Research Strengths
Faculty’s areas of research excellence
Research in the OHSU School of Nursing is characterized by innovation, rigor, scalability, and teamwork. Typically collaborative and often interprofessional, faculty investigators pursue scientific knowledge related to the full spectrum of health conditions and settings of care. Research portfolios also include studies on health care delivery, delivery system effectiveness, teaching effectiveness, and student learning. Faculty’s studies cluster in the following areas:
Signature science
Integrative biobehavioral research
Research that focuses on inquiry related to the full scope of human responses to illness and intervention based on the interrelationships of psychosocial, behavioral, and biological processes. Examples include research on cancer survivorship, biomarkers of clinical and quality of life outcomes in heart failure, physical activity and nutrition, symptom management, palliative care, and patient-caregiver dyadic relationships.
Health equity research
Research that focuses on inquiry related to reducing health disparities. Examples include community-engaged research to understand social determinants of health and improve health outcomes among rural, disabled, and other disadvantaged populations and reduce disparities in access to care.
Emerging science
Translational / implementation research
Research that focuses on inquiry related to practice transformation and implementation science. Examples include program evaluation, systems and quality improvement, practice innovation, and translating evidence into practice.
Improvement science research
Research that focuses on inquiry related to quality and safety improvement in health care delivery. Examples include improving standards of care, improving patient engagement, and improving the effectiveness of protocols and algorithms.
Transformational learning research
Research that focuses on inquiry related to innovative education approaches that transform learners into professionals who continually improve practice in order to optimize patient care. Examples include research related to interprofessional education, competency-based learning, and simulation.