Tara O'Brien
PhD, RN, CNE
Assistant Clinical Professor
Assistant Director, Doctor of Nursing Education Program
Biography
Dr. Tara O’Brien is an assistant professor and early-stage principal investigator testing non-pharmacological real-time self-management interventions to promote health outcomes in kidney transplant recipients at The Ohio State University College of Nursing. Her research seeks to shift the paradigm of using printed materials to promote self-care, using wearable sensors, and working with health coaches. In prior work, she found that kidney transplant recipients using a multicomponent intervention for wearing an activity tracker, in combination with health coaching to monitor physical activity, had improved resting heart rates compared to a control group that only used the activity tracker.
Dr. O’Brien has 30 years of nursing experience working with underserved populations living with chronic disease in rural and urban communities. She brings 18 years of knowledge for integrating technology in the classroom to promote active learning and also using technology to achieve health goals in research. She has received over $400,000.00 in funding from the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Nursing Research, International Transplant Nursing Society, American Nephrology Nurses Association, and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing for her work targeting mobile technology to facilitate self-management after a kidney transplant. Dr. O’Brien received the Southern Nursing Research Society Aging Research Interest Group Rising Investigator Award in 2019, the Southern Nursing Research Society's Leadership in Research Award, the American Nephrology Nurses Association Outstanding Research Abstract Presentation in 2021 and 2023, and the 2024 Research Sharing Award, and the 2024 Medical University of South Carolina as the Emerging Leader Alumni Award.
Community service
- 2020-Present: Board of Directors Kidney Donor Conversations
- 2018-Present: Ambassador Advocate for Lifeline of Ohio
- 2018-Present: Community Volunteer for Lifeline of Ohio
- O'Brien, T., Rose, K., Focht, B., Al Kahlout, N., Jensen, T., Heareth, K., Noir, U., & Daloul, R. (2023). The feasibility of Technology, Application, Self-Management for Kidney (TASK) intervention in post-kidney transplant recipients using a pre/posttest design. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 9(1), 190. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-023-01417-9
- Mechtel, M., Kitt-Lewis, E., Reaves, C., Sinacori, B., O'Brien, T., Logan, P., Rimbey, P., Streiff, K., & Phillips, K. (2024). Durable Learning Strategies in Nursing Education: State-of-the-Evidence Review. The Journal of nursing education, 63(1), 24–31. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20231112-05
- O'Brien, T., Hood, A., King, T. S., & Brinkman, B. (2023). Nurturing a spirit of inquiry: Fundamentals of evidence-based practice in nursing. Nephrology Nursing Journal, 50(6), 509–511.
- King, T. S., O'Brien, T. R., Anderson, C. M., & Melnyk, B. M. (2023). Meeting supply and demand for nurse educators: A novel terminal degree-the doctor of nursing education (DNE). Nurse Educator, 10.1097/NNE.0000000000001562. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNE.0000000000001562
- *Morrison-Beedy, D., King, T. S., Bochenek, J., O'Brien, T., & Sharpe, E. (2023). Building virtual global education (VGE) faculty expertise and organizational capacity. Science Talks, 100196. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sctalk.2023.100196
- # Rohrig, L., McClerking, C., Wilcox, J., & O'Brien, T. (2023). Large-scale interprofessional simulation for students from twelve health and social science programs: A curricular short report. Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice, 31, 100619. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xjep.2023.10061
- *O'Brien, T., Rose, K., Focht, B., Al Kahlout, N., Zynda, L., & Daloul, R. (2022). Lessons learned for training a research team and teaching kidney transplant recipients how to use a mobile health technology for dietary intake and physical activity via a virtual platform. Nephrology Nursing Journal, 46(6), 527–530.
- Brown, J. S., & O'Brien, T. (2022). Assessing and addressing fundamentals of social determinants of health factors in kidney transplant candidates and recipients. Nephrology Nursing Journal., 49(4), 345–349. PMID:36054807
- #* Mackos AR, Casler K, Tornwall J, O’Brien T (2022). Revitalizing the muddiest point for formative assessment and student engagement in a large class. Nurse Educator. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNE.0000000000001295
- *McManis, M., O’Brien, T., Zurmehly, J., M., Smith, L. (2022). Mobile health application and hypertension management in rural, middle-age adults: A quality improvement project. Computer, Informatics, Nursing. CIN, 10.1097/CIN.0000000000000951. Advance online publication.
- O'Brien, T, Tan, A., Rose, K., Focht, B., & Daloul, R. (2021). Maintenance phase of a physical activity intervention in older kidney transplant recipients: A 12-month follow-up. Geriatric Nursing. 42(6), 1541–1546. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gerinurse.2021.08.019
- Andrews, A.M., Cheng, A.L., Ellis, R.J.B., Emerson, A.M., O’Brien, T., & Russell, C.L. (2021). SystemCHANGE™ solutions to improve medication adherence in kidney transplant recipients: A secondary data analysis. Nephrology Nursing Journal, 48(4), 389-397, 417. https://doi.org/10.37526/1526-744X.2021.48.4.389
- Troutman-Jordan, M., O’Brien, T., & Keaton, M. (2021). Older adults’ and attitudes on physical activity; Reasons to participate and abstain. Journal of Community Health Nursing, 38(4), 232–243. https://doi.org/10.1080/07370016.2021.1972247
- +O'Brien, T., & Rosenthal, A. (2020). Preferred features in mobile health applications for kidney transplant recipients: A qualitative approach. Nephrology Nursing Journal, 47(6), 529–536. https://doi.org/10.37526/1526-744X.2020.47.6
- Troutman-Jordan, M., O’Brien, T., Blair, C., & Pena, T. (June, 2020) Physical activity, cardiovascular health and mood state in older adults, Geriatric Nursing. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gerinurse.2020.05.010
- O'Brien T, Russell, C., Tan, A., Mion, L., Rose, K., Focht, B., Daloul, R., &Hathaway, D. (2020). A pilot randomized controlled trial using SystemCHANGE™ approach to increasing physical activity in older kidney transplant recipients. Progress in Transplantation
- O'Brien, T., & Meyer, T. (2020). A Feasibility Study for Teaching Older Kidney Transplant Recipients How to Wear and Use an Activity Tracker to Promote Daily Physical Activity. Nephrology Nursing Journal, 47(1), 47-51.
- Research Sharing Award, The American Nephrology Nurses Association National Symposium
- Southern Nursing Research Society Leadership in Research Award Medical University of South Carolina Alumni Award, Emerging Leader
- Selected for The Ohio State University Leadership Series Outstanding Research Abstract Presentation, The American Nephrology Nurses Association National Symposium
- 2022 Commission on Magnet (COM) Poster Competition – 1st Place
- 2021 National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Commination Television/Video Award, 2nd place Central Region Winner
- 2021 Outstanding Research Abstract Award by the American Nephrology Nurses Association
- 2020 Selected to for the College of Nursing Global Virtual Classroom Experience Award
- 2020 Selected Candidate for the Southern Nursing Research Society Leadership Academy
- 2019 National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence, Distinguished Educator in Gerontological Nursing Award
- 2019 Southern Nursing Research Society, Aging Research Interest Group, Rising Investigator Award
- 2019 The Ohio State University Sphinx Senior Class Honorary, Faculty Mentor Award for Making a Difference in Student College Careers
- 2015 Received the nomination for the UNC-Charlotte Chancellor’s 2014-2015 Senior Survey for the person who made the most significant and positive contribution to student education
- O’Brien T., Tan A., & Rose K. (June 2020). The Use of a Consumer-Based mHealth Dietary App and Health Coaching with Kidney Transplant Recipients. ($7,225)
- O’Brien, T., Hathaway D., & Russell, C. (March, 2018). Mobile Health Apps to Facilitate Self-management: A Qualitative Study of Kidney Transplant Recipients. American Nephrology Nurses Association Research Grant Program. ($3,000.00)
- O’Brien, T., (March, 2017). Using REDCap for Assessing Increasing Activity Post-Kidney Transplant with SystemCHANGE. TM The Ohio State University Center for Clinical and Translational Science grant support (National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Grant 8UL1TR000090-05","National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Grant 8UL1TR000090-05. ($2975.00)
- O’Brien, T., Hathaway D., & Russell, C. (September, 2016). Increasing Activity Post-Kidney Transplant with SystemCHANGE TM. K23NR016274 National Institutes of Health, Nursing Institute of Nursing Research. ($388,075.00), 09/26/2016-07/21/2019.
- O’Brien, T., Hathaway D., & Russell, C. (July, 2016). The Use of Mobile Phone Technology in Kidney Transplant Recipients. International Transplant Nurses Society. ($2,500).
- Smith, W., Myers, M., O’Brien, T., & Chan, A. (March, 2016). Interactive Exercise Intervention System via Xbox Kinect. University of Tennessee Health Science Center Pocket CORNET Research Award. ($50,000.00).