Inaugural Humenick Research Grants Awarded to UW Nursing Faculty

Two professors in the University of Wyoming’s Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing have been awarded grants for their research work.

Nursing faculty members Shelly Fischer, assistant professor, and Ann Marie Hart, associate professor, have been awarded inaugural Humenick research grants from the Sharron S. Humenick Nursing Enrichment Fund.

The fund, established by Humenick in 1999 -- seven years before her death -- recently reached endowment level and fulfills Humenick’s original purpose to support faculty academic enrichment. Humenick served as professor at UW and Virginia Commonwealth University schools of nursing, and was editor of the Journal of Perinatal Education.

Fischer won the grant award for her proposal and abstract titled, "A Pilot Study: Testing a Typology of Factors that Influence the Relationships Among Transformational Leadership, Safety Climate, And Patient Safety Outcomes."

She will use data from hospitals in the Banner Health System. Fischer’s project builds on the typology that she developed in her dissertation.

"She is working with an exciting team," says UW Nursing Dean Mary Burman. Team members include Diane Boyle, Wyoming Excellence Chair in Nursing and professor at UW Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing; Lesly Kelly, clinical research program director for Banner Good Samaritan and research assistant professor at Arizona State University; and John Yelton, nursing professor at the University of Colorado.

Hart earned the grant for her proposal and abstract titled, "New Nurse Practitioner (NP) Transitional Experiences in NP Residency Programs."

Hart will examine new nurse practitioner (NP) transition experiences in NP residency programs with her colleague, Margaret Flinter, senior vice president and clinical director at Community Health Center Inc. (CHC) in Middletown, Conn. CHC has one of the few NP residency programs in the country.

Hart and Flinter will examine the transition process through reflective journals kept by the nurse practitioner residents.