Nursing research conference spotlights work by UCLA School of Nursing faculty, students

April 12, 2011

4 min read

Highlighting the UCLA School of Nursing's ongoing commitment to cutting-edge research, 17 faculty members and students will present important new findings at the Western Institute of Nursing's annual Communicating Nursing Research Conference, which runs from April 13 to 16 in Las Vegas.

"The breadth and depth of the clinical research being presented at this conference demonstrates the high level of nursing research that is being conducted at nursing schools around the country," said Ann Williams, the UCLA School of Nursing's associate dean of research. "These research efforts are helping to build the scientific foundation for breakthroughs in disease prevention, pain management, cancer care, improving quality of life, and end-of-life care. The UCLA School of Nursing is proud to be a leader in nurse research that is transforming medicine and the nursing profession."

Among the UCLA School of Nursing research highlights being presented:

On April 14, doctoral student Ann Anaebere will discuss her National Institutes of Health–funded research on the factors that impact condom use and sex-partner decision-making among urban African American women. The findings could offer nurses a clear framework by which to cultivate interventions that are both culturally and developmentally appropriate and that enhance sexually safe behaviors.

On April 16, faculty member Mary Cadogan will discuss emergency department care of vulnerable older adults. Her study, part of a larger project on the quality and safety of care transitions for older adults, suggests that vulnerable older adults may go to the emergency department for care because of incomplete or misunderstood information — which continues during their visit and frequently results in costly examinations that provide uncertain findings. The study also suggests that the current model of emergency care may not meet the needs of individuals who have multiple co-morbid conditions and geriatric syndromes.

Also that day, UCLA faculty and students will present important poster sessions. Professor Linda P. Sarna, internationally known for her research on smoking, will present a poster on her continuing exploration of nursing collaboration in tobacco-control research in China. With approximately 350 million smokers, China has the largest population of smokers in the world, and only 6 percent of smokers have quit. Previous research has indicated that nurses in China do not have the necessary knowledge and skills to help smokers quit. Sarna explores the impact of nurse workshops that offer a forum for nurse-scientists to present their work on tobacco control. It is a model for showcasing and supporting collaborative international nursing research efforts.

And doctoral student Mary Baron Nelson will co-present a poster on research to determine whether the treatment of childhood brain tumors with high-dose chemotherapy causes unintended neurocognitive deficits and decreased quality of life. Brain tumors are the second most common type of cancer in children, and for survivors, neurocognitive deficits are common. There is evidence that chemotherapy contributes to cognitive effects in adults, but there has been little research on these effects in children.

The Western Institute of Nursing is a professional organization of registered nurses and other health care professionals dedicated to advancing nursing science, education and practice to improve health care outcomes.

The UCLA School of Nursing is redefining nursing through the pursuit of uncompromised excellence in research, education, practice, policy and patient advocacy. Rated among the nation's top nursing schools by U.S. News & World Report, the school also is ranked No. 7 in nursing research funded by the National Institutes of Health and No. 1 in NIH stimulus funding. In 2009–10, the school received $18 million in total research grant funding and was awarded 26 faculty research grants. The school offers programs for the undergraduate (B.S.), postgraduate (M.S.N. and M.E.C.N.) and doctoral (Ph.D.) student.