Gisele Tlusty is an MSN to PhD student at UNMC’s College of Nursing. She is also a Graduate Research Assistant for Dr. Windy Alonso.
- Current credentials and degrees: BSN (UNC Charlotte 2010), MSN Nurse Educator (Nebraska Methodist College 2018)
- Hometown: Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Title and department at UNMC/Nebraska Medicine: PhD student/Graduate Assistant
- Twitter handle: @RNGisele
Research/professional interests:
My research focus is on exploring the role of physical activity for patients diagnosed with hematological malignancies undergoing treatment for bone marrow transplantation. As a nursing instructor, I enjoy facilitating memorable oncology clinical experiences for students, inspiring the next generation of nurses to explore this rewarding specialty in their future.
Why I chose a PhD in nursing:
I became interested in nursing research while working on a project as a nurse in the Special Care Unity at Nebraska Medicine. In my research to develop an incentive-based walking program to improve outcomes in our bone marrow transplant recipients, I discovered very few studies exploring physical activity in this patient population. I had the opportunity to speak about the walking program at the Oncology Nursing Society Congress in 2019, where I met several nurse scientists and learned about their influential work. I enrolled in the PhD program at UNMC last fall to develop the skills necessary to pursue a career in nursing research and contribute to the oncology nursing field.
What I like about UNMC:
I have excellent professors and mentors at UNMC. Everyone I have met here has been invested in my success and has helped me with anything I have needed from day one. My classmates have become close friends and continue to be a great support system. I love the welcoming environment at UNMC, which makes it easy for me to take advantage of the many opportunities for growth available on campus.
Professional memberships:
Oncology Nursing Society, Midwest Nursing Research Society.
Three things people may not know about me:
- I’ve run nine marathons, including Chicago and Boston.
- My first language is Portuguese. I learned English in three months when I was nine years old, thanks to my excellent ESL teacher!
- I’m an avid birder. I have my binoculars with me wherever I go.