Meet Holly Chignolli
Lifelong learner and EBP champion
by Kathryn Lecklider
Holly Chignolli, DNP, APRN-CNP, (BSN ’08, MS ’12, DNP ’19) has spent much of the past 18 years at the college and medical center. Now the associate director of nursing evidence-based practice (EBP) and standards at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, she reflects on her experiences with the college and EBP.
Watch an interview with Holly Chignolli:
Your path has been so intertwined with the college and the medical center.
It has! I was even born at Ohio State. After a brief detour to Miami University, I realized my true home. In addition to my degrees, I work with the Fuld National Institute for Evidence-based Practice, was a clinical instructor and worked as a patient care associate, RN and nurse practitioner at the medical center.
You have had so many intersections with the college. What is one thing you particularly enjoyed?
I traveled with the college to serve in Honduras, twice! As an undergraduate and graduate student, I double majored in Spanish (and am now married to a native Spanish speaker) so I got to use my language skills, too. It was interesting having two different nursing roles – as a BSN, I was providing basic care such as taking vitals, and then as a nurse practitioner, I was diagnosing and prescribing. It was so incredibly rewarding.
What jump-started your interest in evidence-based practice?
As a nurse practitioner, I attended the Fuld EBP Immersion for a week. I gained so much knowledge and excitement for evidence-based practice that I went right back to my clinic and started thinking about what we could do differently.
That week solidified my interest in pursuing the Doctor of Nursing Practice to learn even more about patient care and patient outcomes. Now, I support immersions and lead EBP QuickStarts and the EBP mentoring program in The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center health system.
"I’m seeing it more now every day. I’m hearing nurses and leaders saying, ‘What does the evidence say?’ Ingraining that in our culture has a huge impact on patient care."
What do you enjoy the most about your current role?
I love seeing the impact of EBP in practice. Recently, I received a grant through the Fuld National Institute for EBP to implement an evidence-based practice project to decrease patient falls in a particular unit. It’s rewarding to go up on the unit and work with the team and see outcomes that impact patients. To see the evidence translate into direct patient care and positive changes is what it’s all about.
Evidence-based practice is really the key and foundation of everything we do in healthcare. I’m seeing it more now every day. I’m hearing nurses and leaders saying, “What does the evidence say?” Ingraining that in our culture has a huge impact on patient care.
What do you hope is still ahead of you professionally?
I’m currently finishing up my MBA so I can see both the practice and business side of healthcare. And I’d love to teach! I don’t know what else is on the horizon, but I know anything is possible in nursing.
