Biography

Dr. Breanna Hetland is an assistant professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing and Nurse Scientist at Nebraska Medicine. Her novel program of research focuses on merging technology with nonpharmacological healing approaches to positively engage patients and family caregivers during the critical illness experience.

She graduated summa cum laude from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville College of Nursing. Her clinical experiences include a study abroad medical trip to China and Tibet, a summer externship in the medical intensive care unit at the Mayo Clinic, and 5 years as a critical care nurse at Methodist Medical Center in Peoria, IL and the University of Minnesota Medical Center in Minneapolis, MN. She obtained her PhD in Nursing with a minor in Integrative Therapies and Healing Practices from the University of Minnesota. Her work has been federally supported by the National Institute of Nursing Research through a Ruth L. Kirschstein F31 Predoctoral Fellowship as well as a T32 Postdoctoral Fellowship in Symptom Management and Palliative Care Research in Adults with Advanced Disease, which she completed at the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University. In her most recent study, which was funded by an Impact Research Grant sponsored the American Association of Critical Care Nurses, Dr. Hetland and her team developed The Family Room mobile app, a digital platform to promote patient and family involvement in care during acute hospitalization. Additionally, she is conducting a clinical trial evaluating the psychophysiological impact of Paro ^TM, a therapeutic interactive robot, during rehabilitation sessions in the pediatric ICU. She has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and her nationally recognized expertise in critical care nursing science and clinical practice has resulted in invited consultations, keynote presentations, and expert commentary.

Research

Research Interests

• Critical Care
  • Integrative, holistic intervention
  • Symptom management
  • Mechanical ventilation
  • Patient and Family Engagement
  • Patient and Family Self-Management
  • Technological platforms in the ICU

Grant Support (Previous 5 years)

2023-2026

The Family Room: An Interactive Mobile Application to Support Family Caregiver Participation in Patient Care in the Intensive Care Unit , 2023-2026, $500,000, PI: Breanna Hetland

2023-2024

ICU-CARE: An interactive mobile app to enhance the efficiency of daily informal caregiving in the intensive care unit, 2023-2024, $87,851, PI: Breanna Hetland

2022-2024

Robot Rehab: Animal Assisted Interactions with a Robotic Baby Harp Seal during Inpatient Pediatric Rehabilitation. UNMC Pediatric Cancer Research Group, 2022-2023, $49,978, PI: Breanna Hetland

2017-2022

Animal Assisted Interactions with An Animal Robot During Physical and Occupational Therapy Sessions in The Pediatric ICU: A Feasibility Study. UNMC Pediatric Cancer Research Group, 2018-2022, $43,200, PI: Breanna Hetland

2017-2023

Evaluation of a Web-Based Intervention to Promote Family Caregiver Engagement in Symptom Assessment and Management during Mechanical Ventilation, American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN), (20302), 2017-2022, $49,412.00, PI: Breanna Hetland

2017-2018

An Exploration of Psychophysiological Factors that Influence Family Caregivers' Willingness to Participate in Patient Care in the Intensive Care Unit, American Nurses Foundation (ANF), (6159), 2017-2018, $10,000, PI: Breanna Hetland

Publications

NIH NLM NCBI Complete List of Published Work

Bernard, T., Hetland, B., Schmaderer, M., Zolty, R., Pozehl, B. (2023). Nurse-led heart failure educational interventions for patient and informal caregiver dyads: An integrative review. Heart & Lung : The Journal of Critical Care, 59, 44–51. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrtlng.2023.01.014

Hetland, B.D., McAndrew, N.S., Kupzyk, K.A., Krutsinger, D.C., Pozehl, B.J., Heusinkvelt, J.M., Camenzind, C.E. (2022). Family Caregiver Preferences and Contributions Related to Patient Care in the ICU. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 44(3), 214–226. https://doi.org/10.1177/01939459211062954

Kopp, J., Cawcutt, K., Musil, L., Huang, X., Minard, C., Hetland, B. (2022). Efficacy of a Bioburden Reduction Intervention on Mobile Devices of Critical Care Nurses. American Journal of Infection Control, 51(1), 35-40. https://doi.org/10/1016/j.ajic.2022.04.013

Hetland, B.D., McAndrew, N.S., Kupzyk, K.A., Krutsinger, D.C., Turnbull, A.E., Pozehl, B.J., Heusinkvelt, J.M. (2022). Relationships among Demographic, Clinical, and Psychological Factors Associated with Family Caregiver Readiness to Participate in ICU Care. Annals of the American Thoracic Society, 19(11): 1881-1891. https://doi.org/10.1513/AnnalsATS.202106-651OC

Bach, C. & Hetland, B. (2022). A Step Forward for Patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU): An Integrative Review of Early Mobility Interventions and Associated Outcome Measures. Critical Care Nurse, 42(6): 13-24. https://doi.org/10.4037/ccn2022459

View all publications »

Service

Innovation Operating Model Workstream Leader, Innovation Design Unit, Nebraska Medicine (2022-Present)

Member, Ethics and Interest Committee, American Thoracic Society (2021-2023)

Member, Nominating Committee, Midwest Nursing Research Society (2021-2023)

Member, Program Committee, American Thoracic Society (2021-present)

Member, Technology Committee, CENTRIC Center, UNMC (2020-present)

Chair, Research Committee, UNMC College of Nursing (2020-2021)

Member, Nurse Scientist Training Pathways Working Group, National Institute of Nursing Research (2020-2021)

Member, Patient Experience Applications and Technology Steering Committee, Nebraska Medicine (2019-Present)

Chair, Web Development Committee, American Thoracic Society (2019-2021)

Member, Program Committee Member, Critical Care Assembly, American Thoracic Society (2019-2021)

Member, Nominating Committee, Nursing Assembly, American Thoracic Society (2018-2020)

Member, Next Generation Leader Task Force, Sigma Theta Tau (2018-2019)

Chair, Acute and Critical Care Research Interest Group, Midwest Nursing Research Society (2018-2019)

Alternate Reviewer, Institutional Review Board, UNMC (2017-2022)

Co-Founder/Co-Chair Early Career Special Interest Group, Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science (2017-2021)

Recognition

Harriet H. Werley New Investigator Award, Midwest Nursing Research Society (2023)

Equalize Cohort Member, Washington University St. Louis (2023)

Kathryn Sandahl Philp Creativity and Innovation Award, UNMC College of Nursing (2021)

Nursing Early Career Achievement Award, Nursing Assembly, American Thoracic Society (2021)

New Investigator Award, Acute and Critical Care Research Interest Group, Midwest Nursing Research Society (2021)

40 Under 40 Nurse Leader, Nebraska Action Coalition (2018)

Innovation Award: New Inventor, UNMC – UneMed (2018)