Heather L. Tubbs Cooley

Image
Heather Tubbs Cooley Portrait
First Name
Heather
Last Name
Tubbs Cooley
Credentials
PhD, RN, FAAN
Associate Professor
she/her/hers
Address
200H Heminger Hall
Address (Line 2)
1577 Neil Avenue
City
Columbus
State
OH
Zip Code
43210

Dr. Heather Tubbs Cooley is an expert in pediatric and perinatal health care quality and patient safety, with a research program focused on the care delivery mechanisms linking the organization and financing of nursing services with patient outcomes. Incorporating theoretical frameworks and methods from health services research, psychology and systems engineering, she studies clinician workload, staffing resources and dynamics, and other organizational factors that affect the reliable delivery of high-quality nursing care. Her work spans pediatric populations and settings including general inpatient and home-based pediatric care and neonatal intensive care environments and has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute.

Dr. Tubbs Cooley began her clinical career as a pediatric medical-surgical nurse and has worked in pediatric inpatient and private duty settings. She has extensive experience as a clinician and scientist in top children’s hospitals and currently is a principal investigator in the Center for Perinatal Research at the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

Dr. Tubbs Cooley teaches and advises across the undergraduate and graduate curriculums. She is an ardent supporter of students from underrepresented backgrounds and welcomes both students and post-doctoral research Fellows into her lab.

Education

  • Post-doctoral Fellowship, Quality Improvement & Implementation Science, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
  • PhD, Nursing, University of Pennsylvania
  • BS, Nursing, Western Michigan University

PubMed Bibliography

Tubbs Cooley Lab

Publications
Funded Research Grants
Degree Certifications
Honors
Professional Activities

News

April 09, 2025

College of Nursing community engagement leader recognized for research excellence

The American Society for Nutrition (ASN) has named Carolyn Gunther, PhD, RDN, LD, who serves as senior associate dean for community engagement and associate professor at The Ohio State University College of Nursing, as part of its inaugural class of “Excellence in Nutrition” Fellows.

April 08, 2025

Doctor of Nursing Practice program vaults into nation’s top 10 overall