Nursing
researcher presenting to classroom

research-test

At the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing, we advance research that improves lives, from individual patients to broader healthcare systems.

Our research spans prevention, intervention, and systems-level innovation, with a focus on:

  • Promoting health and wellbeing
  • Improving the management of chronic and complex conditions
  • Advancing quality and safety in healthcare delivery

Through interdisciplinary collaboration and strong partnerships with communities and health systems, our researchers translate discoveries into practice, policy, and education, driving meaningful change locally, nationally, and globally. This work is guided by four core principles: exploration, collaboration, innovation, and translation.

Beyond the Bedside Podcast


Listen to our podcast to learn more about our researchers' work to transform healthcare

Signature Research Areas

Signature Research Areas
   
Health & Wellbeing Across the Lifespan Emphasizes prevention, resilience, and strategies that support healthy development and quality of life across the lifespan.
   
Prevention & Management of Chronic & Complex Conditions Addresses prevention, disease progression, symptom management, and care coordination for individuals living with chronic and complex conditions.
   
Quality, Safety & Health Systems Innovation Advances solutions that improve healthcare quality, workforce resilience, and patient outcomes across healthcare settings.
   

Our Researchers

Dania Abu-Alhaija, PhD, RN

Dania Abu-Alhaija, PhD, RN
Assistant Professor

Research Signature Areas

  • Health & wellbeing across the lifespan
  • Quality, safety & health systems innovation

Research Focus Areas

  • Occupational health & safety for healthcare workers
  • Hazardous exposures at workplace
  • Instrument development and testing

Tami Bakas

Tamilyn Bakas, PhD, RN, FAHA, FAAN
Professor & Jane E. Procter Endowed Chair

Research Signature Areas

  • Health & wellbeing across the lifespan
  • Prevention & management of chronic & complex conditions
  • Quality, safety & health systems innovation 

Research Focus Areas

  • Family caregiving
  • Stroke
  • Aging
  • Clinical trial management

Dr. Sayonara Barbosa

Sayonara Barbosa, PhD, RN
Assistant Professor

Research Signature Area

  • Quality, safety & health systems innovation 

Research Focus Areas 

  • Artificial intelligence
  • m-Health
  • Health/Nursing informatics
  • Critical care        

A.J Zanyk Photography 2019

Randi Bates, PhD, RN
Assistant Professor

Research Signature Areas

  • Health & wellbeing across the lifespan
  • Prevention & management of chronic & complex conditions
  • Quality, safety & health systems innovation 

Research Focus Areas

  • Early childhood mental health
  • Family sleep health
  • Parent and teacher well-being
  • Socio-ecologies

Dr. Anthony Faiola

Anthony Faiola, PhD, MFA
Professor

Research Signature Areas

  • Health & wellbeing across the lifespan
  • Quality, safety & health systems innovation

Research Focus Areas

  • Digital interventions
  • Design-thinking

Dr. Jacob Gordon

Jacob Gordon, PhD, MSW
Assistant Professor

Research Signature Area

  • Health & wellbeing across the lifespan

Research Focus Areas

  • Mental health
  • Social media use
  • Digital interventions

Beverly Hittle

Beverly Hittle, PhD, RN, FAAOHN
Associate Professor 

Research Signature Areas

  • Health & wellbeing across the lifespan 
  • Quality, safety & health systems innovation 

Research Focus Areas

  • Worker health and safety
  • Sleep, fatigue, and shiftwork
  • Nurse well-being
  • Digital interventions

Dr. Kimberly Johnson

Kimberly D. Johnson, PhD, RN, CEN, FAEN
Associate Professor & Director, PhD Program

Research Signature Area

  • Quality, safety & health systems innovation 

Research Focus Areas

  • Emergency department triage interruptions and workflow disruptions 
  • Clinical decision-making, patient safety, and quality of care in high-acuity settings
  • Simulation‑based education and workforce development for emergency nurses

Dr. Minjin Kim

Minjin Kim, PhD, RN
Assistant Professor

Research Signature Areas

  • Health & wellbeing across the lifespan
  • Prevention & management of chronic & complex conditions
  • Quality, safety & health systems innovation 

Research Focus Areas

  • Population health
  • Cancer prevention and control
  • Digital health & artificial intelligence interventions
  • Implementation science

Dr. Cleopatra Kum

Cleopatra Kum, PhD, RN
Assistant Professor

Research Signature Areas

  • Health & wellbeing across the lifespan
  • Prevention & management of chronic & complex conditions
  • Quality, safety & health systems innovation 

Research Focus Areas

  • Family caregiver health and well-being
  • Aging and community-based care
  • Stroke family caregiver health
  • Alzheimer's disease and related dementias family caregivers

Dr. Joshua Lambert

Joshua Lambert, PhD, MS
Associate Professor

Research Signature Areas

  • Prevention & management of chronic & complex conditions
  • Quality, safety & health systems innovation 

Research Focus Areas

  • Biostatistics
  • Data Science
  • Machine learning
  • Large language models

Dr. Rebecca Lee

Rebecca C. Lee, PhD, RN, FTNSS, FNAP
Associate Professor & Director, RN to BSN Online Program

Research Signature Areas

  • Health & wellbeing across the lifespan
  • Prevention & management of chronic & complex conditions
  • Quality, safety & health systems innovation 

Research Focus Areas

  • Transcultural nursing, caring science, and culturally responsive healthcare 
  • Community-engaged qualitative and mixed-methods research focused on health equity and vulnerable populations
  • Appalachian health, cancer care experiences, and social determinants of health in rural communities
  • Nursing workforce development, cultural humility, mentorship, and relationship-centered education

Dr. Elizabeth McKinley

Elizabeth McKinley, PhD, RN
Assistant Professor

Research Signature Areas

  • Health & wellbeing across the lifespan
  • Quality, safety & health systems innovation 

Research Focus Areas

  • Worker health and safety
  • Environmental exposures
  • Indoor air quality
  • Violence
     

Dr. Elaine Miller

Elaine Miller, PhD, RN, FAAN, FAHA
Professor

Research Signature Areas

  • Health & wellbeing across the lifespan
  • Prevention & management of chronic & complex conditions

Research Focus Areas

  • Family caregiving
  • Technology-enhanced learning
  • Health promotion and disease prevention        

Dr. Caroline Morrison

Caroline Morrison, PhD, RN
Associate Professor

Research Signature Areas

  • Prevention & management of chronic & complex conditions
  • Quality, safety & health systems innovation 

Research Focus Areas

  • Oncology and stem cell transplant
  • Management of symptoms and treatment-related effects
  • Adherence and healthcare utilization
  • Surivorship

Dr. Paul Norrod

Paul E. Norrod, DrPH, RN, FNAP
Assistant Professor

Research Signature Areas

  • Health & wellbeing across the lifespan
  • Prevention & management of chronic & complex conditions
  • Quality, safety & health systems innovation 

Research Focus Areas

  • Occupational health and safety
  • Mental health and suicide prevention
  • Rural health
  • Data science

Dr. Laura Ridge

Laura Ridge, PhD, RN
Assistant Professor

Research Signature Areas

  • Quality, safety & health systems innovation 

Research Focus Areas

  • Nursing workforce
  • Global blood availabiity
  • Intervention

Carolyn Smith

Carolyn R. Smith, PhD, RN, FAAOHN
Associate Professor & Associate Dean for Research

Research Signature Areas

  • Health & wellbeing across the lifespan
  • Quality, safety & health systems innovation 

Research Focus Areas

  • Worker health and safety
  • Violence prevention
  • Digital interventions

Dr. Ashley Weber

Ashley Weber, PhD, RN
Associate Professor

Research Signature Areas

  • Health & wellbeing across the lifespan
  • Prevention & management of chronic & complex conditions
  • Quality, safety & health systems innovation 

Research Focus Areas

  • Family-centered care
  • Newborn health promotion
  • Neonatal intensive care
  • Developmental care

Dr. Yuqing Zhang

Yuqing Zhang, PhD, RN
Assistant Professor

Research Signature Areas

  • Prevention & management of chronic & complex condition

Research Focus Areas

  • Oral health disparities
  • Digital behavioral interventions
  • Diabetes self-management and prevention