Professor and Associate Dean for Research, Andrea Wallace, PhD, RN, FAAN, was recognized at last night’s Vitae 2024, an event that celebrates research excellence across University of Utah Health. Wallace’s research delves into the complexities of integrating a more comprehensive approach to clinical care for different patients.
When Wallace was designated in 2019 as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, her dedication to making health care work for patients was well underway. “We have known for a long time that most health outcomes are determined in the context of patients’ daily lives, not by what we do during clinic or hospital visits. Developing effective strategies to foster communication between patients, families, and health care teams is not only likely to improve health outcomes, but it is personally satisfying for me as a nurse and researcher.”
In a pre-recorded video shared at last night’s event, Wallace shared, "In my research, we're really trying to take on the challenge of integrating patient social information into clinical care. What I commonly found was that we needed to deal with their social challenges before we could even make a dent in their health and well-being by way of our medication regimens." In the video, Wallace details the inspiration, importance, and work of her research in identifying, connecting, and evaluating ways to comprehensively understand the needs of a patient. You can watch the full video below and learn more about her research and collaborators.
“We are incredibly proud to have Dr. Wallace at the College of Nursing,” shared Dean of the College of Nursing Marla De Jong, PhD, RN, CCNS, FAAN. “She embodies what it means to deliver high-quality patient, family, and community care. Her indispensable roles as leader, educator, scientist, and mentor shape the college into the leader it is today.
Scott Summers, PhD, professor and department chair in the College of Health, Nutrition & Integrative Physiology, was also featured alongside Wallace at Vitae 2024. In addition, six up-and-coming researchers at the forefront of their professions at the University of Utah were recognized. The annual event was presented by Vice Chair for Faculty Affairs and Development, Department of Internal Medicine, Michael Rubin, MD, PhD, on behalf of the Office of the Associate Vice President for Research and hosted at the SJ Quinney College of Law on the University of Utah campus.
