This week, the College of Nursing celebrated academic and professional milestones, including Dr. Katie Ward’s dissertation defense and national conference presentation. Faculty earned key leadership roles, launched newly approved degree programs, and contributed to high-impact publications. Dr. Teresa Garrett spoke on KRCL about Utah’s nursing workforce, and Dr. Caroline Stephens joined a leadership development program.
Academic Achievement
Dr. Katie Ward successfully defended her dissertation titled Luteal Phase Adaptions for Parenting in the Department of Anthropology within the College of Social and Behavioral Science.
Professional Service
The Utah Department of Commerce, Division of Professional Licensing reappointed Dr. Brenda Luther as Chair of the Peer Education Committee for the Board of Nursing.
The Board of Directors of the Society for Acupuncture Research (SAR) unanimously voted to appoint Dr. Lisa Taylor-Swanson as Co-President, effective immediately. The SAR is an international organization dedicated to advancing patient care through rigorous scientific evaluation of acupuncture and related therapies, and promoting the dissemination and implementation of research findings. The Board is comprised of both clinicians and research scientists who monitor the field of acupuncture research, identify gaps between research and practice, and host conferences and symposia to foster communication.
Dr. Josh Twitchell was appointed to a three-year term on the Board of Directors of the Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake.
Drs. Echo Warner, James Hotaling, Brock O’Neil, and Aaron Quinlan were appointed Co-Directors for the Data Exploration and Learning for Precision Health Intelligence (DELPHI) Data Science initiative. Dr. Warner will bring public health science communication and nursing representation to digital health and artificial intelligence. The initial term of appointment is 12 months, with the possibility of renewal.
New Curriculum
The Utah System of Higher Education and the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities approved new curricula for the College’s Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, Doctor of Nursing Practice, and Doctor of Philosophy programs. Dr. Julie Gee, Dr. Cynthia Beynon, Dr. Melody Krahulec, Dr. Paula Meek, and Dr. Emily Winn expressed their excitement of the approval writing, “These approvals affirm our programs’ strength, quality, and rigor, making a pivotal step in our ongoing commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and student success – empowering graduates to excel in both practice and research with confidence and lasting impact. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this achievement – your dedication and hard work made this possible! Celebrate and Onward!”
Professional Development
Dr. Caroline Stephens was accepted into Cohort 4 of the Mid-Career Coaching Program. The program provides coaching to University of Utah Health mid-career faculty to facilitate professional growth, career reinvention, and access to leadership roles.
Presentation
Dr. Katie Ward, Elizabeth Cashdan, Thomas Kraft, Kristen Hawkes, Kirtly Jones, and Lisa Diamond delivered a presentation titledFollicular versus Luteal Phase Sexual Behavior: Patterns Supporting Relationship Maintenance at the International Society for Evolution, Medicine & Public Health 10th Annual Meeting in Nashville.
In the Media
Dr. Teresa Garrett joined KRCL’s RadioACTive host Lara Jones in a conversation about the status of Utah’s nursing workforce. Speaking on her behalf, Dr. Garrett discussed the impact of the pandemic, stress, violence, and wellness on the workforce and what can be done about it. Although a recent report indicated that Utah has fewer registered nurses per capita than all but one state, health systems in Utah anecdotally report vacancy rates of 8-10%, with long-term care and home care closer to 15% – figures that are below the national average of 17%. The Utah Health Workforce Information Center recently surveyed registered nurses, and new data are expected in August or September.
Publications
Chan GK, Baker NR, Cooke C, Cummins MR, Joseph ML, Meadows-Oliver M, Rambur B. The importance, challenges, and proposed solutions for preceptors to educate the nursing workforce. J Prof Nurs. 2025;57:75-84. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2024.11.008
Sloss EA, Owoyemi A, Mishra AK, Sidwell K, Abdul S, Dawood G, Allen MR, Austria D, Pope Z, Chekeni F, Corley S, Grigg A, Hartman V, Johnson KB, Levy DR, Marshall K, Murphy J, Newman B, Phillips T, Smith KD, Szymanski J, Rossetti S. Development of the TrendBurden Survey: Assessing perceived documentation burden among health professionals in the United States. Appl Clin Inform. 2025;16(3):662-675. DOI: 10.1055/a-2562-0910