Funded Projects
Our faculty members are actively engaged in the advancement of nursing science. The following are currently funded projects organized by PI's / faculty members' last name.
Guiding dissemination and implementation of the Future of Nursing: 2020-2030
PI: Ashley Darcy Mahoney
Funder: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Award Start: 3/1/22
Award End: 5/31/25
Overview: The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity extends the vision for the nursing profession into 2030 and charts a path for the nursing profession to help our nation create a culture of health, reduce health disparities, and improve the health and well-being of the U.S. population in the 21st century. The RWJF sponsored National Academy of Medicine report on the Future of Nursing has conveyed a number of important recommendations for nurses as leaders and change agents in driving more health equity in the United States. The potential for the profession to make traction on the report recommendations is enormous given the interest and will. Closing the gap between interest, action and results, however will take strong leadership and strategy development from a number of people and organizations and this role will help facilitate that implementation.
Enhancing Measurement and Characterization of Roles and Experiences of Sexual and Gender Minority Caregivers of Persons living with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias
PI: Martiza Dowling, Jason Flatt (University of Nevada Las Vegas) and Joel G. Anderson (University of Tennessee)
Funder: National Institute on Aging
Award Start: 8/1/23
Award End: 7/31/28
Modifying Adiposity Through Behavioral Strategies to Improve COVID-19 Rehabilitation
PI: Kathleen Griffith and Alice Ryan (UMB)
Funder: Department of Veterans Affairs
Award Start: 4/1/24
Award End: 3/31/29
Overview: This randomized controlled trial of exercise and weight loss is designed to evaluate changes in physical function, body composition, and changes in the global molecular profile of adipose tissue in obese Veterans with post-Covid conditions, also known as long Covid.
Implementation of Competency-based Education to Scaffold Evidence-based Practice Competencies in a Doctor of Nursing Practice Program
PIs: Karen Kesten and Karen Whitt
Funder: Sigma Theta Tau Phi Epsilon Chapter
Award Start: 5/30/23
Award End: 5/30/26
Overview: The importance of evidence-based practice (EBP) in promoting health care quality and safe patient care has been emphasized in nursing education and practice. There is a need to improve EBP competency among practicing nurses. This longitudinal study examines how implementing a competency-based education (CBE) approach to introduce and scaffold learning opportunities to develop EBP competency throughout a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program of study demonstrates students’ progress towards achieving these competencies.
Reducing disparities in chronic pain with a tailored psychosocial education intervention for an underrepresented population
PI: Hee Jun Kim
Funder: National Institute of Nursing Research
Award Start: 5/14/24
Award End: 4/30/26
Overview: This study aims to fill critical knowledge gaps in pain disparity research by providing evidence of feasibility and acceptability of a culturally-tailored psychosocial pain education intervention for an underrepresented population, using the Korean American community as an exemplar. This is a multidisciplinary, community-based participatory research project. Achieving the study’s goals will demonstrate for the first time that a nurse-led, community-based psychosocial education intervention to reduce chronic pain for the underrepresented Korean American population may be feasible and acceptable, forming the basis for a larger efficacy trial to test the tailored intervention.
Expanding and Promoting Alternative Care and Knowledge in Decision-making (ExPAND) Trial
PI: Dale Lupu
Funder: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)
Award Start: 7/1/23
Award End: 9/30/29
Overview: The primary objective of this study is to compare two health system-based approaches for offering kidney failure treatment options to older patients with kidney failure, to ensure they are actively involved in a shared decision making (SDM) process covering a full range of choices and have meaningful access to that full range of choices, including standard in-center or home dialysis (SIHD) and alternative treatment plans (ATPs): active medical management without dialysis (AAMWD), time-limited trial of dialysis (TLT), palliative dialysis, and deciding not to decide (DND).
Impact of simulation versus case-based learning on psychiatric nurse practitioner students’ knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors related to mental health care for transgender and gender expansive patients
PI: Rhonda Schwindt
Funder: National League for Nursing
Award Start: 9/1/21
Award End: 12/31/22 (NCE through 5/1/25)
Overview: This multi-site, mixed-method will compare the impacts of virtual simulation and case-based learning on the knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and skills of psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner students related to mental health care for transgender and gender expansive patients. The study will generate data to guide nurse educators in their selection of effective, evidence-based teaching strategies to promote learning and support curricula changes which align with the professions’ commitment to diversity, inclusivity, and health equity.
Advancing Social Determinants of Health Research through A CBPR Lens: A Short Course
PI: Sherrie Wallington
Funder: NIH/NINR
Award Start: 7/18/24
Award End: 5/18/27
Breast Density and Me
PI: Sherrie Wallington
Funder: Prevent Cancer Foundation
Award Start: 1/15/24
Award End: 1/14/26
Overview: This study will discern benefits of informing minority women, especially in underserved DC wards, about their breast density so that follow-up mammograms will increased and ultimately lead to reduce breast cancer mortality.
Severe Burn Nursing Care in Large Scale Combat Operations
PI: Catherine Cox Wilson
Funder: TriService Nursing Research Program (TSNRP)
Award Start: 12/1/23
Award End: 11/30/25
Overview: The purpose of this study is to gather first-person narratives from military nurses who cared for severe burn patients in theater/boots on ground in Iraq and Afghanistan, anytime from years 2001-2021. The aims of this study are to: 1) describe the experience of military nurses who cared for severe burn patients in theater and 2) analyze accounts from military nurses who cared for severe burn patients in theater in order to provide recommendations for training and future direction concerning severe burn nursing care in large scale combat operations.
Expanding COVID-19 Vaccination Access to Hard-to-Reach Populations in Washington D.C.
PI: Y. Tony Yang
Funder: CDC-DC Health
Award Start: 7/1/23
Award End date: 6/30/25
Overview: The grant, awarded in two $1 million installments, focuses on addressing barriers like poverty, limited healthcare access, and medical system mistrust among vulnerable populations including immigrants, undocumented residents, and racial/ethnic minority groups through targeted outreach, mobile clinics, and partnerships with local organizations.
Strengthening Hepatitis B Birth Dose Immunization in DC Area Birthing Hospitals and Lessons for RSV Prevention
PI: Y. Tony Yang
Funder: Merck
Award Start: 7/1/24
Award End: 12/31/25
Overview: This project aims to increase the hepatitis B birth dose immunization rate in Washington, DC, particularly focusing on hospitals that serve a diverse population, including a high proportion of Black infants.
Cannabis Equity Policies and the Legal Recreational Marijuana Industry
Funder: National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Award Start: 8/30/23
Award End: 7/31/25
Overview: The overall goal of this grant is to expandon this newly-developed cannabis retail-related policy database by providing additional detailed data on equity-related policies and their implementation and examine their impacts.
Effects of State Preemption of Local Tobacco Control Legislation on Disparities in Tobacco Use, Exposure and Retail
PI: Y. Tony Yang and Carla Berg (GWU-SPH)
Funder: National Cancer Institute
Award Start: 4/15/23
Award End: 3/31/27
Overview: Our objective is to advance our understanding of whether—and to what extent—enactment or repeal of state preemption on local tobacco control is associated with disparities in tobacco use, SHSe, and retail (sales, retailer density).
Recreational Marijuana Marketing and Young Adult Consumer Behavior
PI: Y. Tony Yang, Carla Berg (GWU-SPH) and Patricia A. Cavazos-Rehg (Washington University)
Funder: National Institute on Drug Abuse
Award Start: 9/14/23
Award End: 2/28/27