Feature Stories 2021: First CNHS Celebration of Faculty and Staff Scholarship highlights research projects and collaboration

The College of Nursing & Health Sciences (CNHS) and Sigma Theta Tau, the international honor society of nursing, hosted “A Celebration of Faculty and Staff Scholarship” to highlight the scope of faculty and staff research projects.

Held in the Library Living Room, the event offered an opportunity for nursing and medical laboratory science faculty and staff to present their research posters and discuss their work with each other.

According to CNHS Dean Kimberly Christopher, in addition to bringing faculty and staff together to celebrate their scholarship, the purpose of the event was multifold. "We were able to share the outstanding work that CNHS faculty and staff are engaged in and presenting at national and international conferences and increase the opportunity to discuss ideas and potential collaborations among each other. Perhaps, most importantly, this celebration reaffirmed that we are a community of scholars engaged in teaching and research on a range of timely and significant topics in health care and nursing education."

More than 25 research posters were presented, including studies of the needs of family caregivers for those with substance abuse disorders, healthcare inequities for adults with intellectual disabilities, caring for rural families, hand hygiene practice among doctors of chiropractic, and students remote learning experiences during Covid-19. Several research projects studied the impact of the pandemic. (See Celebration of Faculty & Staff Scholarship Brochure (2021) for the full list of research projects and descriptions.)

During a dinner in the Library Grand Reading Room, Assistant Professor and Doctor of Nursing Practice Program Director Dr. Shannon Avery Desmarias presented her research on nursing during the pandemic and its effect on the mental health of LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ nurses. Malissa Norfolk, full-time lecturer in medical laboratory science, presented her research project, “Train the Trainer: A Tool for Retention.”

“It was a wonderful opportunity to see what terrific work our colleagues are doing to promote nursing science,” said Monika Schuler, assistant professor of adult nursing. “I felt very proud of our college.” Schuler presented “Tales of Resilience: Nursing student remote learning experiences in Covid.”

Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, known as Sigma, is dedicated to improving the health of people worldwide through increasing the base of scientific nursing practice. To achieve this goal, Sigma is committed to furthering the use of nursing research in healthcare delivery as well as in public policy. Assistant Professor Marni Kellogg serves as president of the UMass Dartmouth Theta Kappa Chapter Executive Committee.

“It was a wonderful opportunity to see what terrific work our colleagues are doing to promote nursing science. I felt very proud of our college.”