Category: What’s Happening at the School of Nursing

President Ana Mari Cauce has named five new representatives to the 30-member University of Washington Population Health Initiative executive council. The council serves as the internal governing body for the Population Health Initiative.

These representatives, who will begin their terms in autumn quarter 2024, are:

• Joan Casey, associate professor of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health
• Yonn Dierwechter, professor of Urban Studies, UW Tacoma
• Sarah Gimbel, professor of Child, Family, and Population Health Nursing, School of Nursing
• Hamed Mamani, professor of Operations Management, Foster School of Business
• Lucy Lu Wang, assistant professor, Information School

These individuals succeed five members who left the council as part of its annual rotation.

Dr Nora Kenworthy, PhD of UW Bothell explores the darker side of crowdfunding in her recently published book, “Crowded Out: The True Costs of Crowdfunding Healthcare.” Read more on the Bothell website here: The unseen layers of medical crowdfunding  – News (uwb.edu)  Or check out her recently published piece with the Seattle Times here: We can’t crowdfund our way out of the climate crisis | The Seattle Times

We’re pleased to announce 3 Husky Nurses have been named 2024 Fellows. Fellows represents a cross-section of nursing’s most dynamic leaders making positive change in their systems and communities to champion health and wellness. Learn more: https://l8r.it/Nu39

Fifteen faculty members at the University of Washington have been elected to the Washington State Academy of Sciences. They are among 36 scientists and educators from across the state announced Aug. 1 as new members. Selection recognizes the new members’ “outstanding record of scientific and technical achievement, and their willingness to work on behalf of the academy to bring the best available science to bear on issues within the state of Washington.”

Twelve UW faculty members were selected by current WSAS members. They are:

• Wendy Barrington, associate professor of epidemiology, of health systems and population health, and of child, family and population health nursing, who “possesses the rare combination of scientific rigor and courageous commitment to local community health. Identifying original ways to examine questions, and seeking out appropriate scientific methods to study those questions, allow her to translate research to collaborative community interventions with a direct impact on the health of communities.”
• Philip Bell, the Shauna C. Larson endowed chair in learning sciences, for “his work in the cultural basis of scientific research and learning, bringing rigor and light to multiculturalism in science and STEM education through STEM Teaching Tools and other programs.”
• Katherine Comtois, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, “for her sustained commitment to community-engaged, science-driven practice and policy change related to the prevention of suicide and the promotion of mental health, with a focus on providing effective, sustainable and culturally appropriate care to people with serious mental illness.”
• Valerie Daggett, the David and Nancy Auth endowed professor in bioengineering, who has “charted new paths for 30-plus years. Her quest to deeply understand protein folding/unfolding and the link to amyloid diseases has propelled her to pioneer unique computational and experimental methods leading to the discovery and characterization of a new protein structure linked to toxicity early in amyloidogenesis.”
• Jeremy Hess, professor of environmental and occupational health sciences, of global health, and of emergency medicine, who is “a global and national leader at the intersection of climate change and health whose work has advanced our understanding of climate change health effects and has informed the design of preparedness and disaster response planning in Washington state, nationally and globally.”
• Philip Kinahan, professor of bioengineering and of radiology, who is “recognized for his contributions to the science and engineering of medical imaging systems and for leadership in national programs and professional and scientific societies advancing the capabilities of medical imaging.”
• Daniel Kirschen, the Donald W. and Ruth Mary Close professor of electrical and computer engineering and faculty member in the UW Clean Energy Institute, who is “recognized for his distinguished research contributions to the design and operation of economical, reliable and environmentally sustainable power systems, and the development of influential educational materials used to train the next generation of power engineers.”
• Juliana McElrath, senior vice president and director of the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, the Joel D. Meyers endowed chair of clinical research and of vaccine and infectious disease at Fred Hutch, and UW professor of medicine, who is “is recognized for her seminal contributions to developing validated laboratory methods for interrogating cellular and humoral immune responses to HIV, TB and COVID-19 vaccines, which has led to the analysis of more than 100 vaccine and monoclonal antibody trials for nearly three decades, including evidence of T-cell immune responses as a correlate of vaccine protection.”
• Aseem Prakash, professor of political science and the Walker family professor for the arts and sciences, who is a specialist “in environmental politics, international political economy, and the politics of nonprofit organizations. He is widely recognized as a leader in the field of environmental politics, best known for his path-breaking research on the role firms and nongovernmental organizations can play in promoting more stringent regulatory standards.”
• Michael Spencer, the Ballmer endowed dean of social work, for investigations of “how inequality, in its many forms, affects health, illness and quality of life. He has developed unique conceptual frameworks to investigate how race, ethnicity and immigration are associated with health and social outcomes.”
• Stefan Stoll, professor of chemistry, who is elected “for distinguished scientific and community contributions to advancing the field of electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, which have transformed how researchers worldwide analyze data.”
• Ruikang Wang, professor of bioengineering and of ophthalmology, whose “pioneering work in biomedical optics, including the invention of optical microangiography and development of novel imaging technologies, has transformed clinical practice, significantly improving patient outcomes. Through his numerous publications, patents and clinical translations, his research has helped shape the field of biomedical optics.”

Three new UW members of the academy were selected by virtue of their previous election to one of the National Academies. They are:

• Qiang Fu, professor of atmospheric and climate science, who had been elected to the National Academy of Sciences “for contributions to research and expertise in atmospheric radiation and cloud processes, remote sensing, cloud/aerosol/radiation/climate interactions, stratospheric circulation and stratosphere-troposphere exchanges and coupling, and climate change.”
• Ali Rowhani-Rahbar, the Bartley Dobb professor for the study and prevention of violence in the Department of Epidemiology and a UW professor of pediatrics, who had been elected to the National Academy of Medicine “for being a national public health leader whose innovative and multidisciplinary research to integrate data across the health care system and criminal legal system has deepened our understanding of the risk and consequences of firearm-related harm and informed policies and programs to reduce its burden, especially among underserved communities and populations.”
• Tumaini Rucker Coker, division chief of general pediatrics at Seattle Children’s Hospital and a UW professor of pediatrics, who had been elected to the National Academy of Medicine “for her leadership in advancing child health equity through scholarship in community-partnered design of innovative care models in pediatric primary care. Her work has transformed our understanding of how to deliver child preventive health care during the critical early childhood period to achieve equitable health outcomes and reduce disparities.”

In addition, Dr. Thomas Lynch, president and director of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and of the Cancer Consortium — a partnership between the UW, Seattle Children’s Hospital and Fred Hutch — was elected to the academy for being “part of a research effort that found mutations in the cell-surface protein epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which plays an important role in helping lung cancer cells survive. Today, drugs that target EGFR can dramatically change outcomes for lung cancer patients by slowing the progression of the cancer.”

Kristi Morgansen, the Boeing-Egtvedt endowed professor and chair in aeronautics and astronautics, will join the board effective Sept. 30. Morgansen was elected to WSAS in 2021 “for significant advances in nonlinear methods for integrated sensing and control in engineered, bioinspired and biological flight systems,” and “for leadership in cross-disciplinary aerospace workforce development.” She is currently director of the Washington NASA Space Grant Consortium, co-director of the UW Space Policy and Research Center and chair of the AIAA Aerospace Department Chairs Association. She is also a member of the WSAS education committee.

“I am excited to serve on the WSAS board and work with WSAS members to leverage and grow WSAS’s impact by identifying new opportunities for WSAS to collaborate and partner with the state in addressing the state’s needs,” said Morgansen.

The new members to the Washington State Academy of Sciences will be formally inducted in September.

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Hilaire Thompson will serve as the next executive dean of the School of Nursing, effective Aug. 1, pending approval by the Board of Regents.

Dr. Thompson, a registered nurse and nurse practitioner, is a Professor in Biobehavioral Nursing and Health Informatics in the UW School of Nursing, core faculty at the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center and an adjunct professor in Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education in the UW School of Medicine. As a UW faculty member since 2006, she has held several leadership roles, including graduate program director for the School of Nursing. Through that position, she developed collaborative relationships and held budgetary and human resource responsibilities as well as delegated responsibilities from the associate dean for academic affairs. Since 2021, she has served as an associate vice provost in the Office of Academic Personnel in the Provost’s Office.

Dr. Thompson earned her bachelor’s degree in Biology from Mary Washington College in Virginia and her accelerated bachelor’s of science in nursing from Catholic University in Washington, D.C. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, and completed her postdoctoral work at the UW.

She spent six years at the Medical College of Virginia Hospitals, with a focus on neuroscience and critical care nursing, while earning her master’s degree as a clinical nurse specialist and a post-master’s nurse practitioner certificate. During this time, Dr. Thompson met nurse scientists doing bench research, and she became intrigued with this pathway as it combined her interests in biology and nursing.

Funded by support from the National Institutes of Health, the Center for Disease Control and foundation awards, Dr. Thompson’s research centers on improving outcomes following geriatric traumatic brain injury, as well as fall prevention. This work has been recognized with induction into Sigma’s International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame, fellowship in the American Academy of Nursing, and membership in the Washington State Academy of Sciences.

As executive dean, Dr. Thompson will lead the nursing programs on each UW campus and the accreditation process that integrates all three, ensure faculty and student recruitment, development and success in all aspects of the mission of the School of Nursing, and align the resources and finances of the School in support of these goals

Dr. Thompson brings incredible knowledge of and dedication to the UW School of Nursing to this leadership role, as well as a comprehensive understanding of the profession and the opportunities for the School to advance its history of excellence across the tri-campus system.

Thank you to the search committee, co-chaired by Sharon Jones, vice chancellor for Academic Affairs at UW Bothell, and Andre Ritter, dean of the School of Dentistry, for identifying three exceptionally strong finalists, which reflects the School’s prominence and reputation. We would also like to express our deep gratitude to Dr. Allison Webel for her exemplary service as the School’s interim executive dean during the last academic year, including her leadership of the accreditation review for the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program and the Post-Graduate APRN Certification Program.

We welcome Dean Thompson to her new role!

People with endometriosis commonly face obstacles and misconceptions about disease, diagnosis, and treatment. These obstacles are especially burdensome when navigating Social Security disability claims – a system relied upon by over 8 million Americans. (Social Security Administration, 2022)

Nursing scientist and postdoctoral research fellow with UW SON Nursing and Global Health, Dr. Martha Grace Cromeens (she/her), JD, PhD, RN recently co-authored a groundbreaking study demonstrating evidence of the disparity in how endometriosis disability claims are treated in federal court appeals.

The study, published by Women’s Health Issues, Jacobs Institute of Women’s Health, analyzed 87 SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) and SSI (Social Security Insurance) claim appeals related to endometriosis and found that these claims are systematically disadvantaged, particularly among those with less access to care.

The findings showed that the courts “found subjective reports of symptoms insufficient evidence of impairment…” and, further, “expected claimants to use treatments such as contraception or hysterectomy without addressing risks…” Even when such treatments might directly counter the needs and preferences of the claimants.

“The hope is that this evidence will help us create a more equitable disability application and review system for those with chronic pain conditions and noncancerous gynecologic conditions such as endometriosis,” said Dr. Cromeens.

With endometriosis, tissue grows outside the uterus, affecting other parts of the body such as the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and pelvis. It is a painful condition that often is not well understood by physicians and regularly evades standard methods of assessment, such as imaging. It’s not uncommon for it to be misdiagnosed as other conditions, such as IBS (inflammatory bowel syndrome) or for the symptoms to be taken less seriously than other chronic pain conditions.

Endometriosis is relatively common chronic condition affecting approximately 11% of the United States Population of women and people with uteruses (Office of Women’s Health), though this number is estimated to be higher by experts due to misdiagnosis.

The study findings have broad implications for health care, policy, and legal systems, and for the millions of underserved people who live with this and other chronic pain conditions. Conditions which may also be similarly impacted by current application and review methods.

Read the full analysis: “Endometriosis and disability: Analysis of Federal Court Appeals of Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income Claims by Individuals Suffering from Endometriosis.” Women’s Health Issues, Jacobs Institute of Women’s Health, May-June 2024 issue.

_____________________________

This study was co-authored with the indispensable Kathleen Knafl, PhD, FAAN, Whitney R. Robinson, PhD, MSPH, Erin T. Carey, MD, MSCR, Zakiya Haji-Noor, PhD, MPh, and Suzanne Thoyre, PhD, RN, FAAN.

Congratulations to Rachel Anderson Doctor of Nursing Practice student who is one of the UW students recognized as a 2023-2024 Fulbright Scholar.

Hometown: Fort Collins, CO

Graduation Year/Program: Doctor of Nursing Practice Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care, 2027

What is your research/areas of interest? Infant mental health and perinatal mental health; pediatric infectious diseases

Why did you choose nursing? Nursing has great flexibility and I like the ability to work in a variety of settings that incorporate research and patient-facing aspects.

How has your experience at the School of Nursing helped you with your career trajectory? I have done the ABSN and part of the DNP at UW and the faculty support and access to research institutes such as the Barnard Center have been such a gift.

What are your plans after graduation? I hope to continue to work in research and pursue a per diem level one nursery position.

A randomized trial (co-authored by UW SON professor Dr. Pamela Kohler) evaluated the effectiveness of using patient actors to role play counseling for PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) services provided to adolescent girls and young women in Kenya – a population disproportionately affected by HIV in the region.

After a 2-day training intervention that included adolescent health, PrEP guidelines, values clarification, and communication skills; intervention providers role-played with trained actors. Control facilities received standard national training. 

“It was important to have a safe space to practice discussions about HIV with young women, so that providers could feel more confident with sensitive topics and ensure that their personal values weren’t negatively affecting young people seeking care,” said Kohler. “The providers were exceptionally receptive to feedback from the actors and their peers.” 

At the end of the study, both the intervention and control facilities were assessed using what you might know as “secret shopping” or “mystery shopping.” Trained actors presented to clinics portraying young women requesting PrEP services according to case scripts, then documented their care experiences with study staff. The actors didn’t know whether the facilities they attended had received the training, and the providers did not know they were caring for actors. .

The difference in quality of service was astonishing. 

Providers who had worked with the actors scored better across the board for both adherence to national guidelines and communication skills. Quality at the control sites received a mean score of 58%. At sites where providers worked with the actors? 74%.  

That kind of impact could have far-reaching implications for improving HIV prevention not only for adolescent girls and young women in the region, but also globally and for other underserved populations in need of PrEP or other health services.  

Read the full study results: https://journals.lww.com/aidsonline/abstract/9900/patient_actor_training_improves_prep_delivery_for.506.aspx 

Faculty

Jamie Young, DNP, ARNP, RN, FNP-BC – a clinical assistant professor in BNHI has been awarded selected as a fellow for the 2024-2026 Evidence-Based Teaching Program offered by the UW Center for Teaching and Learning.

Husky nurse Assistant Professor Omeid Heidari, PhD, MPH, ANP-C, is in the latest Health Affairs theme issue on Reimagining Public Health.

Basia Belza, PhD, RN, FAAN, FGSA- University of Washington’s de Tornyay Center for Healthy Aging director and professor was recently interviewed by Erin Donnelly, Senior Editor, for Yahoo Life for an article on Mall Walking based on our teams’ prior research.

Dr. Monica Oxford, MSW PhD, in the department for Child, Family, and Population Health Nursing and colleagues Drs Idan Shalev (Penn State) and Carrie Dow-Smith (Wake Med) have received funding from the National Institutes of Health for an R01 titled “The impact of stress and caregiver sensitivity on infant cellular aging in a population of under-resources families: A randomized controlled trial”. PFR is an Evidence-Based program disseminated out of the Parent-Child Relationships Program at the Barnard Center at the University of Washington School of Nursing.

A randomized trial (co-authored by Dr. Pamela Kohler) evaluated the effectiveness of using patient actors to role play counseling for PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) services provided to adolescent girls and young women in Kenya – a population disproportionately affected by HIV in the region. Read more

Professor Betty Bekemeier co-chaired working group on climate change and health research. The working group led to recommendations for helping inform future NINR activities in climate change and health research. Read more

Congratulations to our faculty who have been awarded endowed fellowships and professorships.

Research and Intramural Funding Program (RIFP) funding for the Spring 2024 cycle. Congratulations to the following faculty members on their successful proposals:

Sarah Iribarren, PhD, RN | BNHI
“Building and Evaluating AI-augmented Treatment Support for Individuals with Tuberculosis.”
Funding Source: Suzanne E. Van Hooser Endowment

Alexi Vasbinder, PhD, RN | BNHI
“Impact of Preterm Birth on Aging and Inflammatory Biomarkers in Kenyan Mother-Infant Pairs.”
Funding Source: Elizabeth Giblin Endowment

Avanti Adhia, Scd | CFPHN
“Deepening a Research Partnership to Advance the Use of Evidence-Informed Intimate Partner Violence Prevention Practices in Alaska.”
Funding Source: Lorraine Troop Endowment

Students

Emily Ahrens – 3rd year PhD student just received a notice of grant award for her F31 (F31NR021096) from NINR entitled: ” Examination of Health Disparities in ICU Delirium Prevention and Management for Patients Who Speak A Language Other Than English” to support completion of her dissertation and PhD training. Her committee and consulting team includes folks from SON, SOM at UW as well as faculty at Nebraska and Ohio State.

Pregamon Kuntajak, MSN, BSN, RN – PhD student received a grant from Sigma Theta Tau Psi at Large Chapter on their proposed project to focus on psychological resilience among older adults following mild-moderate traumatic brain injury. More info below.

Rachel Anderson Doctor of Nursing Practice student is one of the UW students recognized as a 2023-2024 Fulbright Scholar.

Convocation 2024

Congratulations to Class of 2024 graduates! June 7 and 9 we celebrated our amazing #HuskyNurse students with the BSN pinning ceremony and convocation.
View photos from the BSN pinning ceremony and convocation.

We’re proud to share that a few of our amazing #HuskyNurse PhD students and now graduates had their “This I Believe” essays published in Nursing Research is a peer-reviewed journal. These essays share the personal journeys of our PhD students and how they see the direction of nursing science shifting.

Congratulations to our faculty who have been awarded endowed fellowships and professorships.

School of Nursing Endowed Chair for Health Promotion Professorship – Dr. Monica McLemore
Marilee Rasmussen Endowed Fund for Nursing Fellowship – Dr. Rebecca O’Connor
Marilee Rasmussen Endowed Fund for Nursing Fellowship – Dr. Sarah Gimbel
Marian Van Steenvoort Endowment for Excellence Fellowship – Dr. Erin Blakeney
Marian Van Steenvoort Endowment for Excellence Fellowship – Dr. Kendra Kamp
Gai and Patroni Faculty Fellowship for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention  Fellowship – Dr. Alexi Vasbinder
Lila Scott Faculty Fellowship for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Fellowship – Dr. Megan Streur
School of Nursing Alumni Endowed Fellowship – Dr. Pam Kohler

Congratulations to this year’s teaching and student honorees!

Student Awardees

Students

• Congratulations to several of our students who received scholarships. Read more
• PhD student Elizabeth Frazier is the 2024-2025 Magnuson Scholar for the School of Nursing. Read more
• On Friday, May 17 BSN students presented their posters at the 2024 Undergraduate Research Symposium. Read more  and view photos here

Faculty

• Jennifer Sonney’s work, in collaboration with other University of Washington researchers, creating the virtual reality environment, ‘Relaxation Environment for Stress in Teens’ (RESeT) was recently featured in UW Today.
• Listen to the Voices of Nursing podcast, “Becoming a Nurse Researcher and Advocate,” with Dr. Monica McLemore. She shares the key moments that inspired her journey to becoming a nurse researcher and advocate.

Alumni

• School of Nursing PhD and MN alumna Jung-Ah Lee’s work with caregivers for people with dementia was recently featured in the University of California, Irvine Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing’s Magazine, Humanitas. Find the story on page 29 of Humanitas magazine.
• All School Reunion was celebrated on Saturday, May 18. The annual UW School of Nursing All Class Reunion was held Saturday, May 18. It was a wonderful event and even more heartening to see alumni reminisce and share stories of their adventures post-graduation. Attendees had the opportunity to hear from a dynamic panel of current faculty and alumni on “The Future of Nursing” and were shown a sneak peek trailer for the upcoming nursing documentary, “Everybody’s Work,” in collaboration with the school’s Manning Price Spratlen Center for Antiracism & Equity in Nursing. See pictures and hear from those who attended the All Class Reunion. We hope to see more of our alumni at the 2025 All Class Reunion!

Advancement

• UW chemistry professor emeritus Larry R. Dalton and his wife, Nicole A. Boand announced a $10 million bequest to the School of Nursing to support scholarships and clinical education. Read more

Nurses Month 2024

• Read more about what the School did to celebrate our amazing #HuskyNurses for Nurses Month.

The University of Washington School of Nursing announced a $10 million bequest from UW chemistry professor emeritus Larry R. Dalton and his wife, Nicole A. Boand.

The gift commitment, the largest in the history of the School of Nursing, will increase access to nursing education, with $8 million dedicated to cost-of-attendance scholarships. The remaining $2 million will be used to enrich and expand clinical education, including the recruitment of clinical nurse educators who can provide practical, on-the-job training for students.

Read full story by Jackson Holtz, UW News.

Every year exceptional health sciences students are recognized for their contributions to research and outstanding academic performance in the health sciences. This year we are pleased to congratulate and recognize this year’s School of Nursing Magnuson Health Scholar Elizabeth Frazier .

Hometown: Originally from Little Rock, AR, and have lived in Seattle for many years now.

Graduation Year/Program: PhD in Nursing Science; 2026

What is your research/areas of interest? My dissertation research is focused on exploring biological and social factors that contribute to sex and gender differences in atrial fibrillation symptoms and quality of life

Do you have a faculty mentor? Dr. Cynthia Dougherty

Why did you choose nursing? I always found the physiology of the human body to be interesting and knew I wanted to go into the sciences, but it was the “human” aspect — connecting with patients — that drew me to nursing.

How has your experience at the School of Nursing helped you with your career trajectory?  I say this genuinely — my PhD journey at the UW SoN has been beyond what I could have imagined. In addition to having an incredible mentorship team, I have been privileged to receive opportunities in authorship, grantsmanship, interdisciplinary collaboration and networking, and direct research experience, all of which will prepare me for a career in nursing research. But a significant part of my PhD experience has been connecting with and learning from SoN faculty and my PhD peers who are engaging in truly meaningful research. This has simultaneously pushed me to expand my lens of nursing science and helped me hone my focus for my own program of research.

What are your plans after graduation? The long-term goal is to take a nursing faculty position.

Learn more about the Magnuson Health Scholar Program and the other scholars here.

2024 Undergraduate Research Symposium

 Our BSN honors students will present their posters at the 2024 Undergraduate Research Symposium on May 17^th. Please join us to celebrate the students’ achievements.

When: May 17, 2024, Session 1 (11:00am – 12:30pm)

Where: Mary Gates Hall

For day-of details see:

https://www.washington.edu/undergradresearch/symposium/attendees/

Student Poster Abstracts 

How an innovative approach inspired by the quality improvement world is empowering nurses for greater impact around the globe

Nursing science researcher, Dr. Sarah Gimbel (she/her), PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN, has spent the better part of her career figuring out how to help frontline nurses take the reins of their impact in healthcare settings.

A professor and director of the UW Center for Global Health Nursing, Gimbel’s research has primarily taken place in Mozambique, where she has worked closely with nurses and doctors in HIV services. Over time, her research scope has expanded to include hypertension and diabetes.

The science of how work gets done and how systems can be improved is Gimbel’s passion. If you ask, she will be the first to say that bringing people together, in a methodical way, to understand a problem and craft informed decisions is where the magic happens.

Gimbel’s particular approach, called the Systems Analysis and Improvement Approach (or SAIA), bundles three systems engineering tools to build healthcare team systems’ thinking IQ with a uniquely implementation science spin. To the lay person, SAIA may at first sound wonkish. Until you look closer. Various flavors of systems engineering and quality improvement methods have developed and spread across countries and thrived across industries for decades – Kanban, Agile Scrum, continuous improvement, total quality, Lean Six Sigma. You name it. Gimbel simply combined proven approaches with three practical systems engineering tools—cascade analysis, process mapping and quality improvement circles—that nurses said time and again they needed to do their jobs well.

The goal of SAIA is simple. Help and other healthcare teams optimize service delivery care cascades – in other words ensure that clients receive complete, high quality care, from screening, to diagnosis, prescription, treatment, control/resolution of illness.

While most improvement strategies target a single step in a system, SAIA encourages teams to focus on the system as a whole from the patient perspective. On a monthly basis, care teams meet to jointly visualize treatment cascade drop-offs and prioritize areas for system improvements, identify modifiable facility level bottlenecks and propose, implement and assess the impact of small changes. Developing care team consensus through strengthened communication is seen as key to achieving better patient care and long-term outcomes. It puts the development of improving the health system into nurses’ hands – one clinic or care setting at a time.

“We aim to bridge the gap between knowledge and action,” Gimbel said. “Nurses know their patients and settings best. They are best equipped to make change. They don’t need to be told – they just need the right tools and support to do it.” With SAIA, workers on the frontline have a voice to improve the way work gets done – benefiting both patients and nurses.

Gimbel makes it clear that SAIA as an approach was not developed in a vacuum, but in deep collaboration with others – implementation science and engineering experts at UW and nursing and care delivery experts across the world. It is constantly evolving and growing as it is entering into its 14^th and 15^th funded iteration (SAIA for management of opioid use disorder for individuals exiting jail in King County, and SAIA to optimize tuberculosis management in rural South Africa).

It’s through the effort, enthusiasm and dedication of nurse leaders and frontline staff that Gimbel says has allowed for SAIA to mobilize and be sustained in under resourced clinical and community settings globally.

“Three fourths of patient care globally is handled by nurses,” Gimbel said. “Their perspective to test interventions, identify health system weaknesses, is not just important – it’s absolutely necessary.”

The goal of SAIA isn’t only to improve the quality of care provided by nurses to patients. Across the nation and the world, nurses are burning out of the field in record numbers. Washington is itself plagued by the ranking of 47^th in the nation for adequate nursing staffing.

SAIA’s collaborative approach has the benefit of enhancing nurses’ overall experience in the workplace. By focusing on their needs and empowering them, it becomes absolutely possible for nurses to benefit from a healthcare system that is more responsive, efficient, and ultimately, better for both healthcare providers and patients.

Gimbel’s research methodology and the SAIA approach more generally inherently involves engaging with nurses and frontline health workers, understanding their perspectives, and working collaboratively to find solutions that work within the context of their daily challenges.

While some could describe the approach as pie-in-the-sky wishful thinking exercises, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Gimbel is a pragmatist at heart, and the outcomes of these conversations are meant to be practical, durable, and feasible, leading to sustainable improvements in healthcare services – even in resource-constrained environments. Which today is, realistically, most healthcare services.

“Nurses are at the forefront of healthcare delivery, and their expertise and insights are the missing ingredient to the broader challenges of our health system,” said Gimbel. “By empowering nurses, we have seen change happen. And with SAIA, that kind of impact scales up.”

-Alex Abplanalp

Students

• PhD in Nursing Science candidate Brenda Osei-Assibey, recently published a letter to the editor in Nursing Research, “What I Believe About Nursing Science“.

Faculty

• Congratulations to Associate Research Professor Erin Abu-Rish Blakeney who recently published a scoping review in the Journal of Interprofessional Care on “A scoping review of new implementations of interprofessional bedside rounding models to improve teamwork, care, and outcomes in hospitals”.
• Professor Cynthia Dougherty is quoted in a recent American Heart Association news story about the impact of surviving a heart attack, “The health connection between cardiac arrest survivors and their loved ones”
• Betty Bekemeier of HSPop, UW School of Nursing and the Northwest Center for Public Health Practice led a review process to create a new, updated research agenda designed to drive new funding and evidence to guide a reimagined public health system:
  
• Professor Monica McLemore recently spoke on the rePROs podcast during Black Maternal Health Week, in the recent episode, “Reproductive Justice, Black Maternal Health, and the Supreme Court.”
• Josephine Ensign recently interviewed Casey Trupin on an episode of her Skid Row podcast, “A Conversation with Casey Trupin”.

 A four-decade faculty member and clinical educator, Dr. Gaylene Altman (she/her) PhD, RN, MN, is author of multiple nursing textbooks, long-time facilitator of clinical education at UW SoN’s world-class Simulation Center, and a distinguished scholar – but her first passion is teaching. Now, her dedication to her students has inspired her and her family’s transformational philanthropic investment in the University of Washington. 

“I love teaching undergraduate nursing students…partnering with students to get them to be the best they can be. That’s really been a rewarding experience, watching the transformation from novice to a highly educated nurse.” Consequently, she has received many nursing teaching awards, including one of the University’s highest honors: the Distinguished Teaching Award. 

Gaylene’s story has more humble beginnings than the accolades might let on. Yet the whirlwind to follow would keep Gaylene and her spouse, Dr. Leonard (Len) Altman, on the leading edge of both nursing education and practice ever after. 

Her journey began, of all places, on a farm in the Midwest.  

“I grew up on a farm, milking cows, caring for animals and working on tractors at an early age in the wheat fields. Teamwork was important for survival.” Gaylene shared. “One summer in my sophomore year, my parents let me accept a nurse’s aide position at a local hospital.” The hospital was about 30 miles from the farm. “That was my first exposure to nursing, and I knew this was my calling.” 

Gaylene’s newfound love of nursing took her to the University of Kansas, where she earned her bachelor’s degree. “Since I needed financial assistance to immediately pursue the next level, I sought schools with financial assistance or any traineeships,” she said. That’s when she learned the importance of financial support for students. “Traineeships were available federally due to the shortage of nurses and I investigated at schools where that assistance was available. The UW was one of those places.” 

She leapt right into her master’s degree at the University of Washington.  

After completing her degree, Gaylene became involved in the early days of public education about a medical intervention we now often take for granted in today’s public square – cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).  

As nurses usually are, she was in the right place at the right time. She was working for a regional medical program when she first received a call from Dr. Leonard Cobb, co-founder of Washington’s first Medic One.  

Dr. Cobb had a simple idea that was revolutionary for its time. Create the area’s first 911 program. But they needed professionals to develop and deliver the training. Already an educator and an Intensive Care nurse at Harborview Medical Center, Gaylene was in.  

She taught CPR to ski patrol members, first response interventions to firefighters and set up what became known as the “Pink Pig”, a large van outfitted with lifesaving equipment. With the assistance of designated cardiologists, she co-led a program to develop cardiac intensive care units around the state and in Idaho, Montana, and Alaska. 

Len Altman was a medical intern at the time, before they were married, and was often on board the Pink Pig when they were dispatched to live-saving calls. 

Today, Len is a clinical professor in the UW Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and has authored many publications, including several textbooks. 

In many ways, the inspiration and tenacity for improving health care that characterized those early days in the Pink Pig never really faded for both Gaylene and Len.  

True to her commitment to nursing education and research, Gaylene received her doctoral degree in 1992 – and hasn’t stopped advocating for nurses, nursing students, and the patients they serve since. 

“Everyone will see a lot of changes in their career, but this was a unique period of time, especially in nursing,” Gaylene shared. “I’ve often thought I should write a book about the changes I have seen in my 50 years as a nurse. Because physicians are recognized, but sometimes they don’t recognize how nursing was involved in the groundbreaking parts of changing healthcare.” 

Together, the Altmans have forged a lifelong legacy of supporting the educational journey of students who choose to care for others in medicine and nursing.  

This belief in the importance and value of healthcare education underpins the philanthropic support the Altmans have generously provided to UW. The recently opened Health Sciences Education Building, for example, is a promise made real of a bold and innovative interprofessional and transdisciplinary education accessible to all.  The building is a technologically sophisticated space dedicated to interactive classroom and study spaces for students of all UW health sciences schools – nursing, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, public health, and social work – to promote active learning, interdisciplinary education, and collaboration. 

“This is how we’re going to improve patient care,” Gaylene asserts, “if we have whole teams looking at the big picture at the same time and saying, ‘Oh, I see this. I see that.’ I think the new building is an ideal place to have that happen.” 

Gaylene saw, starting with her days at the University of Kansas, the power of small, interdisciplinary teams out in the community together, seeing patients as a team and helping direct the best care from all team members.  

Transdisciplinary education in the context of healthcare brings different health science disciplines into harmony, building new knowledge and drawing connections that otherwise may not have surfaced for the provider or the learner – more so than would be possible in highly siloed educational environments, where only one discipline is emphasized.

As University of Washington Laureates Gaylene and Len believe fervently in the power of a transdisciplinary health sciences education. This belief, founded in practical observation and extensive education, drove their generous philanthropic investment totaling $500,000 in the Health Sciences Education Building. Their passion for creating space and support for the student experience led to the naming of the Gaylene Bouska Altman and Leonard Charles Altman Student Lounge. The Altman Bouska Student Lounge was created to ensure that students also have a place to learn and spend casual time with their peers — both to support students’ well-being and to foster cross-school camaraderie.

“If we create rooms in the new building that are really set up as interdisciplinary training systems, that’s where things are going to happen, ideas to transform health care,” Gaylene said. “I see the future as trying to bring groups together.” 

The Altman family’s generosity and commitment also shines brightly beyond the walls of this building. The family has made additional philanthropic investments in the School of Nursing that one simply can’t help tying back to a crucial moment in Gaylene’s educational journey – when she made the path-defining choice of UW for her master’s.  

Just as Gaylene affirms that the financial assistance offered by UW clinched her choice to attend, Gaylene is firm in her conviction that other students from rural communities ought to have access to the same choice. Len has been committed to funding fellowships in his specialty as well as travel awards for new faculty.  Gaylene has been committed to funding scholarships for students from rural areas at both the University of Washington and Kansas.  

Today, thanks to supporters such as the Altmans, the Health Sciences Education Building is creating an environment where health sciences students learn to work as equitable members of a care team and provide quality comprehensive care for their future patients.  

This opportunity is only made possible by the generosity of lifelong practitioners and humanitarians, individuals who not only envision a better future for healthcare in Washington but also possess the strength of will to see it through. 

The UW School of Nursing is proud to announce that several faculty and alumni will be honored at the Western Institute of Nursing annual conference, April 17-20.

Congratulations to:

• • • Pamela H. Mitchell, BSN ’62, PhD ’91, RN, FAAN, FAHA, UW School of Nursing, Seattle Professor Emerita
      2024 WIN Professor Emeritus
    • Allison Webel, RN, PhD, FAAN, Interim Executive Dean UW School of Nursing
      2024 WIN Inductee
    • Paula Cox-North, MN ’05, PhD ’13, ARNP, UW School of Nursing, Seattle Teaching Professor 
      2024 Regional Geriatric Nursing Education Award
    • Jung-Ah Lee, MN ’02, PhD ’08, RN, FGSA, FAAN
      2024 WIN Regional Geriatric Nursing Research Award: Senior Researcher
    • Julie Postma, PhD ’07, RN
      2024 Western Academy of Nurses Inductee

Melissa Mitchell, DNP ‘22 was working toward her DNP when she suffered the loss of a good friend. With the support of UW disability services, classmates, staff, and faculty she was able to persevere and graduate despite the challenges and grief. After graduation, she was unsure on what to do next. Diane Cashman, a clinical instructor, suggested she apply for fellowships. There were only two adult gerontology fellowships available in Washington state, leading her to the UW Premera Rural Nursing Health Initiative (RNHI) Fellowship.

“When I got the rural health nursing fellowship, I didn’t even know where Republic was!” laughed Mitchell. “But I found out quickly and it’s a great little town,” she added.

Mitchell joined the primary care clinic during the first year Republic participated in the rural health fellowship. She faced the reality of rural healthcare, where specialists were scarce and resources limited. Yet, she found purpose in serving a population of farmers, miners, and loggers, navigating challenges like access to care and limited resources.

“Practicing in rural areas, you need to have knowledge in multiple specialties because unlike in a larger well-resourced area you can just tap the shoulder of a colleague for a consult, in Republic we frequently have to figure it out on our own,” Mitchell said.

“The specialist rotations and nursing didactic courses, you will use it all in this fellowship. You don’t have to spend a career acquiring knowledge, because you will learn it all in this fellowship,” Mitchell said. “Being in this fellowship and working with this population has taught me to work and do more with less resources, but the rewards are immense,” she added.

Completing her fellowship, Melissa remains committed to her work in Republic, grateful for the collaborative team that supports her hybrid role. Balancing in-person and virtual patient care, she is grateful for the opportunity to extend herself daily, recognizing the vital role of nurse practitioners in providing primary care. She also encourages other new grads to take the rural fellowship path, serving as an ambassador at recruitment events and helping with recruitment for Republic’s next cohort of ARNP fellows.

This experience has taught her resilience, adaptability, and the immense rewards of serving rural communities, a journey she started thanks to encouragement of her clinical instructor and the opportunity from the UW School of Nursing’s Premera Rural Nursing Health Initiative (RNHI) fellowship.

-Kristine Wright

Two #HuskyNurse Doctor of Nursing Practice Population Health and Systems Leadership students Mollie Killion and Nhia Yerkes-Vang, have the opportunity to make a difference in the world of epidemiology through the Center for Disease Control Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) fellowship.

“I’ve always had an interest in epidemiology, around disease surveillance and response and how I can align it with nursing. I really want to have more hands-on experience,” said Yerkes-Vang. “And explore disaster epidemiology, especially with the effects of climate change on the environment and health.”

From the CDC website: EIS is a long-standing, globally recognized fellowship program, renowned for its investigative and emergency response efforts. From the program’s active disease detectives, its alumni, and the leaders and other public health servants, the EIS program remains integral and relevant to meet the public health needs of today and the future.

“This fellowship is a great opportunity to be a subject matter expert in different infectious disease or environmental health threats. I can be a good resource for state and local health departments and be able to serve communities,” said Killion.  “This fellowship hasn’t taken many individuals with a nursing background. I am excited to bring my experience with patient and community voice,” she added.

 -Kristine Wright

Once again, the University of Washington’s graduate and professional degree programs have been widely recognized as among the best in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best Graduate Schools rankings, released late Monday.  

While we celebrate the success and impact of the programs recognized by U.S. News—and many applicants use these rankings to help them select schools and discover potential areas of study — we also recognize that rankings are only one measure of success for higher education. Other measures, such as positive community impact, a student experience where all belong, and opportunity to address health inequity in clinical practice, are difficult to quantify and yet, no less important.     

This year, the UW School of Nursing held the No. 2 overall ranking for a public school offering a doctor of nursing practice program. Our nurse practitioner (pediatric primary care) program ranked No. 5 and nursing midwifery ranked No. 6 among 12 peer-reviewed disciplines ranked by peer academic leaders. Furthermore, UW School of Nursing Bothell and Tacoma campuses are among the top 10 public institutions that offer a master’s degree. 

“Our rankings are simply a singular manifestation of our school’s broader and deeper excellence, which includes rigorous and inclusive research, education, and practice every single day. Our excellence is made possible only by the hard work of our community of outstanding faculty, staff, and students. Each committed to innovation, health equity and access, and the public good. We credit our most recent rankings to their efforts and eagerly anticipate the bright future of nursing education to come,” said Allison Webel, Interim Robert G. and Jean A. Reid Executive Dean. 

The UW School of Nursing is dedicated to advancing nursing science and practice through generating knowledge and educating future leaders. Our drive to advance and provide innovative healthcare along with our committed faculty, staff, students and supporters makes us a leading program. 

Information about U.S. News & World Report’s methodology can be found here. 

We’re proud to recognize our #HuskyNurses who will be inducted to the Washington State Nurses of Hall of Fame 

University of Washington, School of Nursing alumnae:

• Katherine Camacho Carr, DNP ’89 PhD, ARNP, CNM, FACNM, FAAN
• Dawn Morrell, BSN ’95, RN, CCRN

University of Washington, School of Nursing Executive Board member

• Jennifer Graves, MS, RN

We are thrilled to have these amazing individuals recog­nized for their the dedica­tion and achieve­ments in nursing in Washington state. This is an amazing accomplishment! Of the over 60 Hall of Fame members, our school is proud to be represented by over 40 faculty and alumni.

Today March 11, our class of ’24 Doctor of Nursing Practice students presented their final projects. Congratulations to the DNP Class of 2024! Meet a few of the graduating class and learn about their projects here. School and DNP track leadership shared a few words for the graduating students:

Interim Executive Dean,  Allison Webel

Congratulations to all of our Doctor of Nursing Practice students! I am amazed at your dedication, hard work, and commitment to advancing healthcare and becoming nurse leaders. As you embark on this next chapter of your professional journey, may you continue to create change and a profound positive impact in the lives of your patients, their families, and their communities. You all will do amazing things as #HuskyNurses and I wish you all the best in all your future endeavors!

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Jennifer Sonney

Congratulations to the 2024 UW School of Nursing DNP graduates! On behalf of the School of Nursing faculty and staff, It has been a privilege to support you for the past three years. Your steadfast dedication, passion, and tenacity have carried you to the finish line. We look forward to the remarkable contributions you will make as DNP leaders, clinicians, advocates, and scholars. Today we celebrate you and all you have accomplished!

Professor and Director of Manning Price Spratlen Center for Anti-Racism & Equity in Nursing (MPS CARE in Nursing), Monica McLemore

Dear Graduates: You have done so much work to earn your degree. I am very much looking forward to partnering with you as alumni, clinicians, colleagues and researchers to unleash the power of nursing to change the future. Congratulations and I am so proud of all of you!!!

To the AGPCNP Class of 2023 you are Remarkable. You have conquered your quest with dignity, grace and humility, and I am so very honored to have been able to be a part of your DNP journey. My best wishes as you embark on the next step of your life journey, and remember to have some fun!

Faculty

Students

• Congratulations to DNP student José Reyes for receiving a Latino Center for Health Graduate and Professional Student Fellowship.
• BSN student CJ Rivera was selected as the recipient of the UW Queen Silvia Nursing Award (UWQSNA).

Alumni

• Alumni Ceci Gilmore was mentioned in the recent UW Magazine story, “Delivering hope: A UW program works to improve maternal health outcomes for Black women and other underserved community members.”

UW Tacoma

• We’re proud to announce the 2024 UW Health Sciences Martin Luther King, Jr. School of Nursing Community Service Award recipient Dr. Sharon Laing, Associate Professor of Nursing and Healthcare Leadership at the University of Washington, Tacoma.