faculty profile

Mary Jo Gilmer PhD, MBA, RN-BC, FAAN

Professor
Director, Pediatric Palliative Care Research Team

Bio

Dr. Mary Jo Gilmer earned her PhD in nursing at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Prior to that, she worked as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Pediatric Cardiovascular surgery and received a Commonwealth Fund Fellowship to pursue her MBA at Queens University. Dr. Gilmer has received numerous awards for her research and teaching expertise and has been a leader in several international health care projects in Belize, Uganda, China, Italy and Ecuador. Her research focus is enhancing care of children with life-threatening conditions through establishment of a core palliative care service at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. Currently she is Co-Director of the Pediatric Palliative Care Research Team. Specific interests include parent-sibling bereavement, parent-child communication, and interventions to reduce suffering in children with cancer.

Dr. Gilmer's newest pioneering project has the potential of not only advancing knowledge in both the pediatric oncology and animal-assisted therapy (AAI) fields through rigorous and groundbreaking research, but, more importantly, greatly improving childhood cancer treatment by lending credibility to an adjunctive treatment modality aimed at providing meaningful comfort of a therapy dog.

Education

PhD, University of North Carolina
MBA, Queens University
MSN, University of Illinois
BSN, Michigan State University

Current Research/Scholarly Interests

Pediatric Palliative Care
Animal-Assisted Interactions with Children with Advanced Cancer
Legacy-making in Pediatric Palliative Care
Songwriting Interventions with Children with Chronic Illness

Academic Interests

Pediatric Palliative Care
Legal and Ethical Environments
Healthcare Economics and Finance
Research

Grants

Human-animal interactions (HAI) to improve reading fluency and comprehension for children with learning differences Role: Co-I 1/1/22-12/31/23

Exploring the Impact of Human-Animal Interactions on Children with Life-Threatening Conditions and their Parents. Funded by NIH/NICHD R21, (Role: PI); 3/1/2020-2/28/2023

A Nurse-Led Storytelling Intervention for Rural Pediatric Palliative Care Populations. Funded by the Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation, (Role: Co-I), 1/1/2021-12/31/2021

Effects of Animal-Assisted Interactions on Quality of Life in Children with Life-Threatening Conditions and their Parents. Funded by the Human-Animal Bond Research Institute, (Role: PI), 1/1/2019-12/30/2022

An Exploratory Study of Communication as Part of Palliative Care during End-of-Life. Funded by the Center for Effective Health Communication, (Role: PI), 1/20/2017-7/30/2017

Impact of a PCRC-Facilitated Legacy Intervention in Pediatric Palliative Care. Funded by PCRC RO1. (Role Co-I) 9/26/14-9/25/18

Canines and Childhood Cancer: Examining the Effects of Therapy Dogs with Childhood Cancer Patients and their Families. Funded by Zoetis Animal Health, (Role: Site PI), 1/1/2014-12/31/2018

Sibling and Parent Bereavement from Childhood Cancer. Funded by NCI R01 CA098217-01. (Role: Site PI) 8/1/05-7/31/10

Representative Publications

Journals

Cowfer, B., Akard, TF., & Gilmer, M.J. (2021). Animal-assisted interventions for children with advanced cancer: Child and parent perceptions. Palliative Medicine Reports, 2(1), 328-334. DOI: 10.1089/pmr.2021.0039

Walker, H., Miller, M.C., Cowfer, B., Akard, TF., & Gilmer, M.J. (Dec, 2021). Protocol of a pilot study of theeffects of animal-assisted interactions (AAI) on quality of life in children with life-threatening conditionsand their parents. International Journal of Palliative Care Nursing 27(10), 524-530. DOI: 10.12968/ijpn. 2021.27.10.524

Kenney, A. E., Tutelman, P. R., Fisher, R. S., Lipak, K. G., Barrera, M., Gilmer, MJ., Fairclough, D., Akard, T. F., Compas, B. E., Davies, B., Hogan, N. S., Vannatta, K., Gerhardt, C. A. (2021). Impact of end-of-life circumstances on the adjustment of bereaved siblings of children who died from cancer. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings. DOI: 10.1007/s10880-021-09797-x

Akard, T.F, Dietrich, M.S., Friedman, D.L., Gerhardt, C.A., Given, B., Hendrick-Ferguson, V., Hinds, P.S., Ridner, S.H., Beckmann, N., & Gilmer, M.J. (2021). Improved parent-child communication following a RCT evaluating a legacy intervention for children with advanced cancer, Progress in Palliative Care, 29:3, 130-139. DOI: 10.1080/09699260.2020.1826778

Akard, T.F., Dietrich, M.S., Friedman, D.L., Wray, S., Gerhardt, C.A., Given, B., Hendricks-Ferguson, V.L., Hinds, P.S., Cho, E., & Gilmer, M.J. (2021). Effects of a web-based pediatric oncology legacy intervention on parental coping. Oncology Nursing Forum, 48(3), 309-316. DOI: 10.1188/21.onf.309-316

Cho, E., Gilmer, M.J., Friedman, D.L., Hendricks-Ferguson, V.L., Hinds, P.S., & Akard, T.F. (2021). Facebook recruitment for children with advanced cancer and their parents: lessons from a web-based pediatric palliative intervention study. Progress in Palliative Care 29:5, 264-271. DOI: 10.1080/09699260.2021.1898077

Beckmann, N.B., Dietrich, M.S., Hooke, C., Gilmer, M.J., & Akard, T.F. (2021). Parental posttraumatic growth after pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplant. Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing, 23(4), 331-338. DOI: 10.1097/NJH.0000000000000759

Beckmann, N., Dietrich, M.S., Hooke, C., Gilmer, M.J., & Akard, T.F. (2021). Parent caregiving experiences and posttraumatic growth following pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplant. Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing, 38(4), 242-253. DOI: 10.1177/1043454221992306

Akard, T.F., Davis, K., Hills, T., Lense, M., Kim, D., Webber, R., Dietrich, M.S., & Gilmer, M.J. (2021). Songwriting intervention for cognitively-impaired children with life-limiting conditions: Study protocol. Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 22. DOI: 10.1016/j.conctc.2021.100765

Akard, T.F., Dietrich, M.S., Friedman, D.L., Wray, S., Gerhardt, C., Hendricks-Ferguson, V., Hinds, P.S., Rhoten, B., & Gilmer, M.J. (2021). Randomized clinical trial of a legacy intervention for quality of life in children with advanced cancer. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 24(5), 680-688. DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2020.0139

Akard, T.F., Gilmer, M.J. (2020). Research cooperative groups in pediatric palliative care research. Palliative Medicine Reports, 1(1), 321-325. DOI: 10.1089/pmr.2020.0043

Akard, TF, Wray, S., Friedman, D.L., Dietrich, M.S., Hendricks-Ferguson, V., Given, B., Gerhardt, C.A., Hinds, P.S., & Gilmer, M.J. (2020) Transforming a face-to-face legacy intervention to a web-based legacy intervention for children with advanced cancer. Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing, 22(1), 49-60. DOI: 10.1097/NJH.0000000000000614

Akard, T.F., Dietrich, M.S., Friedman, D. L., Gerhardt, C.A., Given, B., Hendricks-Ferguson, V., Hinds, P., Ridner, S., Beckmann, N., & Gilmer, M.J. (2020). Improved Parent-Child Communication following a RCT Evaluating a Legacy Intervention for Children with Advanced Cancer. Progress in Palliative Care. DOI: 10.1080/09699260.20201826778

Akard, T.F., Dietrich, M.S., Friedman, D. L., Gerhardt, C.A., Given, B., Hendricks-Ferguson, V., Hinds, P., Ridner, S., Beckmann, N., & Gilmer, M.J. (2020). Randomized Clinical Trial of a Legacy Intervention for Quality of Life in Children with Advanced Cancer. Journal of Palliative Medicine. Published Online: 30 Sep 2020 DOI:10.1089/jpm.2020.0139

Books

Gilmer, M.J. (2012). Care of the child with life-limiting conditions and the child's family in the pediatric critical care unit. In M.F Hazinski (Eds.) Nursing Care of the Critically Ill Child, (3rd Ed.) St. Louis, MO: Elsevier, Inc. pp. 51-65.

Jones, B., Gilmer, M.J., Raley, J., Dokken, D., Fryer, D., & Sydnor-Greenberg, N. (2011). Parent and sibling relationships and the family experience. In J. Wolfe, P. Hinds & B. Sourkes (Eds.), Textbook of interdisciplinary pediatric palliative care. New York: Elsevier Press.

Gilmer, M.J., & Carter, A. (2008). To comfort always. In B. Kennedy, D. Ruth & E. J. Martin (Eds.), Intrapartum management modules: A perinatal education (4th ed.). New York: Lippincott, Williams, & Wilkins.

Frader, J., Morgan, D., Levinson, R., Morrow, J., Saroyan, J., Gilmer, M.J., & Carter, B. (2004). Barriers to pediatric palliative care. In B. Carter, M. Solomon, (Eds.), Palliative Care for Infants, Children, and Adolescents: A Practical Handbook. Baltimore, MD: John Hopkins Press.

Representative Presentations

Smith, L., Darling, A., Giorgione, R., Akard, T., & Gilmer, M.J., (July, 2019). Parent and Child Preferences for Communication About Cancer. Presented at Sigma Theta Tau, 30th International Research Congress, Calgary, Canada.

Clarkson, G. & Gilmer, M.J. (2017, July) Factors affecting time nurses spend with fathers in the neonatal intensive care unit. Paper presented at the 8th International Nursing Research Congress, Dublin, Ireland.

Gilmer, M.J., Akard, T.F., Smith, L.E., & Ruehrdanz, A. (June, 2017). Enhanced Quality of Life for Pediatric Cancer Patients and their Parents through Animal-Assisted Interventions. 13th International Family Nursing Association, Conference, Pamplona, Spain

McDonald, J., Xu, E., Baudino, M., Cella, A., Akard, T., Ruehrdanz, A., & Gilmer, M.J. (September, 2015). Therapy dogs: Pediatric center clinic's special agents. Lecture presentation online for the International Palliative Care Network.

Professional Organizations

American Academy of Nursing
American Cancer Society Review Panel for Master's and Doctoral Fellowships
American Nurses Association
American Nurses Credentialing Center, Contributor & Reviewer (2010 - Present)
Children's Oncology Group
Oncology Nursing Society
Hospice Palliative Nurses' Association
Sigma Theta Tau, International
Southern Nursing Research Society

Honors/Awards

Star Award for Leadership in Cancer Clinical Research, Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center, 2021
Sigma Theta Tau International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame, 2020
Invited Lean-In Featured Speaker, The Ohio State University, 2018
Featured Researcher on CNN Health Highlights, 2017
Research Nurse of the Year, March of Dimes, 2017
Research Poster Award, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center Annual Scientific Retreat, 2016
Dean's Award for Faculty Achievement in Media, 2015
Outstanding Leader, The International Women's Leadership Association, 2015
Nashville Business Journal's 2015 Health Care Hero, 2015
Outstanding Research Poster Award, Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association, 2014
Ingeborg Mauksch Award for Mentoring, Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, 2013
Featured Author, University of Tennessee. Changes in Parents After the Death of a Child from Cancer, 2013
Pediatric Nurse of the Year, March of Dimes, 2011
Fellow in the American Academy of Nurses, 2010
Distinguished Alumna, Michigan State University, 2010