Biography

Susan is a PhD student at the College of Nursing. She received her associate’s degree and bachelor’s degree in nursing from Indiana University Northwest, Gary, Indiana and completed her MSN at University of Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona with a focus on quality improvement and evidence-based practice. She matriculated into the MSN to PhD in Nursing at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing in August 2019.

Susan has extensive experience in program development and leading system wide change to improve patient outcomes and reduce health disparities. Her primary clinical focus is pressure injury prevention, including device-related pressure injuries. Susan is the Manager of Nursing Clinical Services at the University of Chicago Medical Center where she leads an award-winning program to prevent hospital acquired skin injuries, including pressure injuries. She has shared her unique approaches to producing sustained system wide change at national conferences.

She is building a program of research focused on understanding risk factors for device-related pressure injuries, including those cause by PPE.

Research

Research Interests

• Medical-device related pressure injuries
• PPE-related pressure injuries
• Pressure injuries in critically ill patients
• Implementation strategies for preventing pressure injuries

Grant Support (Previous 5 years)

June 2022-May 2024
Mixed Methods Approach to Investigating Healthcare Providers PPE-Related Facial Injuries As Posted on Social Media during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Global Perspective, $3,000, Solmos, S. (P.I.)

May 2022-April 2024
Predictors of Medical Device-Related Pressure Injuries in Critically Ill Adults, $24,976, Solmos, S. (P.I.)

2016-2018 Nurses Using Research to Support Excellence (NURSE) Internship, Smart Family Foundation, $10,000, PI Susan Solmos and Co-PI Cynthia LaFond

Publications

Solmos, S., Radkevich-Brown, O., & LaFond, C. (2019). Differentiating Deep Tissue Pressure Injury (DTPI) From Other Causes of Purpura in the Sacrococcygeal Area: A Multiple Case Series. Journal of Wound, Ostomy & Continence Nursing, 46(3), 256–262. https://doi-org.library1.unmc.edu/10.1097/WON.0000000000000525

Capasso, V., Cox, J., Cuddigan, J., Delmore, B., Tescher, A., & Solmos, S. (2020). NPIAP Pressure Injury Prevention (PIP) Tips for Proning, NPIAP, Westford, MA. https://cdn.ymaws.com/npiap.com/resource/resmgr/online_store/posters/npiap_pip_tips_-_proning_202.pdf

Sala, J.J., Mayampurath, A., Solmos, S., Vonderheid, S.C., Banas, M., D'Souza, A., LaFond, C. (2020). Predictors of pressure injury development in critically ill adults: A retrospective cohort study. Intensive and Critical Care Nursing. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iccn.2020.102924

Solmos, S.; LaFond, C.; Pohlman, A.S.; Sala, J.; Mayampurath, A. (2021). Characteristics of Critically Ill Adults With Sacrococcygeal Unavoidable Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injuries, Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing, 48(1), 11-19. doi: 10.1097/WON.0000000000000721

Service

Wound Ostomy Continence Nurses (WOCN) Society
2013 Northern Illinois Chapter WOCN Society, Professional Education Conference Committee
2017 – present Abstract reviewer, WOCN Society Annual Conference
2019-present Northern Illinois Chapter WOCN Society, Public Policy Committee
2021 WOCN Society QI Task Force, invited member

WOCN Certification Board (WOCNCB)
2019-present Marketing Committee Member

American Nurses Credentialing Center
2018, 2019 ANCC National Magnet Conference® Abstract Reviewer (competitive application

Recognition

Dean’s AACN Student Policy Summit Virtual Travel Award
2021
UNMC College of Nursing

Dean’s Travel Award, competitive application, MNRS Conference $500
2021
UNMC College of Nursing

Advanced Education Scholarship
2019
WOCN Society

Top scoring abstract
2019
National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel National Conference

Excellence in Skin Safety Award ($10,000)
2017
WOCN Society and 3M https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/medical-us/resources/skin-excellence-award/

In-AWE Award, Bronze
2008
Healthcare Marketing Association