The Vanderbilt University School of Nursing hosted its inaugural Research Day on August 21, in collaboration with the Center for Research Development and Scholarship and the Vanderbilt Center for Research on Inequality and Health. This year’s theme focused on advancing health equity and policy through nursing science, emphasizing the vital role that nursing research plays in shaping health care policies and improving outcomes for underserved communities.
The event took place at the School of Nursing and featured a full day of activities designed to showcase the impactful research conducted by faculty, staff and students. Attendees were able to explore a variety of research posters during an all-day viewing session held in the Colleen Conway-Welch Atrium. Moderated poster presentations gave participants a deeper understanding of key projects, followed by interactive discussions that encouraged knowledge sharing and collaboration among researchers.
The highlight of the day was the Patricia Meador Lectureship, featuring presentations and a Q&A session with distinguished scholars Rebecca Schnall, PhD, MPH, BSN, FAAN, FACMI, the Mary Dickey Lindsay Professor of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion at Columbia University School of Nursing, and Julie Ward, PhD, MN, PHNA-BC, assistant professor in the Department of Medicine, Health and Society at Vanderbilt University College of Arts.
Schnall presented “Promoting Health Equity Through Community-Informed Strategies.” Her research centers on the information needs of vulnerable patient populations, using informatics to promote health and prevent disease.
Ward presented “Not Too Rare to Care: Reflections on What 2% of Firearm Fatalities Reveal About a Public Health Crisis.” Her research focuses on preventing injury and violence-related trauma in community spaces, with an emphasis on developing equitable public health systems and improving community safety.
Students had a unique opportunity to connect with the keynote speakers during a luncheon, while faculty participated in smaller, focused meetings with the speakers to discuss potential research collaborations and mentorship opportunities.
“Research Day 2024 successfully fostered a rich environment of scholarly exchange, focusing on the impact that nursing science can have on promoting health equity and driving policy changes,” said Mariann Piano, PhD, RN, FAAN, FAHA, the Nancy and Hilliard Travis Professor of Nursing. “It has set the stage for future Research Days that will continue to highlight the significant contributions of nursing research to health care innovation and public health.”
Special thanks to Senior Associate Dean for Research Mariann Piano and Program Manager Daien Sanchez for contributions to this article.