BE PART OF A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WHO SHARE YOUR INTERESTS IN NURSING.
Research & Implementation Interest Groups (RIIGs)
We invite you to connect into MNRS on a deeper level and customize your membership experience. Click on the RIIG links below to learn more about their purpose, goals, awards, leadership, Groupsite communication, and their social media pages.
All MNRS members receive one complimentary RIIG membership and the opportunity to join two additional RIIGs for $10 each. We encourage all members to join at least one RIIG and discuss relevant topics, current research trends, and opportunities for abstract and award submissions.
Joining a RIIG is easy - all MNRS members have the opportunity to select a complimentary and additional two(2) RIIGs on the registration/renewal forms each year. If you are interested in joining a RIIG after you have completed your registration/renewal, please share your interest by emailing info@mnrs.org.
NEW RIIG ALERT! We relaunched one of our RIIGS to be Implementation and Translational Science!
The Midwestern Nursing Research Society (MNRS) welcomes both DNP- and PhD-prepared faculty and doctoral students to learn more about a newly constituted Research and Implementation Interest Group (RIIG). This RIIG provides a forum for DNP-PhD networking, sharing, collaborating, and disseminating implementation and translational projects and research to the nursing scholarly community.
What is Implementation and Translational Science? The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences at the NIH defines translation as, “The process of turning observations in the laboratory, clinic, and community into interventions that improve the health of individuals and the public– from diagnostics and therapeutics to medical procedures and behavioral changes.” This definition perfectly sums up the goals of the Implementation and Translation Science RIIG as it shows the crucial correlation between translational work and implementing findings into practice.
Learn more about the Open House held on November 2nd by watching the recording below.
2023 Research & Implementation
Interest Group Awards
Belonging to a Midwest Nursing Research Society (MNRS) Research & Implementation Interest Group (RIIG) is a remarkable way to network, find and provide mentorship, meet research collaborators, partner research and implementation, hone your leadership skills, grow as a professional, and develop your potential. Another benefit of RIIG membership is access to apply for RIIG Awards. While the RIIG Awards do not take the place of other awards given by the MNRS as an organization, these awards are designed to recognize members of each RIIG who are in different stages of their careers.
To learn more about the RIIGs and view their 2023 Award opportunities, please click the button below! Deadline is December 6, 2022 at 5:00 PM Eastern Time.
Acute & Critical-Care Across the Lifespan >
Purpose
The purpose of this RIIG is to foster collaboration among nurse-scientists and clinical scholars, and collectively contribute to the advancement of science that underpins the nursing care of acutely and critically-ill patients and their families across the life span and health-care settings. The reorganization of this section reflects current issues and trends affecting the care provided for these patients in the hospitals, long-term care facilities, transport/mobile ICUs, urgent care centers, and homes.
Who Should Join?
Nurse scientists, clinicians, nursing students
RIIG Communication
Groupsite Community Networking Platform: https://mnrs.groupsite.com/
Meet the RIIG Leadership
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ChairKristen Pecanac, PhD, RN |
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ChairJulie Kennedy, PhD, CMSRN |
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Chair-ElectStacey Sears, MSN, RN, CPNP-AC |
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Past ChairAnna Krupp, PhD, RN, CCRN |
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Grants RepresentativeJulie Kennedy, PhD, CMSRN |
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Grants RepresentativeSusan Dresser, PhD, MSN, CCRN, APRN-CNS |
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Grants RepresentativeTeresa Jerofke-Owen, PhD, RN |
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Grants RepresentativeDeidre Wipke-Tevis, PhD, RN |
2021-2022 RIIG Award Winners
2022-2023 RIIG Awards (Downloadable PDF)
The Acute & Critical Care Across the Lifespan RIIG is proud to announce the following award opportunities to the RIIG membership:
- Distinguished Investigator Award
- New Investigator Award
- Dissertation Research Award
- DNP Project Award
- Undergraduate Research Award
Nominations are open and award recipients will be announced at the 2023 Annual Research Conference. If you have questions regarding the RIIG Awards, please be sure to email the RIIG Chair or contact the Executive Office at 615-432-0098 or info@mnrs.org
Annual Goals
1. Increase RIG membership (increase by 15% or 10-15 new members)
2. Maintain award applications
3. Submit for a competitive symposium in 2022.
4. Increase social media communication via Groupsite and Twitter
5. Provide greater mentorship in our RIG through ‘Meet the Professor/Senior Scientist Sessions’ at quarterly RIG video meetings
Overall/Long-Term Goals
To engage members in the development, implementation, and dissemination of research and scholarships.
- Create a collaborative network among RIG members to share current research projects, areas of science, and opportunities for collaboration.
- Cultivate new generations of scientists through mentor-mentee relationships.
- Engage members in scholarly dialogue to identify and address barriers and challenges in the development and implementation of research projects and new knowledge in acute and critical care research through guaranteed or competitive symposia.
- Recognize scholarly achievements among students, clinicians, faculty, and researchers.
- Support the mission, vision, and strategic directions of the MNRS.
RIIG Minutes/Summary
If you are interested in learning more about the Acute & Critical Care RIIG, please explore the minutes from the past meetings:
Acute & Critical-Care RIIG Minutes from the 2021 Annual Conference
Acute & Critical-Care RIIG Minutes from the 2020 Annual Conference
Acute & Critical-Care RIIG Minutes from the 2019 Annual Conference
Acute & Critical-Care RIIG Minutes from the 2018 Annual Conference
Acute & Critical-Care RIIG Minutes from the 2017 Annual Conference
Acute & Critical-Care RIIG Minutes from the 2016 Annual Conference
Adolescent Health >
Purpose
The purpose of the Adolescent Health RIIG is to encourage networking, mentoring, and collaboration among researchers who target adolescents. Those who are actively conducting research or who are interested in research involving adolescents are welcome. Through our RIIG, members can engage with other researchers in the field, receive consultation from senior researchers, find a mentor, or become a mentor to others.
Who Should Join?
Anyone with an interest in adolescent health scholarship or desires to engage in clinical discussions of the health care challenges impacting this vulnerable population.
RIIG Communication
Groupsite Community Networking Platform: https://mnrs.groupsite.com/
Meet the RIIG Leadership
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ChairBarbara J. McMorris, PhD |
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Chair-ElectCeleste Phillips, PhD, RN |
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Past ChairDianne Morrison-Beedy, PhD, RN, FNAP, FAANP, FAAN |
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Grants RepresentativeKimberly Rapp Hartson, PhD, RN |

2021-2022 RIIG Award Winners
2022-2023 RIIG Awards (Downloadable PDF)
The Adolescent Health RIIG is proud to announce the following award opportunities to the RIIG membership:
- Early Career Investigator Award
- Graduate Student Award
- Mid-Career Investigator Award
- Research Legacy Award
Nominations are open and award recipients will be announced at the 2023 MNRS Annual Research Conference. If you have questions regarding the RIIG Awards, please be sure to email the RIIG Chair or contact the Executive Office at 615-432-0098 or info@mnrs.org
Annual Goals
- Organize and submit a Guaranteed Symposium.
- Regular RIG Communication via Groupsite: Quarterly membership spotlights
- 2022 RIG Awards
- Move from LinkedIn and the Listserv to using Groupsite for communication - to encourage collaborating, networking, and mentorship .

Overall/Long Term Goals
- To grow our member list each year
- To recognize the scientific contribution of members to adolescent health research and implementation scholarship
- To build and support collaborative research and scholarship partnerships among MNRS members
- To disseminate information specific to scholars working with adolescents and young adults.
- To promote mentorship and networking among members.

RIIG Minutes/Meeting Summary
If you are interested in learning more about the Adolescent Health RIIG, please explore the minutes from the past meetings:
Adolescent Health RIIG Annual Report from the 2021 Annual Research Conference
Adolescent Health RIIG Annual Report from the 2020 Annual Research Conference
Adolescent Health RIIG Annual Report from the 2019 Annual Research Conference
Adolescent Health RIIG Annual Report from the 2018 Annual Research Conference
Adolescent Health RIIG Annual Report from the 2017 Annual Research Conference
Adolescent Health RIIG Annual Report from the 2016 Annual Research Conference
Family Health >
Purpose
The purpose of the Family Health RIIG is to advance family science by facilitating networking and partnerships between members, fostering the quality of the research conducted to advance family science, and facilitating dissemination of the research of section members. The Family Health RIIG will continue to provide continuity as a "intellectual home and center of connectedness" for a core of nurse researches committed to extending family science.
Who Should Join?
Researchers interested in family health research
RIIG Communication
Groupsite Community Networking Platform: https://mnrs.groupsite.com/
Meet the RIIG Leadership
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ChairKayla Herbell, PhD, RN |
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ChairAudra Hanners, APRN-CNP, DNP, PMHNP-BC
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Past ChairNatalie McAndrew, PhD, RN, ACNS-BC |
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Grants RepresentativeMonique Ridosh, PhD, RN |

2021-2022 RIIG Award Winners
2022-2023 RIIG Awards (Downloadable PDF)
The Family Health RIIG is proud to announce the following award opportunities for the RIIG membership:
- New/Early Investigator Award
- Dissertation Award
- Mid-Career Investigator Award
Nominations are open and award recipients will be announced at the 2023 Annual Research Conference. If you have questions regarding the RIIG Awards, please be sure to email the RIIG Chair or contact the Executive Office at 615-432-0098 or info@mnrs.org
Annual Goals
- Increase membership and communication (using Groupsite) and social media

Overall/Long Term Goals
- Submit for competitive and guaranteed symposiums
- Develop a symposium in collaboration with another RIG,
- increase membership by 15%,
- Each year, highlight the work of at least 3 members of the RIG,
- Develop a pre-conference workshop specific to family health
- increase mentoring of early stage investigators within the RIG by inviting more PhD and DNP students and more networking (at least one networking event per year).
Recent Activities/Highlights
FAMILY RIIG MEMBERS ABROAD!!
MNRS Family RIIG members attending the International Family Nursing Conference in Pamplona Spain.
Pictured: Sandra Eggenberger, Joan Totka, Rachel Schiffman, Kathy Sawin, Marilyn Swan, Norah Johnson, and Monique Ridosh.
RIIG Minutes/Summary
If you are interested in learning more about the Family Health RIIG, please explore the minutes from the past meetings:
Family Health RIIG Annual Report from the 2021 Annual Research Conference
Family Health RIIG Annual Report from the 2020 Annual Research Conference
Family Health RIIG Annual Report from the 2019 Annual Research Conference
Family Health RIIG minutes from the 2019 Annual Research Conference
Family Health RIIG minutes from the 2018 Annual Research Conference
Family Health RIIG minutes from the 2017 Annual Research Conference
Family Health RIIG minutes from the 2016 Annual Research Conference
Members in the Spotlight
Kathleen Knafl, PhD, FAAN
Professor
School of Nursing
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Kathleen (Kathy) Knafl is a Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is a sociologist who has spent her entire academic career in nursing with prior faculty appointments at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Yale, University, and Oregon Health Sciences University. Throughout her 50 year career Dr. Knafl has been committed to advancing family health and understanding family response to health-related challenges. As an advocate for and expert in family research her scholarship has encompassed substantive, theoretical and methodological contributions. In collaboration with colleagues Janet Deatrick and Agatha Gallo, she led the development of the Family Management Style Framework, including development of a structured measure of family management (Family Management Measure – FaMM). Both the framework and measure have been used by investigators in multiple countries and the FaMM has been translated into 10 languages.
Much of Dr. Knafl’s research has involved mixed-methods designs and she has contributed to the development of analytic strategies aimed at treating the family/dyad as the unit of analysis. In addition to leading NIH funded studies of family management of childhood chronic conditions, Dr. Knafl was principal investigator for a large-scale synthesis of research on the intersection of family life and childhood chronic conditions. Dr. Knafl continues to serve as a co-investigator and consultant on multiple NIH and privately funded grants, most often providing guidance of data collection and analysis in family research. She is a founding member of the International Family Nursing Association, serving as association treasurer for six years. She is on the editorial board of the Journal of Family Nursing and in 2018 she was awarded the Alumni Achievement Award from the University of Illinois at Chicago for her efforts to advance family health and research.
Marilyn Frenn Ph.D., R.N., CNE, ANEF, FTOS, FAAN
Professor
Marquette University College of Nursing
Dr. Marilyn Frenn is currently the Vice-President of the Midwest Nursing Research Society, having previously served as chair of the Program Planning Committee and of several Research Interest Groups (Now RIIGs) including the Family RIIG in 2015-16. Her obesity prevention/amelioration research with children and parents has been consistently published. Dr. Frenn is currently working with a group from the American Academy of Nursing on implications racism and stigma have on childhood obesity. She has done instrument development and program evaluation research and spoken on interprofessional education regionally and nationally. MNRS is a great organization and Dr. Frenn wants to help it continue that fine work.
Sandra K. Eggenberger, PhD, RN
Distinguished Professor Emeritus and Founding Director Glen Taylor Nursing Institute for Family and Society
Minnesota State University Mankato
Sandra K. Eggenberger, PhD, RN, is Professor Emeritus in the School of Nursing and Founding Director of the Glen Taylor Nursing Institute for Family and Society at Minnesota State University, Mankato, Minnesota, USA. Her education includes a Master of Science degree with an adult health clinical specialty from the University of California, San Francisco, California and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in nursing from Texas Woman’s University in Texas, USA. Her nursing education, practice and research focuses on family experiences during chronic and critical illness with extensive teaching expertise in undergraduate and doctoral nursing programs. Nursing practice and research experience includes acute and critical care settings with families of adults with current research focused on implementation science in family nursing. Dr. Eggenberger has been a principal investigator, co-investigator and consultant for multiple family nursing research studies during various health and illness experiences in local, regional, and global settings.
In her leadership roles she collaborated with colleagues to launch the Glen Taylor Nursing Institute for Family and Society that formed a scholarly community focused on family and societal health. Collaborating with an Advisory Council and faculty partners the Institute has sustained a decade of progress to advance family and societal health through education, research, and practice innovations. As a founding member of the International Family Nursing Association with a mission of transforming family health she serves on the Executive Board of Directors. In her roles she has formed academic and clinical partnerships focused on nursing practice and guided multiple research teams. She launched an academic-practice collaboration in 10 countries exploring family engagement and family nursing practice during critical illness. During her Institute Director position, she guided multiple collaborative research teams focused on nursing practice during a pandemic, testing of family-focused nursing interventions, systematic reviews of translational research, and implementation methods in adult critical care settings.
Kathleen J. Sawin, PhD, CPNP-PC, FAAN
Nurse Scientist, Children's Wisconsin
Professor Emerita, Center Scientist,
Self-Management Science Center
College of Nursing, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Kathleen J. Sawin, PhD, CPNP-PC, FAAN, is a nurse scientist, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin and a professor emerita, College of Nursing, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. For the last 35 years, her program of research has focused on families who have a child with a chronic health condition (CHC), specifically understanding individual and family outcomes such as health status, self-management, and quality of life. She is the co-author on “The Individual and Family Self-Management Theory: Background and Perspectives on Context, Process, and Outcomes” (2009, with P. Ryan) for individuals with CHC, a conceptual approach used by multiple investigators and centers for the study of self-management. She has co-authored two instruments related to family (“Global Family Quality of Life Scale” and the Adolescent and Young Adult Self-management and Independent Scales) and the seminal text “Measures of Family Instruments for Research and Practice.”
For the last several decades, she has been particularly interested families of children, adolescents, and young adults with spina bifida and her work with colleagues around the United States has identified factors related to self-management, quality of life, and secondary conditions of spina bifida. For the last 12 years, she has been principal investigator (2008–2018) or co-investigator/mentor (2018–2022) (Wisconsin site) for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)–funded research initiative—the National Spina Bifida Patient Registry. She has been author/co-author on five of the first 15 publications from this national registry and the first author of the first data-based article, thus contributing to the expansion of the science in care of individuals with spina bifida and their families. Recent publications (2021) as senior author (from total of 91 in the Journal of Family Nursing include: “Family Function, Quality of Life and Well-Being in Parents of Infants with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome” and “Engagement of Families in the Care of Hospitalized Pediatric Patients: A Scoping Review.
Gerontological Nursing Science >
Purpose
The Gerontological Nursing Science RIIG is dedicated to the advancement of Gerontological nursing science and care of older adults through research. Members include researchers, clinicians, educators, and students with diverse backgrounds in aging-related care and practice issues.
- Serve to connect MNRS members with an interest in Gerontological nursing throughout the year
- Recognize member's contributions to Gerontological nursing science through awards and dissemination of research highlights
- Increase student involvement in the section through leadership and taskforce involvement
- Provide an opportunity for section members to become involved with, contribute to and provide leadership within MNRS
Who Should Join?
Membership in this RIIG is open to all MNRS members who are interested in advancing the science of Gerontology through research, collaborative work to address issues of aging and promoting outcomes that result from the research being conducted.
RIIG Communication
Groupsite Community Networking Platform: https://mnrs.groupsite.com/
Meet the RIIG Leadership
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ChairMelissa Harris, PhD, RN |
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Past ChairLisa Bailey, BSN, RN |
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Grants RepresentativeDebra Jansen, PhD, RN |
2021-2022 RIIG Award Winners
2022-2023 RIIG Awards (Downloadable PDF)
The Gerontological Nursing Science RIIG is proud to announce the following award opportunities to the RIIG membership:
- Community Partnership Award
- PhD Dissertation Award
- DNP Project Award
- Senior Nurse Scientist Award
Nominations are open and award recipients will be announced at the 2023 Annual Research Conference. If you have questions regarding the RIIG Awards, please be sure to email the RIIG Chair or contact the Executive Office at 615-432-0098 or info@mnrs.org
Overall/Long Term Goals
- Continue to support student engagement and mentorship in the GRIG through opportunities to participate in abstract/award application reviews, informal virtual gatherings for students/postdoc GRIG members, etc.
- Continue building membership and refining communications to foster gerontology relationships, synergy and interconnections with NHCGNE and gerontological nursing science RIGs at other regional nursing research societies.
- Expand leadership team- Leader Emeriti: Carol Rogers, Marianne Smith, Lisa Skemp, Kim Oosterhouse, Olimpia Paun; Committee chairs:
- Communications: Marcia Shade, Pei-Shiun Chang;
- Awards: Debra Jansen;
- Nominations: Eleanor Rivera;
- Student Co-Chairs: Shandra Burton, Florence Johnson
- 2021-2022:
Submit at least one competitive symposium.
Prepare for future symposia development.
Determine readiness to submit a pre-conference workshop. - 2022-2023:
Submit a guaranteed symposium. - 2023-2024:
Submit a least one competitive symposium.
Prepare and host webinar for membership.
RIIG Minutes/Meeting Summary
If you are interested in learning more about the Gerontological Nursing Science RIIG, please explore the minutes from the past meetings:
Gerontological Nursing Science RIIG Annual Report from the 2021 Annual Research Conference
Gerontological Nursing Science RIIG Annual Report from the 2020 Annual Research Conference
Gerontological Nursing Science RIIG Annual Report from the 2019 Annual Research Conference
Gerontological Nursing Science RIIG minutes from the 2018 Annual Research Conference
Gerontological Nursing Science RIIG minutes from the 2017 Annual Research Conference
Gerontological Nursing Science RIIG minutes from the 2016 Annual Research Conference
Health of Diverse Population >
Purpose
The Health of Diverse Populations RIIG (HDPRIIG) provides an opportunity for nurses engaged in research, practice, policy development, administration, education, and theory development in the rapidly expanding focal areas of cultural diversity and marginalized populations to come together for scholarly exchange. The focal areas of interest include an emphasis on race, ethnicity, health disparities, gender, socioeconomic class, spiritual preferences, immigration, international nursing, and/or how cultural influences impact the provision of health care.
The HDP RIIG provides forums enabling interdisciplinary collaboration through a variety of mechanisms, including online networking and an annual conference, to produce and disseminate reports of research that is in progress or has been completed. The HDP seeks to improve knowledge and health through research discoveries that are translated into practical applications.
Who Should Join?
Any MNRS members interested in networking and collaborating with other researchers engaged in research focusing on the health of diverse populations.
RIIG Communication
Groupsite Community Networking Platform: https://mnrs.groupsite.com/
Health of Diverse Populations RIIG Newsletter - Summer 2022 Issue
Health of Diverse Populations RIIG Newsletter - Winter 2021 Issue
Health of Diverse Populations RIIG Newsletter - Winter 2020 Issue
Health of Diverse Populations RIIG Newsletter - Summer 2019 Issue
Meet the RIIG Leadership
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Co-ChairNadia A. Charania, PhD, RN |
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Co-ChairManju Daniel, PhD, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC |
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Chair-ElectJulia O'Brien, PhD, RN |
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Past ChairRebecca Koszalinski, PhD |
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Past ChairMarie-Anne Rosemberg, PhD, MN, RN |

2021-2022 RIIG Award Winners
2022-2023 RIIG Awards (Downloadable PDF)
The Health of Diverse Populations RIIG is proud to announce the following award opportunities to the RIIG membership:
- New Investigator Award
- Outstanding Dissertation Award
- Distinguished Investigator Award
- Early Career Investigator Award
- Mid-Career Investigator Award
- Senior Investigator Award
- DNP Project Award
- Undergraduate Research Award
- Advancement of Science Award
Nominations are open and award recipients will be announced at the 2023 Annual Research Conference. If you have questions regarding the RIIG Awards, please be sure to email the RIIG Chair or contact the Executive Office at 615-432-0098 or info@mnrs.org
Annual Goals
- Manuscript on culturally-responsive applications of technology in research

If you are interested in learning more about the Health of Diverse Populations RIIG, please explore the minutes from the past meetings:
Health of Diverse Population RIIG Annual Report from the 2021 Annual Research Conference
Health of Diverse Population RIIG Annual Report from the 2020 Annual Research Conference
Health of Diverse Population RIIG Annual Report from the 2019 Annual Research Conference
Health of Diverse Population RIIG minutes from the 2017 Annual Research Conference
Health of Diverse Population RIIG minutes from the 2016 Annual Research Conference
Health Promoting Behaviors Across the Lifespan >
Purpose
The focus of the Health Promoting Behaviors Across the Lifespan RIIG is to advance nursing knowledge of successful approaches to health promotion, disease prevention, and self-management in diverse populations. As part of the larger health care community, nursing scholars work to better understand the complexity of factors that contribute to health behavior.
We seek to promote discussion about the diverse types of health promoting behavior research conducted by MNRS members, and to provide avenues for collaboration, consultation, and dissemination.
Who Should Join?
Anyone with an interest in health promotion activities, especially among marginalized and vulnerable populations.
RIIG Communication
Groupsite Community Networking Platform: https://mnrs.groupsite.com/
RIIG Newsletter/Email
Spring 2021 Newsletter
Fall 2020 Newsletter

Meet the RIIG Leadership
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ChairFrances Hardin-Fanning, PhD |
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Past ChairMei-Wei Chang, PhD, FAAN |
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Past ChairShanina Knighton, PhD, RN |
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Grant RepresentativeLeeza Struwe, PhD, RN, MSN |
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Grant RepresentativeSydney Buckland, PhD, ARNP, FNP-CRN |

2021-2022 RIIG Award Winners
2022-2023 RIIG Awards (Downloadable PDF)
The Health Promoting Behaviors Across the Lifespan RIIG is proud to announce the following award opportunities to the RIIG membership:
- New Investigator Award
- Senior Investigator Award
- Graduate Research
- Undergraduate Research
Nominations are open and award recipients will be announced at the 2023 Annual Research Conference. If you have questions regarding the RIIG Awards, please be sure to email the RIIG Chair or contact the Executive Office at 615-432-0098 or info@mnrs.org

Annual Goals
- Increase networking opportunities among RIG members via newsletters and member directory posted at RIG website.
- Plan the RIG's competitive symposium for 2022 MNRS.
- Recognize member accomplishments through RIG awards.
Overall/Long Term Goals
- Increase research and scholarship collaboration among RIG members.
- Promote dissemination of cutting edge research on health promotion and disease prevention.
- Recognize excellent in health promotion scholarship at various stages of research careers.

RIIG Minutes/Meeting Summary
If you are interested in learning more about the Health Promoting Behaviors Across the Lifespan RIIG, please explore the minutes from the past meetings:
Health Promoting Behavior Across the Lifespan RIIG Minutes from the 2021 Annual Research Conference
Health Promoting Behavior Across the Lifespan RIIG Annual Report from the 2019 Annual Research Conference
Health Promoting Behavior Across the Lifespan RIIG Minutes from the 2018 Annual Research Conference
Health Promoting Behavior Across the Lifespan RIIG Minutes from the 2017 Annual Research Conference
Health Promoting Behavior Across the Lifespan RIIG Minutes from the 2016 Annual Research Conference
Health Systems, Policy & Informatics >
Purpose
The purpose of the Health Systems, Policy and Informatics RIIG is to support, encourage, and improve the quality of nursing research in the areas of health systems, information technology, policy, and quality and safety.
Examples of health systems research include administration, management, leadership, implementation and evaluation of best practices. Examples of policy research includes: policy development, implementation and adherence at the local and national levels, as well as effective use of data in the public policy process. Topics related to information and technology include knowledge management, IT application and evaluation, as well as IT utilization for educational and training purposes. Examples of quality and safety topics include performance measures, sustainable interventions and practices, and innovative research methodologies.
*The topics noted above are not all inclusive, rather examples of research areas included in the new research interest group.
Who Should Join?
Students, practitioners, faculty, and scientists at any level with an interest in Health Systems, Policy, and/or Informatics are encouraged to join.
RIIG Communication
Groupsite Community Networking Platform: https://mnrs.groupsite.com/
Please click here to access the PubMed Website. To enable alerts, reference this page for a full list of instructions.
HSPI RIIG Newsletter – November 2019 Issue
HSPI RIIG Newsletter – June 2019 Issue
HSPI RIIG Newsletter – May 2019 Issue
Meet the RIIG Leadership
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ChairJeana Holt, PhD, RN, APNP, DNP, FNP-BC |
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ChairNai-Ching (Allison) Chi, PhD |
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Chair-ElectAlisha H. Johnson, PhD, RN |
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Chair-ElectMargaret Mullen-Fortino, PhD, MSN, RN |
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Past ChairNancy J. Beale, MSN, RN-BC |
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Past ChairYun Jiang, PhD, RN, MS |
Grant Representative |

2021-2022 RIIG Award Winners
2022-2023 RIIG Awards (Downloadable PDF)
The Health Systems, Policy, & Informatics RIIG is proud to announce the following award opportunities to the RIIG membership:
- Distinguished Investigator Award
- Mid-Career Investigator Award
- Early-Stage Investigator Award
- Dissertation Award
- DNP Capstone Award
Nominations are open and award recipients will be announced at the 2023 Annual Research Conference. If you have questions regarding the RIIG Awards, please be sure to email the RIIG Chair or contact the Executive Office at 615-432-0098 or info@mnrs.org
Goals
Our goal for the upcoming year include increase membership engagement via virtual meetings throughout the year.
- Networking: Provide a network to exchange novel/emerging methods, approaches to study, and the development of new knowledge to guide nursing research in health systems, information technology, policy, and quality and safety.
- Knowledge: Explore novel/emerging methods, approaches to study, and the development of new knowledge to guide nursing research in health systems, information technology, policy, and quality and safety.
- Practice: Draw upon and build stronger evidence to make informed healthcare decisions and highlight the importance of translating and disseminating health systems, policy, and informatics research to impact nursing leadership, clinical nursing, and federal and state policy makers.
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- Continue the quarterly newsletter
- Develop two competitive symposia
- Add mid-career award
- Offer an award for every award category offered
- Improve participation/engagement of RIIG members in activities inside and with other members of the RIIG.
- Increase membership and retention
- Increase member participation in dissemination research notes and nominating colleagues for member spotlights
RIIG Minutes/Meeting Summary
If you are interested in learning more about the Health Systems, Policy, and Informatics RIIG, please explore the minutes from the past meetings:
Health Systems, Policy and Informatics RIIG Annual Report from the 2020 Annual Conference
Health Systems, Policy and Informatics RIIG Annual Report from the 2019 Annual Conference
Health Systems, Policy and Informatics RIIG Minutes from the 2017 Annual Conference
Health Systems, Policy and Informatics RIIG Minutes from the 2016 Annual Conference

Member in the Spotlight
Dr. Ellen Harper, DNP, RN-BC, MBA, FAAN
The University of Kansas, School of Nursing
eharper3@kumc.edu
Dr. Ellen Harper has made significant contributions to the field of biomedical informatics. Her keen interest in Health IT and secondary use of data has produced innovative technologies, patents, and
methodologies designed to answer questions about clinical and operational safety and quality. As an advocate to achieve the Quadruple Aim (better care, better health, lower costs, and improving
caregivers’ experience) Dr. Harper is dedicated to rigorous foundational and applied research, effective translation of research to practice, and development with adoption of interoperability standards. Since 2013, Ellen has co-led a national expert workgroup “Nursing Value”, sponsored by Nursing Knowledge Big Data Science Initiative hosted by Dr Connie Delaney and the University of Minnesota. Working with Dr. John Welton at the University of Colorado they have developed strategic work products (data model, data dictionary, user stories) used to identify, measure, and analyze nursing value from electronic databases. Their pilot study has successfully extracted, transformed and loaded data from multiple electronic
systems to explore the data in new ways not available when viewing data from one source at a time. The emerging capability
within EHR systems to link individual nurses and other providers directly to patients will allow more detailed analysis of cost, quality, outcomes, performance, effectiveness, and efficiency of care.
Currently, Dr. Harper has a faculty appointment at the University of Kansas School of Nursing within the Center for Health Informatics. Her research includes big data science practices, workforce, and evidence-based practice. Prior to joining the University of Kansas (2017), she served as the VP, Chief Nursing Officer at Cerner Corporation in Kansas City. During her
time in industry she focused on clinicians’ accessibility to patient information across the care continuum, implementation science, and ensuring that technology enhances the end-user experience.
An accomplished writer with multiple peer reviewed published articles and book chapters she has lectured extensively in the United States and around the world. Dr. Harper is a registered nurse and board-certified in informatics, holds a doctorate in
nursing practice executive leadership, and a master’s in business. Dr. Harper is active in numerous HIT related organizations and is a fellow of the American Academy of Nurses.
Implementation & Translational Science >
NEW RIIG ALERT -- More information coming soon!
Molly McNett, Co-Chair
Janet Baker, Co-chair
Questions or to join the RIIG, email us at info@mnrs.org
MNRS relaunched one of its RIIGS to be Implementation and Translational Science!
The Midwestern Nursing Research Society (MNRS) welcomes both DNP- and PhD-prepared faculty and doctoral students to learn more about a newly constituted Research and Implementation Interest Group (RIIG). This RIIG provides a forum for DNP-PhD networking, sharing, collaborating, and disseminating implementation and translational projects and research to the nursing scholarly community.
What is Implementation and Translational Science? The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences at the NIH defines translation as, “The process of turning observations in the laboratory, clinic, and community into interventions that improve the health of individuals and the public– from diagnostics and therapeutics to medical procedures and behavioral changes.” This definition perfectly sums up the goals of the Implementation and Translation Science RIIG as it shows the crucial correlation between translational work and implementing findings into practice.
On November 2, 2022, we hosted an OPEN HOUSE for our members to learn more! (Watch the Recording Here)
Nursing Education >
Purpose
To advance the science of nursing education
Who Should Join?
Those interested in discussing, disseminating, collaborating, and researching nursing educational teaching and learning strategies and pedagogies
RIIG Communication
Groupsite Community Networking Platform: https://mnrs.groupsite.com/
Meet the RIIG Leadership
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ChairPatricia Pence, EdD, RN |
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ChairAngela Andrews, PhD, RN |
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Past ChairJenny O'Rourke, PhD |
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Past ChairCarol Kostovich, PhD, RN, CHSE |
Grant Representative |
A Note from your RIIG Chairs
Hello Everyone,
I hope you all are doing well and looking forward to a much-needed summer break! The Nursing Education RIIG will host a quarterly NETT Meeting- Nursing Education Think Tank in June. The NETT meeting is a great opportunity to learn from and collaborate with fellow RIIG members. If you would like to present a research idea that you are working on, would like feedback on your research project, or would like to suggest a collaborative nursing education research topic, we would love to give you some time at the NETT meeting. We are allowing one hour for two presenters for the Zoom meeting. Each presenter will have about 30 minutes to present their research in a PowerPoint presentation. Please contact us if you are interested in presenting: Co-Chairs: Patricia Pence (plpence@ilstu.edu) or Angela Andrews (anstutz@siue.edu).
If you have not already done so, please create or update your profile on the MNRS Groupsite where we will post announcements about upcoming events, awards, symposium information, etc. Our RIIG site is Midwest Nursing Research Society (groupsite.com).
All the best,
Patricia Pence, Assistant Professor, Mennonite College of Nursing, Illinois State University, plpence@ilstu.edu
Angela Andrews, Assistant Professor, Coordinator of Undergraduate Programs, Southern Illinois University, anstutz@siue.edu
2021-2022 RIIG Award Winners
2022-2023 RIIG Awards (Downloadable PDF)
The Nursing Science RIIG is proud to announce the following award opportunities to the RIIG membership:
- Advancement of Science Award
- Early-Career Investigator Award
- Mid-Career Investigator Award
Nominations are open and award recipients will be announced at the 2023 Annual Research Conference. If you have questions regarding the RIIG Awards, please be sure to email the RIIG Chair or contact the Executive Office at 615-432-0098 or info@mnrs.org
2021 - 2022 Goals
- Seminar, possible webinar,
- Increased use of GroupSite for collaboration and communication for multi-site research studies,
- Periodically RIG membership presentation of current research
Overall/Long Term Goals
- Use trends in nursing education to formulate a research agenda to advance the science of nursing education

RIIG Minutes/Meeting Summary
If you are interested in learning more about the Nursing Education RIIG, please explore the minutes from the past meetings:
Nursing Education RIIG Annual Report from the 2021 Annual Research Conference
Nursing Education RIIG Annual Report from the 2020 Annual Research Conference
Nursing Education RIIG Annual Report from the 2019 Annual Research Conference
Palliative & End-of-Life-Care >
Purpose
To promote and support research focused on palliative and end‐of‐life care. Our membership includes nurses with a broad range of research experience, from tenured professors who are established researchers with experience in securing grant funding and methodological expertise, to practitioners with clinical expertise related to end-of-life research, and nursing students whose passion lies in this area. This broad range of experience is useful in networking and sharing ideas regarding both theoretical and practical concerns in end-of-life research.
Who Should Join?
We welcome your participation in the Palliative and End-of-Life Care RIIG. We are looking forward to meeting everyone who is interested in research and translational science regarding end-of-life issues, from symptom management and comfort care during life-threatening illness, to caregiver issues, and to grief management for the bereaved.
RIIG Communication
Groupsite Community Networking Platform: https://mnrs.groupsite.com/
Meet the RIIG Leadership
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Co-ChairNasreen Lalani, PhD, MScN, RN |
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Co-ChairJustina Yevu-Johnson, RN |
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Co-Chair-ElectSarah Mollman, PhD, CHPN, RN |
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Co-Chair-ElectKristen Abbott-Anderson, PhD, RN |
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Past Chair
Nadeen Al-Shakhshir, MSN, BSN, RN |
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Grant RepresentativeRenee Kumpula, EdD, MN, RN, PHN |
RIIG Newsletter/Email
Oct/Nov 2020 Newsletter
August/September 2020 Newsletter
June/July 2020 Newsletter
February 2020 Newsletter
January 2020 Newsletter
December 2019 Newsletter
November 2019 Newsletter
October 2019 Newsletter
September 2019 Newsletter
June 2019 Newsletter
April 2019 Updates from the MNRS Conference
February 2019 Newsletter
January 2019 Newsletter
December 2018 Newsletter
November 26, 2018 Newsletter
November 7, 2018 Newsletter
October 2018 Newsletter
August 2018 Newsletter
July 2018 Newsletter
June 2018 Updates
May 2018 Updates

2021-2022 RIIG Award Winners
2022-2023 RIIG Awards (Downloadable PDF)
The Palliative & End-of-Life Care RIIG is proud to announce the following award opportunities to the RIIG membership:
- Distinguished Career Award
- Mid-Career Award
- Outstanding Publication Award
- Dissertation Award
- DNP Project Award
- Early Career Award
- Graduate Student Award
- Undergraduate Student Award
Nominations are open and award recipients will be announced at the 2023 Annual Research Conference. If you have questions regarding the RIIG Awards, please be sure to email the RIIG Chair or contact the Executive Office at 615-432-0098 or info@mnrs.org

2018-2019 RIIG Awards
Dr. Renee Kumpula, Chair (right) with 2019 MNRS PEOLC RIIG Award winners:
Dr. Rebecca Lehto, Mid-career Investigator Award
Dr. Christine Fortney, New Investigator Award
Dr. Mandi Kirkpatrick, Dissertation Award
Dr. Jessica Spruit, DNP Project Award
2017-2018 RIIG Awards
Dr. Christine Fortney, Chair (left) with 2018 MNRS PEOLC RIIG Award winners:
Dr. Stephanie Gilbertson-White, New Investigator Award
Dr. Stacey Crane, Dissertation Award
Dr. Verna Hendricks-Ferguson, Distinguished Research Award
2016-2017 RIIG Awards
Dr. Cynthia Bell, Best Manuscript Award
2015-2016 RIIG Awards
Dr. Dana Hansen, New Investigator Award

RIIG Member Publications

Annual Goals
1) Increase awareness and visibility of the PEOLC RIIG and member contributions
2) Utilize website to increase interest and connect with membership
3) Increase active membership /new members and member publications
- Know our members: Update our membership database (during leadership team transition, before RIIG awards, and before conference)
- Consult our members: Gather member survey data and publications: send out a yearly survey in November, collect publications and publish before conference; and consider collaborative papers in the future
- Activate our members: Collect volunteers for abstract review and award reviews at conference (and in early fall); and activate volunteers for conference events from the fall survey
- Increase member visibility: Facilitate the scholarship and research contributions of members with competitive symposium; Encourage nomination of members for MNRS awards; Acknowledge contributions to the field with RIIG awards; Use RIIG webpage to highlight member achievements.
Overall/Long Term Goals
1) Continue to improve/increase communication and networking between RIIG members outside of the Annual Meeting
2) Highlight the research and recognize the accomplishments of our members through all available mechanisms (e.g. MNRS website/MNRS Matters newsletter and Research Briefs).

RIIG Minutes/Meeting Summary
If you are interested in learning more about the Palliative and End of Life Care RIIG, please explore the minutes from the past meetings:
Palliative & End-of-Life Care RIIG Minutes from the 2021 Annual Research Conference
Palliative & End-of-Life Care RIIG Minutes from the 2020 Annual Research Conference
Palliative & End-of-Life Care RIIG Minutes from the 2019 Annual Research Conference
Palliative & End-of-Life Care RIIG Minutes from the 2018 Annual Research Conference
Palliative & End-of-Life Care RIIG Minutes from the 2017 Annual Research Conference
Palliative & End-of-Life Care RIIG Minutes from the 2016 Annual Conference
RIIG Annual Conference Updates
- Member Survey Presentation 2020
- Competitive Symposium Program 2020
- Member Survey Presentation 2019
- Competitive Symposium Program 2019

Faculty/Practice Member in the Spotlight
Dr. Gwen Wyatt. PhD. RN, FAAN
Dr. Gwen Wyatt’s research focuses on reducing symptoms and improving the quality of life of patients with cancer, and, more recently, their informal caregivers. She has served as a principal Investigator on nine completed studies that focused on interventions, including intervention design, intervention fidelity, intervention outcomes, safety, feasibility, and efficacy. Her specific research interest areas include end of life care, integrative therapies and the economics of incorporating integrative therapies into mainstream health care. Her most current research study focuses on improving symptom management among cancer patients using complementary therapies. Specific therapies in Dr Wyatt’s research have evaluated acupressure, reflexology, and meditative practices. Her contributions to nursing practice have been demonstrated by addressing the shift in care from hospital to clinic to home. She has developed nursing interventions for symptom management in the home by the patient and their designated caregivers. Findings from her work on supportive cancer care have been consistently disseminated nationally and internationally through publications and presentations.
Dr. Wyatt was recently honored as the Brandon Schools Distinguished Alumni and was added to their Wall of Fame for Distinguished Achievement in Nursing, Education, and Research in Ortonville, MI. She will also be attending this year’s 44th annual conference as a symposium special feature for the Symptom Science RIIG on the methodology used in her current R01 grant from NCI. It is on the Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Trial (SMART) design. She will be inducted as a Fellow in the American Psychosocial Oncology Society in 2020 as well as will receive the Oncology Nursing Society’s distinguished researcher award in May 2020.
Mary Minton, PhD, RN, CNS, CHPN
Dr. Minton's professional career includes clinical expertise in medical-surgical, oncology, faith community nursing, and home health. She is a seasoned undergraduate and graduate nursing educator, researcher, and administrator. Dr. Minton's research expertise is in spiritual care and palliative and end-of-life care. Her most recent work was funded by the Hospice and Palliative Nursing Foundation and included instrument development to describe rural and urban nurse comfort with palliative and end-of-life communication.
She served in a faculty role at South Dakota State University College of Nursing for seven years before assuming the role of Associate Dean for Graduate Nursing. She also served as Interim Associate Dean for Nursing Research. Her membership in MNRS began when she was a doctoral student at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing in the early 2000’s. Dr. Minton has enjoyed participation on several MNRS committees and served as past chair and grants representative of the PEOLC RIIG.
Dr. Christine Fortney, PhD, RN
Dr. Christine “Chris” Fortney was the recipient of the 2019 New Investigator awards from both the Palliative and End-of-Life Care RIIG and the Symptom Science RIIG. Dr. Fortney has been a member of MNRS since 2012 and has served MNRS as a member of the Communications and Engagement Committee, an abstract reviewer, as Chair of the Palliative and EOL Care RIIG, and currently as Chair-elect of the Symptom Science RIIG.
Dr. Fortney is an Assistant Professor in the College of Nursing at The Ohio State University (OSU) and a nurse scientist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital (NCH). She has two Bachelor degrees from OSU; one in Journalism and one in nursing. Shethen went on to complete a Master’s degree in nursing with neonatal specialization and a PhD in Nursing, also from OSU. As a post-doctoral fellow, she completed the Patient Centered-Pediatric Research Program (PC-PReP) in the Center for Biobehavioral Health at NCH and then joined the faculty at OSU College of Nursing in 2015. From an F31 awarded as a doctoral student, to post-doctoral intramural funding, to a K23 as a junior faculty member, Dr. Fortney has built a program of research based on the study of the experiences of critically ill infants in the NICU and their families. Through the use of descriptive data, behavioral observations, and qualitative interviews, she has highlighted the trajectories of symptoms and suffering, as well as how perceptions of symptoms and suffering influence decision-making and changes in goals of care for both infants and their parents. She has also highlighted challenges to the identification and management of symptoms in critically ill infants in the NICU, developed a framework to evaluate the quality of neonatal death, and published the first manuscript to illuminate patient-reported symptom data in this population.
Archived Members in the Spotlight
Student Member in the Spotlight
Lindsay Obarzanek, BSN, PhD Student
Lindsey Obarzanek is a PhD Student in the College of Nursing at Wayne State University. She received her BSN at Oakland University in 2008 and has explored many different pathways throughout her nursing career. Lindsey is most passionate about the vulnerable critical care patient population and recently submitted a proposal for a pilot study examining Dyspnea and Respiratory Distress in a Medical Intensive Care Unit setting. She plans to dedicate her future work to better understanding and treating the distressing symptom of dyspnea in this specific patient population, which is often unable to self-report. Under the mentorship of Dr. Margaret
Campbell, Lindsey has been fortunate to study and publish on this under-reported patient symptom experience.
Archived Student Members in the Spotlight
Pediatric >
Purpose
The Pediatric RIIG's purpose is to encourage networking among researchers either currently conducting or interested in conducting research involving children. Members can meet others doing similar research, benefit from the advice of distinguished researchers, and find or become a mentor.
Who Should Join?
Researchers interested in Pediatrics
RIIG Communication
Groupsite Community Networking Platform: https://mnrs.groupsite.com/
Meet the RIIG Leadership
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Co-Chair
Marliese Nist, PhD, RN |
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Co-Chair
Pamela Gampetro, APRN, CFNP, PhD |
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Past ChairLisa K. Militello, PhD, MPH, RN |
Chair-ElectTBD |
2021-2022 RIIG Award Winners
2022-2023 RIIG Awards (Downloadable PDF)
The Pediatric RIIG is proud to announce the following award opportunities to the RIIG membership:
- Outstanding Dissertation Award
- Early-Stage Researcher Award
- Mid-Career Researcher Award
- Distinguished Researcher Award
Nominations are open and award recipients will be announced at the 2023 Annual Research Conference. If you have questions regarding the RIIG Awards, please be sure to email the RIIG Chair or contact the Executive Office at 615-432-0098 or info@mnrs.org
Annual Goals
- Identify key RIG member actions to achieve 5-year goals to promote collaboration,
- Provide mentorship, and
- Increase nurses entering pediatrics.
- Researching the possibility of developing subgroups and a cadre of volunteers to lead the subgroups in completing activities to achieve goals for the year.
Overall/Long Term Goals
- Promote collaboration among investigators in the RIIG
- Provide mentorship for new/early pediatric investigators
- Address the need to increase nurses entering pediatrics for practice and research
- Acknowledge pediatric nurse investigators for their contributions to nursing science

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- Evaluation of a Community Campaign: Newborn Umbilical Cord Care
Author(s): Susan M. Walsh, DNP, CPNP; Kathleen Norr, PhD; Healther Sipsma, PhD - Caring for Infants with Milk Soy Protein Intolerance: Challenges with Hypoallergenic Formulas and Reimbursement
Author(s): Kari Wade EdD, MSN, RN, CNE - The Face of Diabetes: The Child's Perspective
Author (s): Kathleen Elertson, DNP, APANP, CPNP,BC, RN; Shari Leisch. APNP, RN, CDE; Elizabeth K. Babler, PhD, PPCNP-PC, RN, CDE - A Retrospective Review of Child Abuse Screening in Children Less than 3 years of Age
Author(s): Kelly S. Faclome, RN, MS, CNL; Suzanne Moody MPA; Charles T. Mehlman, DO, MPH; Richard A Falcone, MD, MPH - Neurobiology of Attachment: From Bench Proposals to Public Policy
Author(s): Ashley Weber, PhD(c), Ms. RN: Tondi M. Harrison, PhD, RN; Deborah, Steward PhD, RN - Guaranteed Symposia 2016
- Evaluation of a Community Campaign: Newborn Umbilical Cord Care
RIIG Minutes/Meeting Summary
If you are interested in learning more about the Pediatric RIIG, please explore the minutes from the past meetings:
Pediatric RIIG Annual Report from the 2021 Annual Research Conference
Pediatric RIIG Annual Report from the 2020 Annual Research Conference
Pediatric RIIG Annual Report from the 2019 Annual Research Conference
Pediatric RIIG Minutes from the 2018 Annual Research Conference
Pediatric RIIG Minutes from the 2017 Annual Research Conference
Pediatric RIIG Minutes from the 2016 Annual Research Conference

The Pediatric RIIG’s aim is to facilitate collaboration and mentorship among members and begin to address the need to increase nurses entering pediatrics for practice and research. We are asking the RIIG members to complete the survey below as we create a roster of members with interest in collaboration and/or mentorship, including a listing of their research interests, and contact information.
Member in the Spotlight
Jill Kilanowski, PhD, RN, APRN, CPNP, FAAN
Dr. Jill Kilanowski is pediatric nurse practitioner, an educator, and nurse scientist conducting quantitative and qualitative research. Kilanowski earned her PhD from The Ohio State University: her dissertation titled, "Health Disparities in Itinerant Carnival and Migrant Children." Her community-based research examines unhealthy weight and agricultural safety education in Latino children of migrant and seasonal agricultural workers. She developed low-literacy culturally-sensitive interventions for children and families. She completed a NIH KL2 award at Case Western Reserve University. She has received funding as an investigator from NIH, and various foundations. She has completed 20 research studies and is published in peer-reviewed journals and has presented internationally. In her long academic history she has served as faculty at Case Western Reserve University, Michigan State University, Capital University, Otterbein University, and Fairfield University in Connecticut. She is now Associate Dean for Graduate Program at Mount Carmel College of Nursing in Columbus, Ohio. Acknowledging her expertise, Dr. Kilanowski was appointed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to serve as chair of the National Advisory Council on Migrant Health. In 2013, she was inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing.
Perinatal, Sexual, & Reproductive Health >
Purpose
The purpose of the Perinatal, Sexual, and Reproductive Health RIIG:
- To advance perinatal, sexual, and reproductive health nursing science.
- To transform perinatal, sexual, and reproductive health nursing practice.
- To enhance the careers of nurse scientists conducting research in areas related to perinatal, sexual, and/or reproductive health.
- To promote collaboration among nurse scientists related to perinatal, sexual, and/or reproductive health.
- To encourage and support nursing students related to perinatal, sexual, and reproductive health interests to become nurse scientists.
Who Should Join?
The Perinatal, Sexual and Reproductive Health RIIG is comprised of diverse nurse scientists and nursing students from the Midwest and beyond. Research interests in this section include but are not limited to childbearing transitions (e.g., antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum, and newborn care; breastfeeding; early parenting), sexual, and reproductive healthcare for all persons across the life course (e.g., women, men, trans masculine, trans feminine, gender non-binary individuals), hormone therapy, sexual and reproductive health policy.
RIIG Communication
Groupsite Community Networking Platform: https://mnrs.groupsite.com/
Women's Health and Childbearing RIIG Newsletter - Quarter 4
Women's Health and Childbearing RIIG Newsletter - Quarter 3
Women's Health and Childbearing RIIG Newsletter - Quarter 1 and 2
Meet the RIIG Leadership
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ChairBeth Spurlock, BSN, RN |
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ChairMeghan Garland, CNM, APRN-C |
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Chair-ElectTBD |
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Past ChairDalia Khalil, PhD, RN |
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Past ChairEmily Jones, PhD, FAHA, FPCNA, RNC-OB |
Grants RepresentativeTBD |

2021-2022 RIIG Award Winners
2022-2023 RIIG Awards (Downloadable PDF)
The Perinatal, Sexual, & Reproductive Health RIIG is proud to announce the following award opportunities to the RIIG membership:
- Distinguished Investigator Award
- New Investigator Award
- Dissertation Research Award
- DNP Project Award
- Undergraduate Award
Nominations are open and award recipients will be announced at the 2023 Annual Research Conference. If you have questions regarding the RIIG Awards, please be sure to email the RIIG Chair or contact the Executive Office at 615-432-0098 or info@mnrs.org
Overall/Long Term Goals
Goals
- To increase membership in the RIIG and get members' research findings distributed
- Current members to invite their colleagues to join the RIIG
3 Year Goals
- To advance nursing science and transform nursing practice related to Perinatal, Sexual, & Reproductive Health
- To enhance the careers of nurse scientists conducting research in areas related to Perinatal, Sexual, & Reproductive Health
- To promote collaborations among nurse scientists in areas related to Perinatal, Sexual, & Reproductive Health
- To encourage nursing students with interests in areas related to Perinatal, Sexual, & Reproductive Health to become nurse scientist.
Recent Activities/ Highlights
RIIG Minutes/Meeting Summary
If you are interested in learning more about the Perinatal, Sexual, & Reproductive Health RIIG, please explore the minutes from the past meetings:
Perinatal, Sexual, & Reproductive Health RIIG Annual Report from the 2021 Annual Research Conference
Women's Health Childbearing RIIG Annual Report from the 2020 Annual Research Conference
Women's Health Childbearing RIIG Annual Report from the 2019 Annual Research Conference
Women's Health and Childbearing RIIG minutes from the 2018 Annual Research Conference
Women's Health and Childbearing RIIG minutes from the 2017 Annual Research Conference
Women's Health and Childbearing RIIG minutes from the 2016 Annual Research Conference

Member in the Spotlight
May 2022 - RIIG Member Spotlight: Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Dr. JoEllen Wilbur
The PSRH RIIG would like to spotlight member Dr. JoEllen Wilbur, PhD, RN, FAHA, FAAN, who received the prestigious 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Midwest Nursing Research Society (MNRS) at the annual meeting in April. This award recognizes a member who has significantly advanced the profession of nursing through extensive research.
Since 1987, Wilbur has received continuous funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) since 1987 to conduct her studies as a principal investigator or coinvestigator. Much of Wilbur’s work has focuses on the relationship between on physical activity to reduce menopausal symptoms and improve women’s cardiovascular and bone health. Among the advances from her two decades of research, she has developed culturally sensitive, community-based interventions shown to be effective in increasing physical activity, improving blood pressure, and maintaining weight in Black women. Her work has been disseminated and replicated in communities in the U.S. and abroad, including South Korea, and modified for other populations.
Her contributions to the field of nursing science have resulted in more than 180 peer-reviewed publications, dozens of awards, and a considerable number of grants. Wilbur’s work has been funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Robert Wood Johnson Active Living Research, NIH and the National Institute for Nursing Research. She has served on study sections for the NIH, CDC and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Recently, she completed her service as a member of the NIH National Advisory Council for Nursing Research. Wilbur is also an active and engaged member of MNRS, where she has served on its research committee for six years, four years as the chair, and she is a past president of the MNRS Foundation.
Please join us in celebrating Dr. Wilbur’s well-deserved honor!
Physiology, Behavior, Genomics & Society >
Purpose
The mission of the Physiology, Behavior, Genomics & Society (PBG&S) Research & Implementation Interest Group is to promote, disseminate, and translate nursing research with an emphasis on physiological phenomena, experimental genomics, behavior, nursing care associated with emerging technologies, and their impact on society.
Who Should Join?
Investigators who share an interest in research related to physiology and genomics (including epigenetics/epigenomics), including the relationship of such phenomena on behavior and society; as well as the impact of new technologies on nursing practice and society.
RIIG Communication
Groupsite Community Networking Platform: https://mnrs.groupsite.com/
Meet the RIIG Leadership
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ChairBincy Joshwa, PhD, RN |
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Chair-ElectBarbara Swanson, PhD, RN, FAAN |
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Past-ChairAlyson Hanish, PhD, MSN, RN |
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Grants RepresentativeMonica Wagner, PhD, RN |

2021-2022 RIIG Award Winners
2022-2023 RIIG Awards (Downloadable PDF)
The Physiological, Behavior, Genomics & Society RIIG is proud to announce the following award opportunities to the RIIG membership:
- Dissertation Award
- Early Career Investigator Award
- Senior Investigator Award
Nominations are open and award recipients will be announced at the 2023 Annual Research Conference. If you have questions regarding the RIIG Awards, please be sure to email the RIIG Chair or contact the Executive Office at 615-432-0098 or info@mnrs.org
Overall/Long Term Goals
- Provide an interactive forum to facilitate networking with members who have similar research and/or practice interests.
- Recognize the contributions of researchers/clinicians who advance the physiological, behavioral, genomic, and societal knowledge.
- Advance high quality nursing research in physiological phenomena, experimental genomics, behavior, and nursing care associated with emerging technologies.
- Disseminate findings related to the societal impact of new technologies. Increase membership.
- Provide opportunities for mentorship.
- Encourage the use of Co-Chairs to decrease burden on one person. Additional committee member serving in roles (e.g., communications, spotlights/newsletters.

Recent Activities/Highlights
- Distinguished Scholar Award - Linda Witek Janusek, PhD, RN, FAAN, Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing, Loyola University Chicago, received the 2016 Distinguished Scholar Award
- Outstanding Dissertation Award - Alyson E. Hanish PhD, MSN, RN, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, received the 2016 Outstanding Dissertation Award

If you are interested in learning more about the Physiology, Behavior, Genomics & Society RIIG, please explore the minutes from the past meetings:
Physiology, Behavior, Genomics & Society RIIG Annual Report from the 2020 Annual Research Conference
Physiology, Behavior, Genomics & Society RIIG Annual Report from the 2019 Annual Research Conference
Physiology, Behavior, Genomics & Society RIIG minutes from the 2018 Annual Research Conference
Physiology, Behavior, Genomics & Society RIIG minutes from the 2017 Annual Research Conference
Physiology, Behavior, Genomics & Society RIIG minutes from the 2015 Annual Research Conference
Member in the Spotlight
Thank you for inviting me to discuss my involvement in MNRS and how MNRS has facilitated the advancement of my research career. My research focuses on biopsychosocial determinants of preterm birth in African American women, and I am currently a postdoctoral fellow
at Columbia University, School of Nursing.
I first attended the MNRS annual conference in 2018 in Cleveland, OH where I presented a poster titled, Perceptions of Neighborhood Crime Relate to Systemic Inflammation Among Pregnant African American Women. The poster won a distinguished abstract award and was published in the Western Journal of Nursing Research. I have attended MNRS each of the following years and was honored to present both posters and podium presentations during those meetings. The annual meetings are always a source of inspiration and motivation for me. This year, the 2022 annual meeting was particularly meaningful as the first in-person meeting since the pandemic began. The ability to connect with friends, hear all of the terrific presentations and see the advancing careers of colleagues and mentors reminded us of how much we missed that essential collaborative component that the annual meeting provides.
I received my PhD in nursing from The Ohio State University. My dissertation titled, Neighborhood Disorder and Epigenetic Regulation of Stress Pathways in Preterm Birth focused on perceived neighborhood disorder, DNA methylation of stress-related genes, and gestational age at birth. I was fortunate to be the inaugural awardee of the MNRS Aurora Dissertation Grant Award in 2020. The funding assisted with the cost of DNA methylation analysis and was an essential component of the success of my dissertation study.
I have been an active RIIG member in both the Perinatal, Sexual, and Reproductive RIIG where I was co-chair for the 2020-2021 year, and the Physiological, Behavior, and Genomics RIIG. Thanks to my mentors for encouraging me to participate! RIIGs are a great way to collaborate with researchers and increase leadership skills.
My program of research will continue to focus on perinatal health disparities for African American women. My next steps include proposing a K-award that will examine a multi-omic aspects of structural racism and preterm birth in African American women. The ability to understand the pathways by which stressors affect biological changes that lead to PTB will enable us to identify women at risk and provide interventions to reduce or prevent stressors and environmental factors (e.g., neighborhood disorder) and decrease the rates of PTB and infant morbidity and mortality.
Alexandra Nowak, PhD

Additional Resources
Population Health >
Purpose
The focus of the Population Health RIIG is to advance nursing knowledge related to public health nursing, community health nursing and nurse managed centers. The membership consists of researchers and clinicians who share a common interest in expanding the research evidence base for community and population based health interventions in order to improve practice and policy.
Who Should Join
We invite members from across the research spectrum. Novice level students, entry level PhD and DNP professionals are as welcome as seasoned, experienced, funded and published researchers. We are an open-minded group without bias for a specific philosophical orientation. We aspire to quality research to build knowledge and science.
RIIG Communication
Groupsite Community Networking Platform: https://mnrs.groupsite.com/
Meet the RIIG Leadership
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ChairElizabeth Bien, PhD, MSN, RN |
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Past ChairDongjuan (Donna) Xu, PhD, RN |
Chair-ElectTBD |
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Grants RepresentativeTBD |
2021-2022 RIIG Award Winners
2022-2023 RIIG Awards (Details Coming Soon)
The Population Health RIIG is proud to announce the following award opportunities to the RIIG membership:
- New/Early Career Investigator Award
- Distinguished Student Award
Nominations are not open yet for this RIIG and award recipients will be announced at the 2023 Annual Research Conference. If you have questions regarding the RIIG Awards, please be sure to email the RIIG Chair or contact the Executive Office at 615-432-0098 or info@mnrs.org

Overall/Long Term Goals
Our goal is not only to increase membership, but to mentor one another so as to promote a research agenda consistent with Quad Council (ACHNE, ANA, APHA, & ASTDN) recommendations in an ever changing health care system so as to fill knowledge gaps and develop strong evidence that cultivates healthy communities among diverse populations.
The members of this section meet yearly at the annual MNRS conference. An e-mail database supports communication among section members. Members are at various stages in their research programs and include undergraduate and graduate students, as well as faculty and other nurse researchers.

If you are interested in learning more about the Population Health RIIG, please explore the minutes from the past meetings:
Population Health RIIG Annual Report from the 2021 Annual Research Conference
Population Health RIIG Annual Report from the 2020 Annual Research Conference
Population Health RIIG Annual Report from the 2019 Annual Research Conference
Population Health RIIG minutes from the 2018 Annual Research Conference
Population Health RIIG Minutes from the 2017 Annual Research Conference
Member in the Spotlight

RIIG Member Research Updates
Publications (PubMed from October 2020 to March 13, 2021)
- Biederman E, Donahue K, Sturm L, Champion V, Zimet G. The association between maternal human papillomavirus (HPV) experiences and HPV vaccination of their children. Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2020 Oct 7:1-6. doi: 10.1080/21645515.2020.1817714. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33026274.
- Krienen FM, Goldman M, Zhang Q, C H Del Rosario R, Florio M, Machold R, Saunders A, Levandowski K, Zaniewski H, Schuman B, Wu C, Lutservitz A, Mullally CD, Reed N, Bien E, Bortolin L, Fernandez-Otero M, Lin JD, Wysoker A, Nemesh J, Kulp D, Burns M, Tkachev V, Smith R, Walsh CA, Dimidschstein J, Rudy B, S Kean L, Berretta S, Fishell G, Feng G, McCarroll SA. Innovations present in the primate interneuron repertoire. Nature. 2020 Oct;586(7828):262-269. doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-2781-z. Epub 2020 Sep 30. Erratum in: Nature. 2020 Dec;588(7837):E17. PMID: 32999462.
- Ebersole AM, Boch SJ, Bonny AE, Chisolm DJ, Berlan ED. Disparities in HIV Education and Testing Between Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Adolescents and Young Adults in the U.S. J Adolesc Health. 2020 Dec 4:S1054-139X(20)30659-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.11.009. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33288461.
- Boch SJ, Chisolm DJ, Kaminski JW, Kelleher KJ. Home quality and child health: Analysis of the Survey of Income and Program Participation. J Child Health Care. 2021 Jan 27:1367493520975956. doi: 10.1177/1367493520975956. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33502907.
- Meyer JP, Culbert GJ, Azbel L, Bachireddy C, Kurmanalieva A, Rhodes T, Altice FL. A qualitative study of diphenhydramine injection in Kyrgyz prisons and implications for harm reduction. Harm Reduct J. 2020 Oct 31;17(1):86. doi: 10.1186/s12954-020-00435-7. PMID: 33129341; PMCID: PMC7603760.
- Pujasari H, Levy J, Culbert G, Steffen A, Carley D, Kapella M. Sleep disturbance, associated symptoms, and quality of life in adults living with HIV in Jakarta, Indonesia. AIDS Care. 2021 Jan;33(1):39-46. doi: 10.1080/09540121.2020.1748868. Epub 2020 Apr 8. PMID: 32266830.
- Lopez KD, Cravero C, Krishnan A, Carvalho de Sousa Freire VE, Culbert GJ. Feasibility of a mHealth survey application for incarcerated and postrelease people living with HIV in a low-resource setting. Res Nurs Health. 2021 Feb;44(1):201-212. doi: 10.1002/nur.22098. Epub 2020 Dec 20. PMID: 33341994.
- Ding Q, Spatz ES, Lipska KJ, Lin H, Spertus JA, Dreyer RP, Whittemore R, Funk M, Bueno H, Krumholz HM. Newly diagnosed diabetes and outcomes after acute myocardial infarction in young adults. Heart. 2020 Oct 20:heartjnl-2020-317101. doi: 10.1136/heartjnl-2020-317101. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33082173.
- James LM, Dolan S, Leuthold AC, Engdahl BE, Georgopoulos A, Georgopoulos AP. The effects of human leukocyte antigen DRB1*13 and apolipoprotein E on age-related variability of synchronous neural interactions in healthy women. EBioMedicine. 2018 Sep;35:288-294. doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2018.08.026. Epub 2018 Aug 20. PMID: 30139626; PMCID: PMC6161538.
- Dush JL. Adolescent food insecurity: A review of contextual and behavioral factors. Public Health Nurs. 2020 May;37(3):327-338. doi: 10.1111/phn.12708. Epub 2020 Jan 22. PMID: 31970826.
- Eldeirawi K, Huntington-Moskos L, Nyenhuis SM, Polivka B. Increased disinfectant use among adults with asthma in the era of COVID-19. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2021 Mar;9(3):1378-1380.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2020.12.038. Epub 2020 Dec 29. PMID: 33385592; PMCID: PMC7832809.
- Hittle BM, Caruso CC, Jones HJ, Bhattacharya A, Lambert J, Gillespie GL. Nurse Health: The Influence of Chronotype and Shift Timing. West J Nurs Res. 2020 Dec;42(12):1031-1041. doi: 10.1177/0193945920916802. Epub 2020 May 17. PMID: 32419655; PMCID: PMC7659469.
- Hartley K, Perazzo J, Brokamp C, Gillespie GL, Cecil KM, LeMasters G, Yolton K, Ryan P. Residential surrounding greenness and self-reported symptoms of anxiety and depression in adolescents. Environ Res. 2021 Mar;194:110628. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110628. Epub 2020 Dec 17. PMID: 33345894.
- Anusiewicz CV, Ivankova NV, Swiger PA, Gillespie GL, Li P, Patrician PA. How does workplace bullying influence nurses' abilities to provide patient care? A nurse perspective. J Clin Nurs. 2020 Nov;29(21-22):4148-4160. doi: 10.1111/jocn.15443. Epub 2020 Aug 26. PMID: 32757394.
- Avant ND, Penm J, Hincapie AL, Huynh VW, Gillespie GL. "Not to exclude you, but…": Characterization of pharmacy student microaggressions and recommendations for academic pharmacy. Curr Pharm Teach Learn. 2020 Oct;12(10):1171-1179. doi: 10.1016/j.cptl.2020.05.007. Epub 2020 Jul 2. PMID: 32739053.
- Hittle BM, Gillespie GL, Jones HJ, Bhattacharya A. Time lost: Factors influencing advanced practice provider's prioritization of sleep. Work. 2021 Feb 16. doi: 10.3233/WOR-203400. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33612510.
- Hartley K, Perazzo J, Brokamp C, Gillespie GL, Cecil KM, LeMasters G, Yolton K, Ryan P. Residential surrounding greenness and self-reported symptoms of anxiety and depression in adolescents. Environ Res. 2021 Mar;194:110628. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110628. Epub 2020 Dec 17. PMID: 33345894.
- Hunsicker J, Chitwood T. High-Stakes Testing in Nursing Education: A Review of the Literature. Nurse Educ. 2018 Jul/Aug;43(4):183-186. doi: 10.1097/NNE.0000000000000475. PMID: 29135716.
- Hutzel-Dunham E, Tubbs-Cooley H, Kramer KM. A Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Triage Telehealth Model of Care. J Pediatr Nurs. 2019 Sep-Oct;48:118-120. doi: 10.1016/j.pedn.2019.06.009. Epub 2019 Jun 25. PMID: 31253521.
- Jones K, Burnett G, Sztuba L, Hannon R. Academic practice partnerships: A review of a statewide population health nursing leadership initiative. Public Health Nurs. 2021 Jan;38(1):64-76. doi: 10.1111/phn.12833. Epub 2020 Nov 17. PMID: 33201574.
- Raszewski R, Goben AH, Bergren MD, Jones K, Ryan C, Steffen AD, Vonderheid SC. A survey of current practices in data management education in nursing doctoral programs. J Prof Nurs. 2021 Jan-Feb;37(1):155-162. doi: 10.1016/j.profnurs.2020.06.003. Epub 2020 Jun 9. PMID: 33674086.
- Kilroy S, Kent D, VanderZwan KJ, Jones K, Hiller A, Reese C, Woroch RA, McPherson S. Development of a Multisite Nursing Simulation Work Group Focusing on the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning Standards. J Nurs Educ. 2021 Mar 1;60(3):165-168. doi: 10.3928/01484834-20210222-08. PMID: 33657235.
- Dan L, Kintner EK, Petrini M, Liu Q, Yang BX, Li W, Yang J. Information Needs and Resources and Self-Management Challenges of Parents Caring for a Child with Asthma in China. Clin Nurs Res. 2021 Feb 20:1054773821996097. doi: 10.1177/1054773821996097. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33615838.
- LeClair J, Watts T, Zahner S. Nursing strategies for environmental justice: A scoping review. Public Health Nurs. 2020 Nov 19. doi: 10.1111/phn.12840. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33210747.
- Abou-Donia MB, Krengel MH, Lapadula ES, Zundel CG, LeClair J, Massaro J, Quinn E, Conboy LA, Kokkotou E, Nguyen DD, Abreu M, Klimas NG, Sullivan K. Sex-Based Differences in Plasma Autoantibodies to Central Nervous System Proteins in Gulf War Veterans versus Healthy and Symptomatic Controls. Brain Sci. 2021 Jan 23;11(2):148. doi: 10.3390/brainsci11020148. PMID: 33498629; PMCID: PMC7911379.
- Horning ML, Hill T, Martin CL, Hassan A, Petrovskis A, Bohen L. The East Side Table Make-at-Home Meal-Kit Program is feasible and acceptable: A pilot study. Appetite. 2021 May 1;160:105087. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2020.105087. Epub 2020 Dec 24. PMID: 33359465; PMCID: PMC7878310.
- Martin CL, Bakker CJ, Breth MS, Gao G, Lee K, Lee MA, Tiase VL, Tunby LJ, Wyatt TH, Janeway LM. The efficacy of mobile health interventions used to manage acute or chronic pain: A systematic review. Res Nurs Health. 2021 Feb;44(1):111-128. doi: 10.1002/nur.22097. Epub 2020 Dec 20. PMID: 33341989.
- Protain AP, Firestone KS, McNinch NL, Stein HM. Evaluating peak inspiratory pressures and tidal volume in premature neonates on NAVA ventilation. Eur J Pediatr. 2021 Jan;180(1):167-175. doi: 10.1007/s00431-020-03728-y. Epub 2020 Jul 6. PMID: 32627057; PMCID: PMC7335731.
- Gibbons AT, Hanke RE, Casar Berazaluce AM, Abdulhai S, Glenn IC, McNinch NL, Endo M, Shah S, Yada K, Wolak P, Leys CM, Aranda A, Miyano G, Midulla P, Patkowski D, Novotny NM, Ponsky TA. Recurrence after laparoscopic high ligation in adolescents: A multicenter international retrospective study of ten hospitals. J Pediatr Surg. 2021 Jan;56(1):126-129. doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2020.09.026. Epub 2020 Oct 6. PMID: 33172675.
- Ruppert JA, McNinch NL, Volsko TA. An evaluation of temperature stability and resistance in neonatal ventilator circuits. Can J Respir Ther. 2021 Jan 29;57:8-13. doi: 10.29390/cjrt-2020-042. PMID: 33532559; PMCID: PMC7845534.
- Missel AL, Saslow LR, Griauzde DH, Marvicsin D, Sen A, Richardson CR, Liu X. Association between fasting insulin and C-reactive protein among adults without diabetes using a two-part model: NHANES 2005-2010. Diabetol Metab Syndr. 2021 Mar 10;13(1):29. doi: 10.1186/s13098-021-00645-4. PMID: 33691751.
- Austin R, Monsen K, Alexander S. Capturing Whole-Person Health Data Using Mobile Applications. Clin Nurse Spec. 2021 Jan/Feb;35(1):14-17. doi: 10.1097/NUR.0000000000000572. PMID: 33259357.
- Raney L, McManaman J, Elsaid M, Morgan J, Bowman R, Mohamed A, Russo CL. Multisite Quality Improvement Initiative to Repair Incomplete Electronic Medical Record Documentation As One of Many Causes of Provider Burnout. JCO Oncol Pract. 2020 Nov;16(11):e1412-e1416. doi: 10.1200/OP.20.00294. Epub 2020 Aug 6. PMID: 32758084.
- Gambino J, Moss A, Lowary M, Kerby G, Winickoff JP, Klein JD, Hovell M, Wilson KM. Tobacco Smoke Exposure Reduction Strategies-Do They Work? Acad Pediatr. 2021 Jan-Feb;21(1):124-128. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2020.02.022. Epub 2020 Feb 22. PMID: 32097784; PMCID: PMC7442659.
- Navanandan N, Moss A, Tanverdi M, Ambroggio L, Brittan M. Corticosteroid choice and clinical outcomes for asthma exacerbations in the primary care setting. J Asthma. 2020 Nov 6:1-9. doi: 10.1080/02770903.2020.1843176. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33106059.
- Wilson KM, Moss A, Lowary M, Gambino J, Klein JD, Kerby GS, Hovell M, Winickoff JP. Smoking Behaviors Among Tobacco-Using Parents of Hospitalized Children and Association With Child Cotinine Level. Hosp Pediatr. 2021 Jan;11(1):17-24. doi: 10.1542/hpeds.2020-0122. Epub 2020 Dec 3. PMID: 33272923; PMCID: PMC7769203.
- Gleisner AL, Moss A, Friedman C, Suresh K, Grunwald G, Torphy RJ, Leonard LD, Colborn K, Ahrendt G, Tevis S, Christian N, Abud VL, de Araujo TB, Beaty LE, Thieu D, Glorioso TJ, Kim S, Daugherty S. De-Implementation of Axillary Dissection in Women with Breast Cancer is Largely Driven By Site-Level Contextual Effects. Ann Surg. 2020 Dec 18;Publish Ahead of Print. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000004705. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33351462.
- O'Leary ST, Trefren L, Roth H, Moss A, Severson R, Kempe A. Number of Childhood and Adolescent Vaccinations Administered Before and After the COVID-19 Outbreak in Colorado. JAMA Pediatr. 2021 Mar 1;175(3):305-307. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.4733. PMID: 33284331.
- Alwawi DA, Dean E, Heldstab A, Lawson LM, Peltzer J, Dunn W. A Qualitative Study of Stroke Survivors' Experience of Sensory Changes. Can J Occup Ther. 2020 Oct;87(4):298-306. doi: 10.1177/0008417420941975. Epub 2020 Jul 22. PMID: 32696659.
- Claudio E, Donahue J, Niles PM, Pirsch A, Ramos P, Neely I, Conceiçaõ R, Thomas MP, St Vil T, Kaplan D. Mobilizing a Public Health Response: Supporting the Perinatal Needs of New Yorkers During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Matern Child Health J. 2020 Sep;24(9):1083-1088. doi: 10.1007/s10995-020-02984-6. PMID: 32740750; PMCID: PMC7395205.
- Castner J, Barnett R, Moskos LH, Folz RJ, Polivka B. Home environment allergen exposure scale in older adult cohort with asthma. Can J Public Health. 2021 Feb;112(1):97-106. doi: 10.17269/s41997-020-00335-0. Epub 2020 Jun 16. PMID: 32557284; PMCID: PMC7851287.
- Nallani R, Fox CC, Sykes KJ, Surprise JK, Fox CE, Reschke AD, Simpson MH, Polivka BJ, Villwock JA. Pain Management and Education for Ambulatory Surgery: A Qualitative Study of Perioperative Nurses. J Surg Res. 2021 Apr;260:419-427. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2020.11.001. Epub 2020 Nov 28. PMID: 33256986.
- Zierold KM, Sears CG, Hagemeyer AN, Brock GN, Polivka BJ, Zhang CH, Sears L. Protocol for measuring indoor exposure to coal fly ash and heavy metals, and neurobehavioural symptoms in children aged 6 to 14 years old. BMJ Open. 2020 Nov 23;10(11):e038960. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-038960. PMID: 33234632; PMCID: PMC7684807.
- Wright MI, Polivka B, Odom-Forren J, Christian BJ. Normalization of Deviance: Concept Analysis. ANS Adv Nurs Sci. 2021 Feb 17. doi: 10.1097/ANS.0000000000000356. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33624985.
- Sase E, Eddy C, Polivka BJ. Lessons from Fukushima: Potassium Iodide After a Nuclear Disaster. Am J Nurs. 2021 Feb 1;121(2):63-67. doi: 10.1097/01.NAJ.0000734144.20889.b0. PMID: 33497131.
- McLaughlin M, Porter BE, Cohen-Shohet R, Leyngold MM. Safety of Coupled Arterial Anastomosis in Autologous Breast Reconstruction. J Reconstr Microsurg. 2021 Feb;37(2):132-135. doi: 10.1055/s-0040-1715585. Epub 2020 Aug 20. PMID: 32820472.
- Prunty A, Clark MK, Hahn A, Edmonds S, O'Shea A. Enacted weight stigma and weight self stigma prevalence among 3821 adults. Obes Res Clin Pract. 2020 Sep-Oct;14(5):421-427. doi: 10.1016/j.orcp.2020.09.003. Epub 2020 Sep 18. PMID: 32952068.
- Hoffman SJ, Vukovich MM, Gewirtz AH, Fulkerson JA, Robertson CL, Gaugler JE. Mechanisms Explaining the Relationship Between Maternal Torture Exposure and Youth Adjustment In Resettled Refugees: A Pilot Examination of Generational Trauma Through Moderated Mediation. J Immigr Minor Health. 2020 Dec;22(6):1232-1239. doi: 10.1007/s10903-020-01052-z. PMID: 32699993; PMCID: PMC7686104.
- Namusisi S, Mahero M, Travis D, Pelican K, Robertson C, Mugisha L. A descriptive study of zoonotic disease risk at the human-wildlife interface in a biodiversity hot spot in South Western Uganda. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2021 Jan 6;15(1):e0008633. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008633. PMID: 33406074; PMCID: PMC7845987.
- Lin N, Rosemberg MA, Li W, Meza-Wilson E, Godwin C, Batterman S. Occupational exposure and health risks of volatile organic compounds of hotel housekeepers: Field measurements of exposure and health risks. Indoor Air. 2021 Jan;31(1):26-39. doi: 10.1111/ina.12709. Epub 2020 Aug 24. PMID: 32609907.
- Li Y, Rosemberg MS. The promise of allostatic load rests upon strategic operationalization, scoring, and targeted interventions. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2021 Jan;123:104877. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104877. Epub 2020 Sep 24. PMID: 33008646.
- Adams M, Li WV, Saylor K, Rosemberg MS. Interventions to promote hotel workers' health: A scoping review. Am J Ind Med. 2020 Dec;63(12):1095-1103. doi: 10.1002/ajim.23190. Epub 2020 Oct 7. PMID: 33026678.
- Melnyk BM, Kelly SA, Stephens J, Dhakal K, McGovern C, Tucker S, Hoying J, McRae K, Ault S, Spurlock E, Bird SB. Interventions to Improve Mental Health, Well-Being, Physical Health, and Lifestyle Behaviors in Physicians and Nurses: A Systematic Review. Am J Health Promot. 2020 Nov;34(8):929-941. doi: 10.1177/0890117120920451. Epub 2020 Apr 27. PMID: 32338522.
- Holt JM, Winn A, Cusatis R, Talsma A, Crotty BH. Racial Disparities in Patient Activation: The Role of Economic Diversity. West J Nurs Res. 2020 Oct 5:193945920963130. doi: 10.1177/0193945920963130. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33012264.
- Albert NM, Chipps E, Klein CJ, Briskin I, Falkenberg Olson AC, Liu Hand L, Harmon MM, Heitschmidt M, Talsma A. A cross-sectional study of United States Academic-clinical research collaborations: Characteristics, resources, benefits and outcomes. J Clin Nurs. 2020 Dec 16. doi: 10.1111/jocn.15597. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33326657.
- Holt JM, Cusatis R, Winn A, Asan O, Spanbauer C, Williams JS, Flynn KE, Somai M, Talsma A, Laud P, Makoul G, Crotty BH. Impact of Pre-visit Contextual Data Collection on Patient-Physician Communication and Patient Activation: a Randomized Trial. J Gen Intern Med. 2021 Feb 9. doi: 10.1007/s11606-020-06583-7. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33559067.
- Bathish MA, McLaughlin M, Kleiner C, Talsma A. The Effect of RN Circulator-Scrub Person Dyad Consistency on Total OR Time and Turnover Time. AORN J. 2021 Mar;113(3):276-284. doi: 10.1002/aorn.13330. PMID: 33646583.
- Martinez RN, Smith BM, French DD, Hogan TP, Gonzalez B, Osteen CM, Hatch M, Anderson V, Tarlov E, Silva A, Goldstein B, Stroupe KT. Effect of the Affordable Care Act on healthcare utilization for Veterans with spinal cord injuries and disorders. J Spinal Cord Med. 2020 Oct 21:1-10. doi: 10.1080/10790268.2020.1829419. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33085584.
- Timm JR, Schnepper LL. A mixed-methods evaluation of an interprofessional clinical education model serving students, faculty, and the community. J Interprof Care. 2021 Jan-Feb;35(1):92-100. doi: 10.1080/13561820.2019.1710117. Epub 2020 Feb 3. PMID: 32013630.
- Miller WR, Von Gaudecker J, Tanner A, Buelow JM. Epilepsy self-management during a pandemic: Experiences of people with epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav. 2020 Oct;111:107238. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2020.107238. Epub 2020 Jun 25. PMID: 32593874; PMCID: PMC7316066.
- von Gaudecker JR, Oduor C, Ofner S, Oyungu E, Said J, Buelow J. Pattern and frequency of neurological and neurosurgical care of adult inpatients and outpatients at a tertiary referral hospital in Kenya. eNeurologicalSci. 2020 Nov 2;21:100286. doi: 10.1016/j.ensci.2020.100286. PMID: 33204860; PMCID: PMC7649259.
- Perkins M, Wood L, Soler T, Walker K, Morata L, Novotny A, Estep H. Inpatient Nurses' Perception of Workplace Violence Based on Specialty. J Nurs Adm. 2020 Oct;50(10):515-520. doi: 10.1097/NNA.0000000000000927. PMID: 32889973.
- Bose J, Zeno R, Warren B, Sinnott LT, Fitzgerald EA. Implementation of Universal Adolescent Depression Screening: Quality Improvement Outcomes. J Pediatr Health Care. 2021 Feb 10:S0891-5245(20)30226-1. doi: 10.1016/j.pedhc.2020.08.004. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33581996.
- Wong M, Narra R, Selim M, Zimmerman MA, Kim J, Padmanabhan A, Hong JC. Human Leukocyte Antigen Class I Antibodies and Response to Platelet Transfusion in Patients Undergoing Liver Transplantation. J Surg Res. 2020 Nov;255:99-105. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2020.05.029. Epub 2020 Jun 16. PMID: 32543385.
- Simpson V, Xu D. Difficulties with health self-management by older adults: The role of well-being. Geriatr Nurs. 2020 Nov-Dec;41(6):984-991. doi: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2020.07.010. Epub 2020 Aug 5. PMID: 32768151.
- Ling J, Xu D, Robbins LB, Kao TA. Obesity and Hair Cortisol: Relationships Varied Between Low-Income Preschoolers and Mothers. Matern Child Health J. 2020 Dec;24(12):1495-1504. doi: 10.1007/s10995-020-03008-z. Epub 2020 Sep 28. PMID: 32989566.
- LeClair J, Watts T, Zahner S. Nursing strategies for environmental justice: A scoping review. Public Health Nurs. 2020 Nov 19. doi: 10.1111/phn.12840. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33210747.
- Schwartz J, Grimm J, Zimmerman R, Clement M. Information Seeking and MSM's Beliefs about PrEP and Condoms. Health Commun. 2021 Jan 25:1-8. doi: 10.1080/10410236.2021.1876323. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33494635.
Qualitative Methods >
Purpose
The Qualitative Methods RIIG was established to advance the use of qualitative research and mixed methods to study problems of interest to nurse clinicians, educators, and administrators. The use of naturalistic inquiry, phenomenology, ethnography grounded theory, case study, content analysis, and other qualitative methodologies have become increasingly important to understanding the experiences of individuals, families, and groups in confronting a variety of health care issues.
Comprised of nurse researchers from around the Midwest, the Qualitative Methods RIIG promotes research across nursing specialties. Members have a wide range of experiences in studying such diverse health problems as dialysis and renal transplants, obesity, Alzheimer's disease, cancer, diabetes, mental health, genetics, palliative and end of life care. Members have also applied qualitative methods to study web-based nursing courses, the image of nursing, and perceptions of quality of care. Members are increasingly successful in obtaining small local grants as well as large, federally-funded grants to support their work, and provide a strong network for others wanting to adopt qualitative and mixed methods research designs.
Who Should Join?
Anyone who has an interest in qualitative and mixed methods methodologies to advance nursing research.
RIIG Communication
Groupsite Community Networking Platform: https://mnrs.groupsite.com/
Meet the RIIG Leadership
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Co-ChairFlorine Ndakuya-Fitzgerald, PhD, RN, BSN |
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Co-ChairEmma C. Schlegel, PhD, MPA, RN |
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Chair-ElectRebecca Johnson Beller, BSN, RN |
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Chair-ElectChuka Emezue, PhD, MPH, MPA |
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Past ChairRichard Clark, PhD, RN, MA |
2021-2022 RIIG Award Winners
2022-2023 RIIG Awards (Downloadable PDF)
The Qualitative Methods RIIG is proud to announce the following award opportunities to the RIIG membership:
- Distinguished Investigator Award
- Advancement of Science Award
- Outstanding Dissertation Award
- DNP Scholarly Project Award
Nominations are open and award recipients will be announced at the 2023 Annual Research Conference. If you have questions regarding the RIIG Awards, please be sure to email the RIIG Chair or contact the Executive Office at 615-432-0098 or info@mnrs.org
Overall/Long Term Goals
- Continue exploring networking opportunities, with a plan for two pop-ups (informal discussions done synchronously via video technology) in the next 12 months.
- The first goal is to develop a network among MNRS members who are experts in qualitative methods to have a database of researchers for possible collaboration and mentoring.
- The second goal is to facilitate a pre-conference workshop on qualitative methods for new nurse scientists.
Recent Activities/Highlights
- Dr. Paul Clark partners with bedside & stretcherside pediatric nurses to develop a critical incident debriefing process and recently published an article on this topic in the Journal of Emergency Nursing.
- Dr. Candace recently completed the 3rd revision of an evidence-based clinical practice guideline for assessing heart failure in long-term care settings with publications in the Journal of Gerontological Nursing and Series on Evidence-based Practice Guidelines.
- Dr. Marie-Anne Rosemberg has studied occupational health and reproduction with publications in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene and the Journal of Advanced Nursing.
- Dr. Sandra Siedlecki will be inducted as a fellow in the American Academy of nursing in October this year.
CLICK HERE to read more about the RIIG Activities/Highlights.
RIIG Minutes/Summary
If you are interested in learning more about the Qualitative Methods RIIG, please explore the minutes from the past meetings:
Qualitative Methods RIIG minutes from the 2021 Annual Research Conference.
Qualitative Methods RIIG minutes from the 2020 Annual Research Conference.
Qualitative Methods RIIG minutes from the 2019 Annual Research Conference.
Qualitative Methods RIIG minutes from the 2018 Annual Research Conference.
Qualitative Methods RIIG minutes from the 2017 Annual Research Conference.
Qualitative Methods RIIG minutes from the 2016 Annual Research Conference.

Member in the Spotlight
Dr. Nasreen Lalani
Dr. Nasreen Lalani is a PhD from University of Alberta, Canada and currently working as an Assistant Professor (tenure track) at the Purdue University, Indiana, USA.
Dr. Lalani has 25+ years of working experience in US, Canada, and Pakistan. She is an early career nurse investigator with research interests in aging, palliative and end of life care with a special focus on spirituality, resilience, and caregiving. Her research program aims to address palliative care disparities and support caregivers’ spiritual health and wellbeing in rural and underserved populations. Some of her work also informs wellness interventions for caregivers, families and children in the post disaster resilience and recovery. During the pandemic, she worked with nurse caregivers and disadvantaged families to promote their resilience and wellbeing. Dr. Lalani also partners with global researchers from UK, Canada, and Pakistan to develop tools and resources to promote spirituality and resilience at the palliative and end of life care. Dr. Lalani has more than 25 publications, co-authored book chapters, and has been a speaker in several national and international conferences. She is a current Chair for the Palliative and End of life Care Research Interest and Implementation group for Midwest Nursing Research Society and President of Delta Omicron Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Society. Her work has been recognized both at national and international levels.
Research thru Academic-Clinical Partnerships >
Purpose
The purpose of the Research thru Academic-Clinical Partnerships RIIG is to build regional collaboratives and MNRS resources that will facilitate the start-up, conduct, translation and dissemination of nursing research and evidence-based practices (EBP).
Who Should Join?
MNRS members interested in examining ways to promote partnerships between academic schools/colleges of nursing and clinical partners.
RIIG Communication
Groupsite Community Networking Platform: https://mnrs.groupsite.com/
Meet the RIIG Leadership
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Chair & Past ChairÉlise Arsenault Knudsen, PhD, RN, ACNS-BC |
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Chair-ElectNicole Bohr, PhD, RN |
Grant RepresentativeTBD |

2022-2023 RIIG Awards (Downloadable PDF)
The Research Thru Academic-Clinical Partnership RIIG is proud to announce the following award opportunity to all MNRS members:
- Research Partnership Award
Nominations are open and award recipients will be announced at the 2023 Annual Research Conference. If you have questions regarding the RIIG Awards, please be sure to email the RIIG Chair or contact the Executive Office at 615-432-0098 or info@mnrs.org

RIIG Member Publications
Please be sure to see the recent manuscript published in the Journal of Nursing Administration (JONA).
Clin-Academic Partnerships research_JCN_Jan 2022_print
- Albert, N. M., Chipps, E., Falkenberg Olson, A. C., Hand, L. L., Harmon, M., Heitschmidt, M. G., . . . Wood, T. (2019). Fostering academic-clinical research partnerships. JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration, 49(5), 234-241. doi:10.1097/nna.0000000000000744
* The full list of authors include:
Nancy M. Albert, PhD, RN, CCNA, NE-BC Esther Chipps, PhD, RN, NEA-BC Ann C. Falkenberg Olson, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, WHNP-BC Linda Liu Hand, PhD Michelle Harmon, PhD, RN |
Mary Heitschmidt, PhD, RN, APN, CCRN Colleen J. Klein, PhD, APRN, FNP-BC Cheryl Lefaiver, PhD, RN, CCRP Teresa Wood, PhD, RN, NEA-BC |
Annual Goals
- Foster the initiation, implementation and dissemination of nursing research.
- Develop a discussion format for clinical/institutional and academic student DNP projects.
- Build or strengthen roles for nurse scientists.
- Facilitate: a) translation of EBP; b) mechanisms to sustain EBP into clinical/practice settings; c) dissemination and implementation science
- Assist MNRS to advance the “Future of Nursing” based on revised NAM reports research mission due out in 2021
- Enhance and maximize collaboration between academia and clinical nurse scientists; clinical/academic nurse scientists from multiple sites; nurse scientists with interdisciplinary healthcare providers/specialists and nurse scientists with corporate sponsors
Overall/Long Term Goals
- Foster the initiation, implementation and dissemination of nursing research.
- Develop a discussion format for clinical/institutional and academic student DNP projects.
- Build or strengthen roles for nurse scientists.
- Facilitate: a) translation of EBP; b) mechanisms to sustain EBP into clinical/practice settings; c) dissemination and implementation science
- Assist MNRS to advance the “Future of Nursing” based on revised NAM reports research mission due out in 2021
- Enhance and maximize collaboration between academia and clinical nurse scientists; clinical/academic nurse scientists from multiple sites; nurse scientists with interdisciplinary healthcare providers/specialists and nurse scientists with corporate sponsors.
RIIG Minutes/Meeting Summary
If you were unable to attend the past RIIG meetings, please CLICK HERE to read copies of the meeting minutes.
(Please note that you must sign in as an active MNRS member to access this link.)
If you are interested in learning more about the Research thru Academic-Clinical Partnerships RIIG, please explore the minutes from the past conference meetings:
Research thru Academic-Clinical Partnerships RIIG Annual Report from the 2021 Annual Research Conference
Research thru Academic-Clinical Partnerships RIIG Annual Report from the 2020 Annual Research Conference
Research thru Academic-Clinical Partnerships RIIG Annual Report from the 2019 Annual Research Conference
Research thru Academic-Clinical Partnerships RIIG minutes from the 2018 Annual Research Conference
Research thru Academic-Clinical Partnerships RIIG minutes from the 2017 Annual Research Conference
Research thru Academic-Clinical Partnerships RIIG minutes from the 2016 Annual Research Conference

Member in the Spotlight
This membership spotlight is to highlight our incoming RIIG Chair, Dr. Karen Hayter, PhD, RN.
Dr. Hayter completed her BSN at Viterbo University, La Crosse, WI; MS at University of Wisconsin - Madison in Nursing Education; and earned her PhD at the University of Arizona, Tucson. Dr. Hayter currently serves in the role of Nursing Research Scientist at Gundersen Health System in LaCrosse, WI and as Associate Faculty at Viterbo University in LaCrosse, WI. While she has experience teaching DNP courses in the past, she is now a project advisor for DNP students.
What is your current program of research or focus of your work?
“As the Nurse Scientist, I work with a great variety of topics, depending on the organizational needs. I have completed research related to Caring Science, pediatric immunizations, program evaluation, currently conducting a couple of studies on Social Determinant of Health, developing a study on dignity in palliative care, and anything else with interdisciplinary collaborations or the Department of Nursing. All levels of student nursing projects go through my office for vetting and assistance with IRB approval and I am a member of the Research Committee and IRB at my organization. Furthermore, I work on the integration of an evidence-based practice model in our organization. My personal passion is working with new nurses, staff, and students to support continuing their education. I also serve as the co-chair of Nursing Research on the Green, which has been an annual event since 2002.”
Why have you chosen to be part of (and/or continue to be) this RTACP RIIG?
“Several years ago, Dr. Ann Falkenberg Olson encouraged me to join MNRS. I chose RTACP RIIG due to my interest in research, working with students, and facilitating student projects. The level of professional accomplishments in this RIIG is phenomenal! Being able to connect with RIIG members at conferences has been very rewarding.”
How has MNRS influenced or supported your work? Or professional growth?
“MNRS provided insightful feedback when applying for a grant and has accepted my work for poster sessions. MNRS has been a great way for connecting with other scientists and colleagues who have great success and allowed me to learn and grow.”
What is your professional dream?
“I am a ‘later in life’ PhD but would like to continue to conduct research in my organization, publish, and hope to reinstate work related to my dissertation topic – “Work Readiness in Newly Graduated Nurses.” In the next few years would like to be a leader through MNRS. At my organization, see the full implementation of an evidence-based practice model and develop mentors for staff nurses to identify and complete EBP projects. At my organization, develop a common site for organizational wide research, EBP projects, student projects, list of mentors for each, and all related resources/links.”
Self-Care >
Purpose
The purpose of the Self-Care RIIG is to advance the research and scholarship related to the practices, methods, theories, and outcomes in promoting self-care among nurses, healthcare providers, and patients. This RIIG will address:
- Self-care in health, wellness and well-being
- Integrative and holistic self-care technologies
- The impact of self-care for the inter-professional health care providers, educators and their students
- The relationship and impact of self-care on symptom management and satisfaction of the patients and families the health care provider serves
- The influence of self-care on the organizations in which nurses practice and study, their ability to work well together
Who Should Join?
Nurse scientists, clinical scholars and students with an interest and commitment to advance self-care research, scholarship, and clinical practice.
RIIG Communication
Groupsite Community Networking Platform: https://mnrs.groupsite.com/
Meet the RIIG Leadership
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ChairNatany da Costa Ferreira Oberfrank, PhD, RN |
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ChairMichelle Johnson, PhD, RN |
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Chair-ElectElizabeth Anderson, PhD |
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Past ChairWendy Bauer, PhD, RN |
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Past ChairJessica Miller, PhD(c), RN |
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Grant RepresentativeDeidre Wipke-Tevis, PhD, RN |

2021-2022 RIIG Award Winners
2022-2023 RIIG Awards (Downloadable PDF)
The Self Care RIIG is proud to announce the following award opportunities to the RIIG membership:
- Mid-Career Investigator Award
- New Investigator Award
- DNP Scholarly Project Award
- Senior Investigator Award
Nominations are open and award recipients will be announced at the 2023 Annual Research Conference. If you have questions regarding the RIIG Awards, please be sure to email the RIIG Chair or contact the Executive Office at 615-432-0098 or info@mnrs.org

Overall/Long Term Goals
We aim to boost outreach and engagement with our RIIG membership. We will begin use of the Groupsite platform and our Twitter page to highlight RIIG and MNRS information. We aim to engage the broader MNRS membership with timely webinar topics. Lastly, we aim to recruit and retain new members.
RIIG Minutes/Meeting Summary
If you are interested in learning more about the Self Care RIIG, please explore the minutes from the past meetings:
Self Care RIIG minutes from the 2021 Annual Research Conference
Self Care RIIG minutes from the 2020 Annual Research Conference
Self Care RIIG minutes from the 2019 Annual Research Conference
Self Care RIIG minutes from the 2018 Annual Research Conference
Self Care RIIG minutes from the 2017 Annual Research Conference
Self Care RIIG minutes from the 2016 Annual Research Conference
Symptom Science >
Purpose
The focus of the Symptom Science RIIG is to advance nursing knowledge related to pain and symptom management. The role of nursing science is critical to assist health care providers to better understand, prevent and manage pain and other symptoms experienced by patients. The Symptom Science RIIG is comprised of nurse researchers from around the Midwest. The RIIG is fortunate to have diversity in its membership regarding years of experience studying pain and other symptoms, effectiveness of interventions, and the physiology of these phenomena. Members range from master's students to full professors. Many RIIG members have current or prior funding including small and large grants, whereas others have never been funded, but serve as an important resource regarding pain and symptom-related issues.
Who Should Join?
- Nurses with clinical experiences in symptom science and also have interest in research as it applies to the clinical practices.
- Nurse Educators who teach students about pain and symptom management and who have interest in research as it applies to nursing or interprofessional undergraduate or graduate education, and who are interested in applying the interprofessional Core Competencies in Undergraduate Pain Education.
- Nurse Research scientists who conduct pain and symptom management research through basic science, and clinical research.
RIIG Communication
Groupsite Community Networking Platform: https://mnrs.groupsite.com/
Meet the RIIG Leadership
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ChairWindy Alonso, PhD, RN |
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Chair-ElectHongjin Li, PhD, MS, BSN |
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Past ChairKristin Dickinson, PhD |
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Grants RepresentativeChristine Horvat Davey, PhD, RN |

2021-2022 RIIG Award Winners
2022-2023 RIIG Awards (Downloadable PDF)
The Symptom Science RIIG is proud to announce the following award opportunities to the RIIG membership:
- Dissertation Award
- Distinguished Researcher Award
- Mid-Career Investigator Award
- New Investigator Award
- Research Publication Award
Nominations are open and award recipients will be announced at the 2023 Annual Research Conference. If you have questions regarding the RIIG Awards, please be sure to email the RIIG Chair or contact the Executive Office at 615-432-0098 or info@mnrs.org
Annual Goals
- Continue networking efforts to help connect members to others doing similar work and to connect junior faculty to potential mentors.
- Continue to work on increasing communication outside of the annual meeting through email, twitter and the establishment of a quarterly e-symposium to discuss a relevant paper or the research of a RIIG member.
- Contribute to the scientific community through a competitive symposium at the 2021 annual conference
- Recognize the accomplishments of our members through five annual awards: Dissertation Award, New Investigator Award, Research Publication Award, Mid-Career Award, and Distinguished Researcher Award
- Utilize the 3-tier leadership structure to maintain consistency and encourage growth of the RIIG through improved outreach and engagement of membership.
Overall/Long Term Goals
- Support the Grants Committee for grants pertaining to Symptom Science
- Communicate with members multiple times throughout the year regarding RIIG business
- Offer a guaranteed or competitive symposium at each annual conference
- Promote and disseminate new nursing research in the field of symptom science through annual RIIG meeting research presentations, email announcements, guaranteed and competitive symposiums, and RIIG-sponsored virtual learning events.
- Increase member enrollment and engagement through networking, enhanced social media presence, and communication with members.
- Support the MNRS Foundation
RIIG Minutes/Meeting Summary
If you are interested in learning more about the Symptom Science RIIG, please explore the minutes from the past meetings:
Symptom Science RIIG Annual Report from the 2021 Annual Research Conference
Symptom Science RIIG Annual Report from the 2020 Annual Research Conference
Symptom Science RIIG Annual Report from the 2019 Annual Research Conference
Symptom Science RIIG minutes from the 2018 Annual Research Conference
Symptom Science RIIG minutes from the 2017 Annual Research Conference
Symptom Science RIIG minutes from the 2016 Annual Research Conference

RIIG Member Research Updates
Kwekkeboom, K. L., Tostrud, L., Costanzo, E., Coe, C. L., Serlin, R. C., Ward, S. E., & Zhang, Y. (2018). The role of inflammation in the pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbance symptom cluster in advanced cancer. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 55(5), 1286-1295.
Kwekkeboom, K., Zhang, Y., Campbell, T., Coe, C. L., Costanzo, E., Serlin, R. C., & Ward, S. (2018). Randomized controlled trial of a brief cognitive-behavioral strategies intervention for the pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbance symptom cluster in advanced cancer. Psycho-Oncology, 27(12), 2761-2769.
Chen, C.X., Kroenke, K., Stump, T.E., Kean, J., Krebs, E.E., Bair, M.J., Damush, T.M., & Monahan, P.O. (Accepted). Comparative responsiveness of the PROMIS pain interference short forms with legacy pain measures: results from three randomized clinical trials. The Journal of Pain
Chen, C.X., Ofner, S., Bakoyannis, G., Kwekkeboom, K.L., & Carpenter, J.S. (2018). Symptoms-based phenotypes among women with dysmenorrhea: a latent class analysis. Western Journal of Nursing Research. 40(10):1452-1468. doi: 10.1177/0193945917731778.
Chen, C.X, Groves, D, Miller, W. R., & Carpenter, J.S (2018). Big data and dysmenorrhea: What questions do females and males ask about menstrual pain? Journal of Women’s Health. [Epub ahead of print] doi: 10.1089/jwh.2017.6732.
Chen, C.X., Draucker, C.B., & Carpenter, J.S. (2018). What women say about their dysmenorrhea: a qualitative thematic analysis. BMC Women’s Health 18 (1): 47. doi: 10.1186/s12905-018-0538-8 (IF: 1.79).
Chen, C.X., Kroenke, K., Stump, T.E., Kean, J., Carpenter, J.S., Krebs, E.E., Bair, M.J, Damush, T.M., & Monahan, P.O.(2018). Estimating minimally important differences for the PROMIS pain interference scales: results from 3 randomized clinical trials. PAIN: The Journal of the International Association for the Study of Pain. 159 (4): 775-782. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001121.
Chen, C.X., Shieh, C., Draucker, C.B., & Carpenter, J.S. (2018). Reasons women do not seek care for dysmenorrhea. Journal of Clinical Nursing. 27(1-2):e301-e308. doi: 10.1111/jocn.13946.
Denny, D. L., & Such, T. (2018). Exploration of the relationships between postoperative pain and subsyndromal delirium in older adults. Nursing Research, 67(6), 421-429. doi: 10.1097/NNR.0000000000000305
Join. Engage. Collaborate.
A true member benefit, our RIIGs are truly the heart of MNRS. Active all year round, RIIGs share resources, collaborate, and grow your expertise. We invite you to explore and look forward to your involvement!
Need help joining or have questions about the MNRS RIIGs? Contact us today!