The George Washington University community gathered on April 30 to celebrate technology, creativity, innovation, and scientific discovery at InnovationFest, the university-wide research showcase highlighting work across disciplines. The GW School of Nursing was proud to have a major presence at this year's event, with a dynamic showing that spanned interactive demonstration booths and poster presentations.
The demonstration booths offered attendees hands-on engagement with some of the school's most cutting-edge projects.
- Dr. Juh Hyun Shin, in collaboration with colleague Dr. Chung Hyuk Park from the School of Engineering and Applied Science, presented an AI-based Clinical Decision Support System designed specifically for nurses in nursing home settings – also known as Pepper the Robot.
- Dr. Christine Thomas and Vivian Bowman showcased an AI chatbot simulation to help nursing students build therapeutic communication skills for end-of-life care, with attendees able to try the experience firsthand on their smartphones.
- Dr. Laurie Posey demonstrated a video-based standardized patient simulation focused on affirming care for transgender and gender diverse patients, developed and pilot-tested by an interdisciplinary team.
- Drs. Dale Lupu and Josh Mannix shared research and practical resources from the Coalition for Supportive Care of Kidney Patients, helping providers navigate shared decision-making and advance care planning.
Drs. Sherrie Wallington and Christine Pintz presented their NIH/NINR-funded short course designed to train early-career investigators in conducting community-engaged research on non-medical risk factors affecting health outcomes.
The School of Nursing's poster presentations added further depth to the school's presence.
- Dr. Julia Clarke presented findings from a mindfulness training wellness initiative for unlicensed assistive personnel, showing statistically significant improvements in self-care behaviors.
- Dr. Patsy Deyo shared results from a grounded theory study exploring how patient engagement unfolds in ambulatory telehealth settings, with trust emerging as a central theme.
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) graduate Grace Olson presented a quality improvement project implementing a structured handoff tool on a stroke unit, finding meaningful gains in nurse satisfaction and communication consistency.
- DNP graduate Adriana Szaboova rounded out the poster presentations with her work on educational interventions to improve interpersonal communication with ICU family members.
Together, these exhibits offered a compelling snapshot of GW Nursing's contributions to healthcare innovation and a powerful reminder of the school's vital role within the broader GW research community.