Seven receive awards at nursing’s fall research colloquium

From left: Linda Jensen, Ph.D., UNMC College of Nursing professor emeritus, with students Kelly Armstrong, Renee Baumhover, Allison Hare, Theresa Hohertz and Amanda Whitenack. Dr. Jensen advised the students as they completed their research project titled, “The Effects of Socio-Demographic Factors on Prenatal Depression.”

Khaled Suleiman, right, explains his research to fellow nursing student Ben Oppong. The title of Suleiman’s research is, “Fatigue, Sleep Disturbances and Physical Activity in Cardiac Patients.” His faculty adviser was Bernice Yates, Ph.D.

Shanna Brady, left, explains her research to Robin Brown, nursing student. Brady’s research project was titled “Nebraska Veterans’ Preferences for End-of-Life Care.”

The UNMC College of Nursing held its bi-annual Fall Research Colloquium last week. The event was co-sponsored by the College of Nursing Graduate Program and Sigma Theta Tau International Gamma Pi Chapter-At-Large.

Forty-nine people presented research findings in 23 posters and six presentations, including graduate and undergraduate students, a doctoral student and a faculty member.

Connie Visovsky, Ph.D., director of the UNMC College of Nursing graduate program, said the colloquium culminates students’ work for a research practicum course.

“It’s a wonderful way for students to highlight their research and an interesting way to show how research can be applied in practice,” Dr. Visovsky said.

The winners were:

Sydnie Carraher and Jennifer Gehl received the Dean’s Award for Excellence in an Oral Presentation for their research on “New Mothers Network: A Qualitative Analysis of Single, Low-Income, African American Mothers’ Discussion Forum Comments.” Their advisers were Diane Brage Hudson, Ph.D., and Christy Campbell-Grossman, Ph.D.

Emily Hill, Karla Neville and Courtney Sullivan received two awards for their presentation on “Pressure Ulcer Prevention in Step Down and Medical Surgical Units.” They received the Dean’s Award for Excellence in a Master’s Student Poster Presentation and the Muriel Munchrath Gamma Pi Chapter-at-Large, Sigma Theta Tau Award for Excellence in a Nursing Research Presentation. Janet Cuddigan, Ph.D., was their adviser.

The Alumni Association Rena E. Boyle Award for Excellence in Clinical Nursing Research was awarded to Theresa Hackmannn and Laura McMullen for their poster titled “Identification of Organisms Colonized at Sites of Intertriginous Dermatitis in Hospitalized Patients: Preliminary Results.” Their advisers were Dr. Cuddigan, Kristy Edwards, Ph.D. and Joyce Black, Ph.D.