Our nursing faculty conduct research in diverse areas. The following are a sampling of key research areas with related descriptions of faculty research.

Teaching and Learning with Technology

Joyce Griffin-Sobel is an expert in teaching with technology, and has funded research to examine effective use of simulation and other technological learning strategies.  Her other research activities include and have included: a Robert Wood Johnson funded project to increase the number of baccalaureate-prepared nurses, health disparities in oncology, safety with endoscopic reprocessing, military nursing research issues, health consequences of hospital noise and high frequency jet ventilation.

Diabetes and Cultural Diversity 

Judith Aponte conducts research on diabetes including its related risk factors and complications. In addition, she has written about culturally competency in nursing care, specifically surrounding issues of providing culturally competent care to Hispanics. In her research she has used large data sets, exclusively National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). She presently is conducting research on risk factors of peripheral arterial disease across ethnic groups using NHANES.

HIV/AIDS 

Kathleen Nokes conducts research in symptom management and self-care of persons with HIV/AIDS and is specifically interested in the needs of older HIV+ adults. She was the PI on an NIH-funded randomized clinical trial of an 8 week psychoeducational intervention to increase HIV-self-efficacy. Her current research focuses on creation and use of personal health records to increase self-efficacy and engagement with healthcare. She is also the Associate Program Director of Community Education and Community Engagement Liaison on the NIH funded Clinical and Translational Science Center (CTSC) at Weill Cornell Medical College and a member of the International HIV/AIDS Nurse Scientist Network.

Carol Roye conducts research in adolescent reproductive health, specifically HIV/AIDS-prevention and improving outcomes for pregnant and parenting teens and their children. She was the PI on an NIH-funded randomized clinical trial of video and counseling interventions to promote condom use by teenage girls who use hormonal contraception. Her current research focuses on heterosexual anal intercourse as a mode of HIV/AIDS transmission in young women.

 Lorraine Sanders’ program of research focuses on vulnerable women during the perinatal period. She has worked with and studied women in prison, women living with HIV during the perinatal period and women with perinatal mood disorders. She is currently working to develop and test interventions to improve access to care for vulnerable women during the preconception period.

Holistic Nursing and End of Life Care 

Vidette Todaro-Franceschi's research focus is on death, dying and bereavement. Past research includes a philosophical inquiry of the concept of energy across disciplines, which resulted in the book publication, The Enigma of Energy: Where Science and Religion Converge, and two studies funded by PSC CUNY exploring the use of synchronicity (meaningful coincidence) related to dead loved ones as a healing modality for the bereaved.  She has completed several studies on end of life care nursing pedagogy, two of which were internally funded, and is currently the PI on a study exploring the use of clinical vignettes and focused group discussion to enhance completion of advance directives also funded by a PSC CUNY grant.  She has developed a novel healing modality to enhance professional quality of life for nurses, especially those who care for the dying and their loved ones, and is planning an intervention study to pilot the modality.

Mental Health

Kunsook Bernstein conducts research in Asian immigrant mental health, specifically depression prevalence and intervention. She was the PI on a PSC-CUNY funded 2 qualitative researches of Korean women suffering from depression and their symptom manifestation and expression, both in US and Korea. Her current research focuses on depressive symptoms in relation to acculturation and discrimination among Korean immigrants in NYC. The current study is funded by one of the Korean community organization called, “Beautiful Foundation” and Connell Medical College, CTSC. She is currently preparing another project, “Barriers to mental health services for Asian Americans” and submitted the proposal to the Hunter ORG foundation.

Teaching-Learning and Informatics

 Kenya Beard's research interest focuses on identifying barriers to workforce diversity and strategies to increase the representation of minorities in nursing. Her dissertation focused on identifying best practices in educating minority nursing students and exploring the perceptions of faculty regarding their role in educating minority nursing students. She has also presented nationally on the best practices in educating minority nursing students. She is currently working on a clinical companion for registered nurses through FA Davis publishing.

Donna Nickitas conducts research in teaching-learning strategies such as service-learning, informatics, and electronic health record documentation. She is the PI on a study exploring perceptions of nursing student’s clinical documentation skills. Her past research has included a study for School Based Nurses, Asthma and Information Competencies and numerous technology grants in academic teaching and learning.