Funded Projects

HRSA NEPQR SET – Dr. Erin Killingsworth, PD

The U.S Department of Health and Human Services awarded Baylor University a Nurse Education Practice Quality Retention Simulation Education Training grant for $498,315 in 2022. The purpose of the funded project is to enhance the simulation-based experiential learning opportunities for the distance-based accelerated bachelor’s in nursing track using emerging technology and competencies related to community/public health and interprofessional education to prepare them impact community and public health in rural areas. Three simulation-based learning activities incorporating the C/PHN Competencies, IPEC Competencies, and the National League for Nursing (NLN) Advancing Care Excellence (ACE) Series using telepresence robots and a comprehensive simulation management system with audio-visual components will be implemented. Drs. Adrianne Duvall and Marie Lindley are Simulation Project Coordinators of the grant along with Shopha Tserotas as the Simulation Education Specialist.  

For additional information, contact Dr. Erin Killingsworth at Erin_Killingsworth@baylor.edu

National League for Nursing Grant - Dr. Kelly Rossler

Dr. Kelly Rossler, in collaboration with research collaborators, Dr. Donna Badowski of DePaul University, Dr. Nanci Reiland of Lewis University, and Dr. Tish Gill-Gembala of Temple University was awarded $18,000 for the Nancy Langston Research Award by the National League for Nursing. This funded project entitled Teaching Motivational Interviewing Skills to Pre-Licensure Nursing Students: A Comparison of Simulated Telehealth, Simulation Gaming Technology and Traditional Clinical Learning Environments will compare educational modalities that support the development of motivational interviewing communication skills; a technique to assist persons into committing to healthy lifestyle and behavior changes. Findings from this study will add to the science of nursing education by building capacity for nursing practice through the linking of health promotion skills with telehealth technology and transferability to the clinical practice setting.

For additional information, contact Dr. Kelly Rossler at Kelly_Rossler@baylor.edu

Dallas Foundation, the 2022 Lucille W. and George R. Pattullo Fund – Jamie Quinn, MSIS

Through the Dallas Foundation, Lucille W. and George R. Pattullo Fund, the Director of the Nursing Learning Resource Center, Jamie Quinn, has received award funding in the amount of $7,988, to support electronic scholarly resources used in the nursing curriculum. This fund addresses racial equity disparities and supports nursing students living and working in the Greater Dallas area, helping to position students and new RN nurses for a brighter, more equitable tomorrow. The 2015 Pattullo fund award initially funded the acquisition of the Access Medicine database subscription and it has been applied for and received annually to continue financial support of this clinical preparation resource for Baylor University, Louise Herrington School of Nursing Students.

For additional information, contact Dr. Jamie Quinn at Jamie_Quinn@baylor.edu 

THECB NIGP – Dr. Erin Killingsworth and Dr. Marie Lindley, co-PDs

Dr. Erin Killingsworth and Dr. Marie Lindley received $150,000 grant from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Nursing Innovation Grant Program: Nursing & Allied Health-Supporting Clinical Learning to Mitigate Impediments due to COVID-19 in 2020. This grant provides funding to purchase equipment to allow for social distancing and infection control in the simulation lab, purchase telepresence robots to allow distance students to participate in learning experiences in the simulation lab, and the development of asynchronous and synchronous facilitated online clinicals using simulation in pediatrics and obstetrics.

For additional information, contact Dr. Erin Killingsworth at Erin_Killingsworth@baylor.edu

Dr. Benjamin Brown IV Fund for Interdisciplinary and Collaborative Scholarship - Dr. Lori Spies

Dr. Lori A. Spies was PI on a research proposal to strengthen the partnership and collaborate with colleagues at the Baylor College of Medicine and the Baylor University Hankamer School of Business while providing lifesaving education and information in West African country, The Gambia. "Improving Global Health Outcomes in The Gambia through Interdisciplinary Education to Decrease Maternal and Neonatal Morbidity" was awarded $25,000 and allowed the research team to plan and implement a targeted clinical curriculum to engage and educate a select group of midwives and nurses as trainers. Additionally, the team synergistically strengthened the sustainability of education by including leadership and self-efficacy development. To assess sustainability and enhance effectiveness the capacity-building project was embedded in a mixed-method study. Data collection and analysis are underway. Data about regional training led by participants will be collected. PI - Lori A. Spies, Co-Is – Dr. Sharmila Anandasapbapathy, Jocelyn Burridge, Dr. Jeff Wilkinson; Dr. Matt Quade; LHSON Co-Is– , Dr. Summer Okimoto, Dr. Sheron Wagner, and Dr. Shelby Garner. 

For additional information, contact Dr. Lori Spies at Lori_Spies@baylor.edu 

Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing Dean’s Grant - Dr. Lori Spies

The proposal "Partnering for Good; Meeting Local Needs to Prepare Global Nurses" was submitted to meet the needs of the local unhoused through a collaboration with the Austin Street Center. Drs. Lori A. Spies, Deborah Shirey, Lyn Prater, Jeanne Carey, Lisa Jones received $4,682 to develop and implement a multifaceted outreach that engaged LHSON students, staff, and faculty to provide health education and screening and develop a staff training for The Austin Street Center. The analysis of participants evaluations ad reflections will be used to further strengthen the local partnership while engaging students in locally relevant hands-on learning to provide care for a vulnerable population. 

For additional information, contact Dr. Lori Spies at Lori_Spies@baylor.edu 
 

University Research Committee – Dr. Shelby Garner, PI

Dr. Shelby Garner received funding from the Baylor University Research Committee to partner with the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Bangalore Baptist Hospital for a study titled, “An International and Interdisciplinary Research Collaboration for Noncommunicable Disease Prevention using mHealth: A Pilot study among Indian migrants to Hong Kong”.

For additional information, contact Dr. Shelby Garner at Shelby_Garner@baylor.edu

USAID/ASHA – Dr. Shelby Garner and Dora Bradley, co-PIs

The U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (USAID/ASHA) awarded Baylor University and Bangalore Baptist Hospital (BBH) a $525,693 award to construct a Living and Learning Center with Smart Classrooms for students enrolled in the hospital’s nursing institute for higher education. The aim of the project is to promote public diplomacy and catalyze collaboration between citizens of the US and citizens of India by empowering women to promote gender equality through building nurse and organizational capacity and sustainability at BBH to improve health outcomes in Bengaluru and surrounding communities.

For additional information, contact Dr. Shelby Garner at Shelby_Garner@baylor.edu

National Institutes of Health – Dr. Kelly Rossler, PI

Dr. Rossler and Dr. Ganesh Sankaranarayanan, Assistant Director, Center for Evidence Based Simulation, Baylor Scott & White Health, received funding from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering of the National Institutes of Health. Their study titled Validation of an Immersive Virtual Reality Based Experiential Learning Simulator to Improve Medical Administration Safety Skills of Registered Nurses will address the critical and unresolved nationwide problem of medication errors. Drs. Rossler and Sankaranarayanan will develop an immersive virtual reality simulator and examine outcomes when Registered Nurses use the simulator for training in safe medication administration practices. To learn more, click here.

For additional information, contact Dr. Kelly Rossler at Kelly_Rossler@baylor.edu

University Research Committee – Dr. Rebecca Meraz, PI
Dr. Meraz received a small grant from the Baylor University Research Committee to investigate the mixed-method relationship between diuretic medication nonadherence and the brain-natriuretic peptide (BNP) biomarker among older adults with a 90-day hospital readmission. She will examine the association between a rise in post-discharge BNP and imperfect diuretic adherence in heart failure patients at the Baylor Scott & White Health Medical Center and the Baylor Heart and Vascular Hospital in Dallas, TX. The findings from this study have the potential to inform the development of interventions to improve adherence to diuretics, reduce hospital admissions, and improve overall health outcomes for older adults with heart failure.

For additional information, contact Dr. Rebecca Meraz at Rebecca_Meraz@baylor.edu

University Research Committee – Dr. Lori Spies and Dr. Kathileen Boozer, Co-PIs
In collaboration with Principal Investigators, Dr. Matt Asare and Dr. Beth Lanning, from Baylor University’s Robbins College for Health and Human Sciences, Dr. Spies and Dr. Boozer received funding from the Baylor University Research Committee. The team’s study titled Prophylactic Vaccination Education (PROVE) against Human Papillomavirus (HPV) [PROVE against HPV]: A Cancer Prevention Intervention for Adolescents between 12 years old and 17 years old in a City in Central Texas will pilot test a novel intervention that combines an evidence-based testimonial video, motivational interviewing techniques, and a multi-theory framework to engage parents and adolescents and stimulate continuous parent-adolescent communication about HPV vaccination.

For additional information, contact Dr. Lori Spies at Lori_Spies@baylor.edu

USAID/ASHA – Dr. Shelby Garner, PI
The U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (USAID/ASHA) awarded Baylor University a $900,000 grant for Bangalore Baptist Hospital to construct a new Women’s and Children’s Healthcare and Research Center in Bengaluru, India. Dr. Tanya Sudia, Associate Dean for Research and Scholarship, is Co-PI on this award and will oversee the development of a Pediatric Palliative Care Program. The new Women’s and Children’s Center will help cultivate positive relationships between citizens of the U.S. and India and improve health outcomes for women and children. To learn more,  click here.

For additional information, contact Dr. Shelby Garner at Shelby_Garner@baylor.edu

University Research Committee – Dr. Marie Hastings-Tolsma, PI
Dr. Hastings-Tolsma received funding from the Baylor University Research Committee to partner with Baylor’s biochemistry and veterinary sciences departments to study the Effect of Rubus Idaeus Consumption during Pregnancy on Gestation in Maternal Mice and their Offspring.  Work from this investigation has the potential to further understanding of the biological mechanisms which promote successful onset and progression of labor in humans.

For additional information, contact Dr. Marie Hastings-Tolsma at Marie_Hastings-Tolsma@baylor.edu

US-India Educational Foundation – Dr. Shelby Garner, PI
Dr. Garner and a team of researchers and participants from Baylor University and Bangalore Baptist Hospital in Bengaluru, India received funding from the US-India Educational Foundation through the Indo-US 21^st Century Knowledge Initiative. The two year project titled Indo-US Partnership to Transform Research Education Capacity in Simulation and Virtual Reality Simulation to Improve Community Health Education Outcomes in Karnataka, India will increase mutual understanding between the people of both countries while equipping researchers to address non-communicable disease prevention and treatment. To learn more click here.

For additional information, contact Dr. Shelby Garner at Shelby_Garner@baylor.edu

AABC Foundation - Dr. Mary Ann Faucher, PI
Dr. Mary Ann Faucher received a research grant from the American Association of Birth Centers (AABC) Foundation to study women’s perceptions on the use of video-calls in early labor. Women will be recruited from 3-4 different settings including birth centers to participate in focus groups led by Dr. Faucher and a collaborator from Yale University. The findings will be used to inform the development of an intervention study introducing video-calls in early labor care.

For additional information, contact Dr. Mary Ann Faucher at MaryAnn_Faucher@baylor.edu

Young Investigator Development Program – Dr. Lori Spies, PI
Dr. Spies was awarded a research grant through Baylor University’s Young Investigator Development Program. The study titled Optimizing population outcomes in Uganda through bundled nurse-led hypertension interventions will be carried out in Uganda in partnership with Clarke International University and the International Hospital Kampala. The study will determine the impact of the intervention on hypertension physiologic measures, medication adherence, and modification of lifestyle behaviors.

For additional information, contact Dr. Lori Spies at Lori_Spies@baylor.edu

University Research Committee – Dr. Elizabeth Perry Caldwell, PI
Through the Baylor University Research Committee, Dr. Perry Caldwell was awarded a small grant titled Health Literacy of Adolescents in Texas in 2018. The purpose of this study is to describe individual and family factors influencing health literacy levels in adolescents across Texas. Adolescents and caregivers will complete the Newest Vital Sign health literacy instrument, the Family Communication Scale, and a demographics form online using the Qualtrics online platform.

For additional information, contact Dr. Elizabeth Perry Caldwell at Elizabeth_Perry@baylor.edu

Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Achievement – Dr. Shelby Garner, PI
Dr. Garner’s project titled Building Health Champions Among Youth in India for Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) Prevention was funded in 2018 through Baylor University’s Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Achievement Small Grant Program. In collaboration with undergraduate nursing students and investigators at Bangalore Baptist Hospital and Baylor University, the study aims to develop and research an interactive health educational program on type 2 diabetes and hypertension in middle and high schools in a slum subpopulation in Bengaluru, India to build “health champions” among youth and to contribute to the prevention of NCDs in India.

For additional information, contact Dr. Shelby Garner at Shelby_Garner@baylor.edu

USAID/ASHA - Dr. Shelby Garner, PI
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (ASHA) awarded Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing and Dr. Garner $652,800 to partner with Bangalore Baptist Hospital (BBH) for the construction of a Simulation Education and Research Centre for Nursing Excellence in Bengaluru, India. The grant involves funding the construction of a 4-story building with a state-of-the-art simulation center for nurses and other health professions at BBH. This facility will also provide sage living accommodations for up to 48 nurses. US best practices in simulation and nursing education will be incorporated into the program to build nurse capacity with a goal to increase health outcomes in India. To watch a video click here.

For additional information, contact Dr. Shelby Garner at Shelby_Garner@baylor.edu

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Nursing Innovation Grant Program: Transition to Practice - Dr. Tanya Sudia and Dr. Dora Bradley, Co-PIs
In a collaborative partnership with Baylor Scott & White Health North and the Baylor Institute of Rehabilitation, Drs. Sudia and Bradley along with colleague and LHSON Undergraduate Program Director, Nan Ketcham, are working with a team of nurses and faculty on a grant entitled Geriatric Competency Validation Toolbox for New Nurse Graduates: Utilization of DEU's and Collaborative Clinical Partnerships for Development and Validation. This $462,135 grant provides funding for the development, testing, and validation of a tool to measure geriatric competencies among pre-licensure baccalaureate nursing students.

For additional information, contact Dr. Tanya Sudia at Tanya_Sudia@baylor.edu

Laerdal Foundation – Dr. Lori Spies and Dr. Cheryl Riley, Co-PIs
Drs. Spies and Riley, in partnership with the University of Connecticut, received a $30,000 grant from the Laerdal Foundation titled Building Capacity to Improve Infant Outcomes in India. This grant will evaluate the effectiveness of an innovative NSSK PLUS teaching methodology for improving knowledge and skill retention in nurse midwives and village health care workers.

For additional information, contact Dr. Lori Spies at Lori_Spies@baylor.edu

Baylor Social Innovation Collaborative - Dr. Shelby Garner, PI
In February 2017, through the Baylor Social Innovation Collaborative (BAY-SIC), Dr. Garner and colleagues from across the university were awarded seed funding to develop a virtual reality simulation prototype and to support hospital mHealth infrastructure in India.

For additional information, contact Dr. Shelby Garner at Shelby_Garner@baylor.edu

Baylor Social Innovation Collaborative - Dr. Mary Ann Faucher, PI
Through the Baylor Social Innovation Collaborative (BAY-SIC), Dr. Faucher and a team of collaborators were awarded funding in February 2017 for their project titled Personalized Pregnancy Recommendations for Obese Women Utilizing Activity Monitoring and Text-Messaging to Optimize Gestational Weight Gain (PROMOT).

For additional information, contact Dr. Mary Ann Faucher at MaryAnn_Faucher@baylor.edu