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Nursing research is both basic and behavioral research that develops and/or contributes to new knowledge relevant to nursing practice. The National Institute of Nursing Research states that nursing research is the key to unlocking the power and potential of nursing by leveraging nursing's strengths and unique knowledge and perspectives for the benefit of all people.

All St. Luke's nurses are supported through the Nursing and Patient Care Center of Excellence to develop research questions and pursue formal human subjects research, either through our Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) Fellowship program or through individually mentored research initiatives.

Recent Studies

Nursing research studies span a range of clinical practice areas. Examples of recent studies include:

  • Adult Oncology Patient’s Ability to Fever (Elena Jacobs, BSN, RN, ONC; Susan Tavernier,  PhD, APRN-CNS, AOCN
  • Building Resilience in the Critical Care Nurse: The Influence of Self Care and Resilient Coping on Moral Distress (Brittany Kelly, BSN, RN; Cara Gallegos)
  • Nursing Intervention Impact on Length of Stay in Patients with Postoperative Delirium (Lucy Zhao; PhD, MPaff, RN; Anna Quon, MBA HM, BSN, RN, AMB-BC, NEA-BC; Elena J)
  • The Impact on Adult Home Health Patient Hospitalization Days When Integrating a Nurse Practitioner into Home Health Care (Aimee Legoffe, BS, RN; Kim Mills, MS PT, PT)
  • Perinatal Mental Health Care Access: Identifying Provider Perceptions of Facilitators and Barriers (Dana McKee, BSN, RNC-MNN, PMH-C)
  • Nursing Assessment and Management of Post-operative Delirium in General Surgical Patients: A Retrospective Chart Review (Lucy Zhao Ph.D., MPAff, RN; Kayla Luke BSN, RN, PMGT-BC; Anna Quon, MBA HM, BSN, RN, AMB-BC; Laura Tivis,  Ph.D., CCRP)
  • ED Nurse Consensus on Most Effective and Accessible Support Strategies During COVID-19: A Delphi Study (Anna Quon, MBA HM, BSN, RN, AMB-BC; Wendy Vanderburgh, MSN, RN, NREMT-P, FP-C; Kimberli Munn, MSN, RN & Andi Foley, DNP, RN, APRN-CNS, ACCNS-AG, CEN, TCRN, FAEN, EMT) 
  • Staff and Parent Understanding of Hand Hygiene Practices in the NICU (Megyn Flood, BSN, RN, RNC-NIC; Hillary Swann-Thomsen, PhD & Kelly Graff, MSN, APRN-CNS, ACCNS-P)
  • Stress, Experiences, and Unmet Needs of Parent(s) Whose Child Has Attempted Suicide (Kayla Luke BSN, RN; Kim Popa BSN, RN & Cara Gallegos, PhD, RN)
  • Caregiver Perceived Barriers to Notifying Oncologist at Onset of Fever Greater Than 101oF Among On-Treatment Pediatric Oncology Patients (Amy Stukenholtz BSN, RN; Michelle Hancock BSN, RN & Susan S. Tavernier, PhD, APRN-CNS, AOCN®)
  • Examining Knowledge, Confidence and Stress in Telephone Triage Nurses (Ruth Tretter, BSN, RN-BC; Cara Gallegos, PhD, RN)
  • Predictive Algorithms for Stem Cell Target Dose: Which Algorithm is Best? (Leslie Singelyn, BSN, RN, Lead Apheresis RN; Susan S Tavernier, PhD, APRN-CNS)
  • Screening for Substance Use during Pregnancy: Perceived Provider Barriers (Ryoko Pentecost MN, RN, CCRC; Kristy Schmidt MN, RN, NEA-BC; Jane Grassley PhD, RN, IBCLC)
  • Foot Reflexology and its Effect on Nausea and Pain for Adult Oncology Inpatients: Attacking Side Effects Feet First (Kristen Anderson, BSN, RN, OCN, Inpatient Oncology Educator; Marty Downey, MSN, PhD, RN, AHN-BC, CHTP)
  • Examining the Successes and Challenges of the Clinical Nurse Leader Role in Inpatient Nursing Units (Beth Hirst MSN, RN, RNC-NIC, NEA-BC; Kim Martz PhD, RN)
  • Code Lavender Implementation: Assessing Effectiveness in a Children’s Hospital (Kelly Graff, MSN, CNS; Karla Sampson, BA, MsMin, MDiv, BCC)

Recent Publications and Presentations

  • Boespflug, D. (Accepted). Lounge & learns: Benefits and challenges of using virtual platforms to increase learner engagement in continuing education. Journal for Nurses in Professional Development.
  • Luke K; Popa K; Gallegos C (in press). Stress, Experience, and Unmet Needs of Parents Whose Child has Attempted Suicide. Nursing 2022.
  • Quon AC, Vanderburgh W, Foley A. Emergency Nurse Consensus on Most Effective and Accessible Support Strategies During COVID-19: A Delphi Study [published online ahead of print, 2022 Jun 27]. Journal of Emergency Nursing. 2022; S0099-1767(22)00151-9. doi:10.1016/j.jen.2022.06.003
  • Quon AC; Foley A (April 2022). ED Nurse Consensus on Most Effective and Accessible Support Strategies. Presentation at the University of Iowa 29th National Evidence-Based Practice Conference, Virtual. 
  • Zhao YL; Alderden JG; Raney K; Tivis LJ (April 2022). Postoperative Delirium Risk Factors in Older Adult Patients with a Hip Fracture Surgery. Poster presented at Western Institute of Nursing 55th Annual Communicating Research Conference, Portland OR. 
  • Koprowski K; Meyer D; Stanfill T; Tivis LJ (2021). Cultivating Joy: Improving Nurse Resilience Through Use of a Practice Playbook, Applied Nursing Research, 62, 151484.
  • Pentecost R; Schmidt K; Grassley J (2021). Health Care Providers’ Perceived Barriers to Screening for Substance Use During Pregnancy. Nursing for Women’s Health, 25(4), 272-277.
  • Anderson K; Downey M. (2021). Foot reflexology: An Intervention for Pain and Nausea Among Inpatients with Cancer. Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, 25(5), 539-545.
  • Grassley JS; Ward M; Tivis R (2020). Development and Psychometric Testing of the Nurses’ Confidence Scale: Unique Families. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 49(1), 101-112.
  • Martz K; Alderden J; Bassett R; Swick D (2020). Outcomes Associated with a Nurse-Driven Palliative Care Screening tool in the ICU. Critical Care Nurse, 40(3), 23-29.
  • Evans S; Yager E; Sutherland L; Downy M (2018). Getting your grumble back. Journal of Holistic Medicine, 36(3), 255-261.
  • Mayerhofer L; Tavernier SS (May 2017). Blood storage duration as a predictor of well-being and fatigue. Poster presented at the Oncology Nursing Society conference, Denver CO.

Contact Us

For more information about nursing research at St. Luke’s, contact the nursing research director at (208) 381-9278.

Support Nursing Research

Donations to our Nursing Education Fund help nurses attend and present their research at local and national conferences.

Every gift makes a difference, no matter the size.