Biography

Leigh Cook received her bachelor's degree in nursing from Creighton University in Omaha, NE; her master’s degree in nursing from the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) in Omaha, NE and has completed courses toward a PhD in nursing from UNMC. Ms. Cook’s clinical specialty is perinatal mental health. She is a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner at Nebraska Medicine Department of Psychiatry, specializing in the Reproductive Psychiatry Clinic. Additionally, she holds a board certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner. Ms. Cook joined the faculty at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing as a volunteer faculty member in 2018 providing clinical education to graduate students and will begin clinical supervision and didactic education in the fall semester of 2022.

Research

Research Interests

• Perinatal mental health, including birth trauma and NICU experiences
• Improving mental health access in primary care and rural communities

Grant Support (Previous 5 years)

July 2020-June 2024
Increasing Access to Integrated Behavioral and Primary Care Services through APRN-Led Teams: HRSA UD7HP37640, $1,498,000, Mathews, T. (P.I.)

Publications

Cook, L.K., Burge, S.A., Mathews, T.L. Kupzyk, K.A., & Houfek, J.F. (Submitted August 2022). Implementing an APRN-Led Integrated Behavioral Health Clinic in a Rural Community. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association.

Moore, T.A., Cook, L.K., Ahmad, I.M., Pounds, L., Toure, D., & Zimmerman, M.C. (Submitted November 2019). Newborn Superoxide Levels, Maternal BMI, and Diabetes Mellitus Status. International Journal of Obesity.

Service

Postpartum Support International, Nebraska Chapter Executive Board – Secretary.

Current Practices of Maternal Behavioral Health Conference Planning Committee, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

Contributing Author for BEST MILK Position Statement Committee, National Perinatal Mental Health Association.

Recognition

2019, UNMC, Nellie House Craven Scholarship

2019, Marce of North America, Conference Travel Award Recipient

2018, UNMC, Volunteer Faculty Teacher of the Year Award – School of Medicine