting the psychosocial well-being of children, adolescents, and young adults with serious illnesses Education: Ph.D., nursing science, Duke University School of Nursing (2020); M.S.N., Korea University (2013); B.S.N., Korea University (2008) Previous positions: Postdoctoral fellow, Vanderbilt University School of Nursing (2020–2022); registered nurse, inpatient pediatric oncology, Seoul (2008–2010) Teaching: Nursing Assessment of Health Across the Lifespan* Favorite pastimes: Movies, video games, baking, reading (“I love Anne of Green Gables and Little Women”)

“I

by Debra Bradley Ruder

From mental health to data analysis, the Connell School’s newest faculty members bring an impressive range of expertise. One is an epidemiologist. One specializes in ethics. Half of the cohort are Connell alumni. “It’s nice to be back at BC and contribute to a place that gave so

believe the goal of health care should be human flourishing.

During my doctoral program, I focused on developing a conceptual framework of flourishing—or complete well-being— in adolescents and young adults with cancer. I believe flourishing individuals tend to make positive impacts on their surroundings and evoke other people’s well-being. My research found that nurses are well positioned to promote flourishing in this population. I designed a dyadic nurse-patient storytelling intervention [where each shares their life story] to find meaning in their relationship. Eventually, I want to implement this storytelling idea in clinical and community settings and help young people move forward after cancer diagnosis and treatment. I also love teaching, and I want to help students develop their own ways toward flourishing.”

much to me and helped shape who I am,” says Thamarah Crevecoeur ’06.

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[For Teaching, * indicates co-taught course]

Raymond Gasser D.N.P., M.S. (computer science), RN Visiting Assistant Professor of the Practice

Thamarah Crevecoeur ’06, D.P.H., CNM Associate Professor of the Practice

Background: Certified nurse-midwife specializing in immigrant maternity health, especially for the Haitian population Education: D.P.H., Boston University School of Public Health (2021); M.S.N., concentration in midwifery and women’s health, University of Pennsylvania (2007); B.S.N., Boston College (2006) Previous positions: Clinical assistant professor, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Boston University School of Medicine (2017–22); clinical instructor at BU (2009–2017); certified nurse-midwife, Boston Medical Center (2009–2022) Teaching: Women’s Health/Gender-Related Advanced Practice Nursing I*; Childbearing Nursing Theory*; Population Health Nursing Theory* Favorite pastimes: Playing with her toddler son, traveling, running, attending church

“I

’ve always been a teacher. After graduating from midwifery school, my first job was teaching labor and delivery skills in Haiti. My experience working in Haiti and with the Haitian immigrant population here is that we have worse outcomes in maternity care. I want to understand why, and what the health care system can do to improve them. I immigrated to the U.S. from Haiti, and I have personally experienced poor maternity outcomes, having lost my baby at 24 weeks. My doctoral research at Boston Medical Center found that Haitian immigrant women face lots of barriers to good maternity care. They need help with social determinants of health, like transportation, housing, childcare, and access to insurance. They appreciate having a provider who speaks their language or is from their culture. And they appreciate respectful care.”

Background: Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner with a focus on trauma-informed care, primary care, and computer science/data visualization Education: D.N.P., with concentrations in psychiatric mental health (PMHNP) and primary care family (PCFNP), Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans (May 2022); B.S., nursing, UMass Boston (2011); M.S., computer science, Louisiana Tech University (1992); B.S., computer science, LTU (1990) Previous positions: Emergency department staff nurse, Slidell Memorial Hospital (2018–19); staff nurse, cardiology and ED units in Vermont (2012–2016); senior graphics programmer/analyst, Boston University Scientific Computing and Visualization Group (2001–2010); U.S. Navy Reserve and Louisiana Army National Guard (1986–1990) Teaching: Population Health Nursing Theory*; Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Theory* Favorite pastimes: Backpacking and performing magic tricks for young patients in the ED

“I

hope to bring more technology into nursing to better serve our patients and profession. Nurses need to be able to understand patient health data. By using tools from data and computer science, one can ask and answer important questions that can drive nursing research and practice. Another passion of mine is adolescent psychiatry. My D.N.P. clinical research project involved implementing a trauma-informed care protocol in an inpatient adolescent psychiatric setting. I helped mental health techs understand that their patients were not misbehaving children, but rather young people who had suffered trauma, often severe. The patients wanted help, acceptance, and love but didn’t know how to ask. Building therapeutic relationships through compassionate care, mutual trust and respect, and active listening is basic nursing—and really all that was needed.”

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Ashley (Holmes) Longacre

Aimee Milliken

Ph.D., M.P.H.

Ph.D. ’17, RN, HEC-C

Assistant Professor of the Practice

Associate Professor of the Practice

Background: Epidemiologist with expertise in public health, cancer prevention, nutrition, substance use, and research methods (e.g., statistics, survey design)

Background: Nurse and ethicist; co-editor of Clinical Ethics Handbook for Nurses (2022) with Associate Professor Emerita Pamela Grace

Education: Ph.D., nutrition and health sciences, Emory University (2018); M.P.H., physical activity in public health, George Washington University (2012); B.A., biological anthropology and anatomy, Duke University (2010)

Education: Ph.D., nursing, with a dissertation on the development of Ethical Awareness Scale, Boston College (2017); M.S.N., Yale University (2014); B.S.N., University of New Hampshire (2009)

Previous positions: Epidemiologist with the Bureau of Substance Addiction Services of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and JSI Research and Training Institute; lecturer, Tufts University Department of Community Health (2019–2022) Teaching: Epidemiology, undergraduate; Epidemiology, graduate nursing*; Public Health in a Global Society* Favorite pastimes: Playing with her infant son, being outdoors, reading, cooking, baking

“I

like to tell my students, ‘You can apply epidemiology skills to basically any public health problem you want.’ I think most people understand, because of COVID, that epidemiology is everywhere. I’m excited to show them case studies, have them do group projects on diseases or conditions they’re interested in, and dive into the literature to understand how incidence and prevalence, risk factors, and study design all come into play to shape clinical knowledge.

I think nurses need ‘epi’ knowledge to inform what happens in the clinic. Knowledge is always changing, and knowing how to read a journal article—including the methods section—is a skill everybody should have. You’ve got to know how to interpret and apply the research.”

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Previous positions: Executive director, Ethics Consultation Service, Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH, 2020– 2022); clinical ethicist and nurse scientist at BWH (2019–2020); adjunct faculty member in bioethics, Harvard Medical School (2018–2022); Wiese Postdoctoral Fellow in Clinical Ethics, BWH (2017–2019); critical care nurse (2009–2019) Teaching: Health Care Policy for Nursing Leaders; Nursing Ethics and Professional Responsibility in Advanced Practice*; Population Health Principles, Program Planning, and Evaluation* Favorite Pastimes: Family time with husband and toddler son, running, traveling

“E

thics underlies everything we do as nurses. My clinical background got me interested in ethics, because as a critical care nurse, you see lots of complicated situations around end-of-life decision making and disagreements over the right thing to do for the patient. Those situations left me with a feeling of moral distress. These issues come up incredibly often, but we [clinicians, patients, families] typically don’t realize we have an ethical problem until it is a crisis. I’m passionate about helping nurses develop ethical awareness so we can identify ethical dilemmas earlier and take action to resolve them: ‘I see this patient situation is ripe for conflict, and I’m going to intervene early so we prevent it from escalating and make sure we provide the best possible care.’”

Karen Pounds Ph.D., M.S. ’83, PMHCNS-BC Associate Professor of the Practice

Background: Psychiatric clinical nurse specialist focused on the therapeutic relationship and telepsychiatry Education: Ph.D., nursing, University of Rhode Island (2008); M.S., adult psychiatric/mental health nursing, Boston College (1983); B.S., nursing, University of Rhode Island (1978); pursuing PMHNP certification from UMass Amherst (expected 2023) Previous positions: Faculty appointments at UMass Dartmouth College of Nursing and Health Sciences (2019–22) and Northeastern University (2007–2019); researcher at McLean Hospital (2009–2016); psychiatric clinical nurse specialist at Boston Medical Center (2014–2021) and other institutions (since 1983) Teaching: Psychiatric-Mental Health Advanced Practice Nursing Across the Lifespan, I and III; Individual Psychotherapy for Advanced Practice Nurses Favorite pastimes: Practicing yoga, playing the clarinet

“I

’m interested in the therapeutic relationship between patient and nurse. That theme has cut across my research, whether it’s been with individuals with persistent and severe mental illness, autism, or mood disorders. We can’t underestimate the importance of the therapeutic relationship. That’s how growth and change happen. I’m especially interested in understanding, from a nursing perspective, the impact of telepsychiatry on that relationship—because you’re not seeing the whole person.

But telepsychiatry has helped bridge the gap for rural and underserved populations, and of course, helped during the pandemic. There’s been a drive to take away the stigma of saying you have a mental illness or are seeing a therapist, which is just wonderful.” ▪

Portraits by Caitlin Cunningham; campus image by Lee Pellegrini

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publications

& presentations

Did you notice that the Faculty Publications section of Voice looks different? In order to showcase the full scope of scholarly output, Voice will now include faculty conference presentations in addition to journal articles, chapters, and books. The full list is available online via the QR code. In these pages, please enjoy summaries of some notable articles and talks.

PUBLICATIONS

The role of nurse practitioners during COVID-19—and beyond In a study published in the February issue of the International Journal of Nursing Studies, Assistant Professor Monica O’ReillyJacob, Department Chair and Associate Professor Jane Flanagan, and two co-authors surveyed 389 nurse practitioners to better understand their perceptions of the early-pandemic period when 22 state governors temporarily waived physician supervision requirements to enable NPs to provide care with a full scope of practice. O’Reilly-Jacob served as the PI for their qualitative study, “Nurse Practitioners’ Perception of Temporary Full Practice Authority during a COVID-19 Surge,” which found that while the temporary removal of these restrictions enabled faster care and gave NPs more control over their practice, it did not immediately remove all restrictions to their care. Based on the results of their survey, the team identified a need for new regulatory frameworks that maximize nurse practitioners’ ability to more fully contribute during global health emergencies. They also called on nurse leaders to play a role by advocating for nurse practitioners and highlighting their potential to support emergency response efforts around the world.

Assessing the intersection of TB and HIV treatment In a three-year cohort study conducted in rural South Africa, where both tuberculosis (TB) and HIV pose major public health risks, Assistant Professor Brittney van de Water and her co-authors compared the differing outcomes of TB treatment for patients with and without HIV. In a cohort of 711 patients, 59% of whom were

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HIV positive, the researchers found that TB treatment had a favorable outcome 88% of the time. Nevertheless, they also observed that patients without HIV were nearly five times as likely to have a positive outcome after TB treatment than individuals with untreated HIV. Van de Water and her colleagues also explored the relationship between antiretroviral therapy—which was given to 75% of the HIV-positive individuals in the study—and TB treatment. Their paper, “Association of HIV Infection and Antiretroviral Therapy with the Occurrence of an Unfavorable TB Treatment Outcome in a Rural District Hospital in Eastern Cape, South Africa,” was published in the April issue of the journal PLOS ONE.

Exploring the role of school nurses in HPV vaccination A team led by Associate Professor of the Practice Laura Santangelo White, which included Connell School graduate Emily Maulucci ’20, assessed the impact of school nurses on families’ decisions to vaccinate their seventh graders against Human Papillomavirus (HPV) in an article published in the Journal of School Nursing in August. Vaccination has been shown to prevent 90% of cancers caused by HPV, which is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. The study, a joint effort between Boston College and the Massachusetts School Nurse Research Network, tested the impact of adding an HPV vaccination recommendation to the standard vaccination letter sent by school nurses to families. Although their study did not reveal a statistically significant difference in the likelihood that students would get the vaccine, it laid the groundwork for future research to understand how school nurses can more effectively promote HPV vaccination, and which demographic groups face barriers to getting the vaccine.

PRESENTATIONS

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on labor and delivery nursing care At the June annual convention of the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses, Associate Professor Joyce K. Edmonds presented the research poster “Missed Critical Nursing Care Processes on Labor and Delivery Units during the COVID-19 Pandemic.” This study—which Edmonds conducted with three co-authors, including CSON Ph.D. candidate Erin George— highlights the strain understaffed nursing units underwent during the pandemic: 33% of the 836 labor and delivery nurses surveyed reported that someone on their unit had delayed, left unfinished, or omitted one or more of three critical processes involved in childbirth in the last month. The study found an association between reports of inadequate unit staffing and decreased nursing bedside time with a higher likelihood that nurses would report incidents of not recognizing and responding to indeterminate or abnormal fetal heart rate changes within 15 minutes, excessive uterine activity within 20 minutes, or new maternal complications within 10 minutes. The presentation abstract appeared in the Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing, for which Edmonds is the editor in chief.

Staying healthy through menopause In January, Alison Marshall, an instructor at the Connell School and a practicing family nurse practitioner, gave a Zoom presentation to the Women’s Collaborative of Boston College titled “Your Wonderful, Amazing, Aging Body.” Marshall’s presentation shed light on the hormonal changes involved in menopause and the physical and psychological symptoms they can cause, as well as strategies for optimizing physical health and well-being through these changes and beyond. To limit the symptoms of estrogen depletion and protect cardiovascular health, she highlighted the proven effectiveness of regular exercise and hydration, cutting out smoking, and a healthy but unrestrictive diet. She also discussed the risks and possible benefits involved in Hormone Replacement Therapy, and shared natural remedies for symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings. Above all, Marshall

emphasized that menopause is a natural process, and that it is cultural stigma and misunderstanding, rather than women’s bodies, that need to change.

Measuring the fallout of food allergies At the 2022 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Associate Professor Jinhee Park and an interdisciplinary team of colleagues from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University presented their Marcus Foundation-funded research on the psychosocial impact of food allergies on children and their families. Park drew on her research expertise in measure development to help the team create the first practical measure for evaluating this impact, which is called the Psychosocial Evaluation of Allergy on Caregivers and Households (PEACH). Families frequently restructure their lives around maintaining safe environments for their children, which can lead to disruptions in family functioning, reduced quality of life, and conditions such as depression and anxiety. At the AAAAI conference, Park and her colleagues presented on the process of developing and evaluating the validity of PEACH, which could help researchers and pediatricians better understand how food allergies affect an estimated six million U.S. children and their families, and how to best support them.

Full list of Faculty Publications

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