Rita Pickler

Dr. Rita Pickler’s educational and research background focuses on high-risk perinatology, neonatology and pediatrics. She has more than 30 years of research experience – including continuous NIH funding since 2001 – investigating preterm infant care and reduction of prematurity, NICU nursing care reliability, interventions to improve neurobehavioral outcomes, and long-term child and family well-being.

Dr. Pickler’s work has improved the care provided to preterm infants and their families and increased our understanding about what is needed in neonatal care to promote the best possible health outcomes for children who are born preterm. Her current research project focuses on enhancing opportunities for parent presence and participation in preterm care in the neonatal intensive care unit.

She is committed to improving maternal, child and family health outcomes by conducting well-designed and carefully-conducted research and by educating the next generation of nursing scientists. Dr. Pickler teaches and mentors PhD students and postdoctoral fellows about theory, philosophy of science, and research design and application. She has served as a sponsor on NIH-funded F31 awards and K-award mentor for emerging scientists.

This editor of the scientific journal Nursing Research earned her BS and MS in nursing from the University of North Carolina – Greensboro and her PhD in nursing from the University of Virginia. Her career honors for nursing science include: induction into the American Academy of Nursing (Fellow) and Sigma Theta Tau International Researcher Hall of Fame; Midwest Nursing Research Society Lifetime Achievement Award (2020); National Association of Neonatal Nurses Lifetime Achievement Award (2022); and University Distinguished Scholar from The Ohio State University (2022).

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