The Office of Nursing Research and Scholarship held its first School of Nursing Research Retreat on Friday, March 31 at the Old San Francisco Steakhouse.
Invited attendees included UT Health San Antonio investigators, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and collaborators from local health systems interested in community-campus research and educational partnerships. The School of Nursing faculty showcased their research and community-based intervention programs to familiarize the faculty and potential research partners and collaborators.
Dean Sonya Hardin, PhD, MBA/MHA, CCRN, NP-C, celebrated the school’s accomplishments in research, community initiatives and team science to address the social determinants of health, reduce health disparities, and improve community health. Presentation topics included programs that serve the most vulnerable communities, families and individual populations with various health challenges, ranging from common illnesses, COVID-19 consequences, homelessness and drug abuse.
This year’s keynote speaker was Bei Wu, PhD, FGSA, FAGHE, FAAN (Hon.), from New York University’s Rory Meyers College of Nursing. Wu is the dean’s professor in global health and vice dean for research. Her presentation, “Improving Health Equity Among the Asian American Population,” exhibited research methodology with broad implications for developing health disparity research at the UT Health San Antonio School of Nursing.
The vice president for research, Jennifer Sharpe Potter, PhD, MPH, articulated research resources and support from her office, and discussed the strategic plan’s research pillar and the school’s role.
As the School of Nursing shifts its research culture towards hypothesis-driven research, this retreat’s goal was to serve as a catalyst for motivation and initiate discussions between faculty, researchers and partners to learn how they can work together to design, implement and share quality research paramount to community outcomes.