COLUMBUS, OH — The Ohio State University College of Nursing set a college record for external funding received for research by its faculty from a range of national organizations that strive to improve healthcare.
Throughout fiscal year 2020, 135 total funding proposals were submitted to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), American Cancer Society, Human Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and other external funding groups. Eighty-seven grants were awarded, totaling nearly $13 million in research funding.
“Our faculty researchers have demonstrated leadership and excellence in pursuing science that improves lives, and we’re making an impact,” said Mary Beth Happ, PhD, RN, FGSA, FAAN, associate dean for research and innovation at the College of Nursing. “From work to reduce health disparities in our communities to better quality of life in older adults and improving care for children in the NICU, our faculty research is working to build a healthier world.”
Among the awards received, Heather Tubbs Cooley, PhD, RN, FAAN, Janna Stephens, PhD, RN, Candy Rinehart, DNP, FNP, ADM-BC, FAANP, and Lorraine Mion, PhD, RN, FAAN, received multi-year grants worth more than $1 million to conduct their research:
- Tubbs Cooley received a $2.8 million R01 grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NIH/NICHD) for her study on NICU nursing care enhancement. Tubbs Cooley and her team hope to gain a better understanding of NICU nurse workloads in order to provide the best quality of care and safety for their patients.
- Stephens received a four-year, $1.6 million R01 grant from the National Institute of Nursing Research (NIH/NINR) for her study entitled “Reducing Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Black Young Adults.” This study will focus on developing strategies to assist African American community college students in improving their health habits to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease later on in life.
- Rinehart, CEO of the nurse-practitioner-led Total Health and Wellness center, received $650,000 in grant support funds from HRSA. This funding helps support the Total Health and Wellness center’s primary care services to underserved populations. The center also was awarded “Federally-Qualified Health Center” status and is one of only 77 health centers in the country to receive this status.
- Mion, Vanderbilt University colleague, Nilanjan Sarkar, PhD and their team, received a five-year, $3.13 million grant provided by the National Institute on Aging (NIH/NIA) to develop socially-assistive robots in extended care facilities to encourage interaction among older adults, especially those with dementia.
