Students
D. Paxson Barker, RN, BS, has over 35 years of nursing experience, having worked primarily as a cardiovascular nurse in the critical care setting including the Cardiac Catherization Lab at THI/ St. Lukes Hospital and participated in data collection for multiple cardiac interventional studies (both pharmaceutical and procedural). She earned her Diploma RN from Charity Hospital School of Nursing (1972), her BS from Texas Womans University (2005). She is currently a PhD student in Nursing Education and Research whose future dissertation topic will be focused on the nurse's work environment. At present, Ms. Barker works on the Blood-Borne Pathogens Exposure and Safety in Home Care Workers grant (PI, Lipscomb).
Barbara Brady, MS, RN, has 27 years of nursing experience, having worked in a variety of clinical settings ranging from rural community hospitals to large tertiary academic centers. Her critical care clinical background has varied from NeuroTrauma, Medical and Surgical Cardiac care to Intensive Care patients. Ms. Brady received an Associate in Applied Sciences (Clinton Community College, Plattsburgh, NY.), and is currently pursuing a MA from Towson University in Community Health as well as a PhD from the University of Maryland Baltimore, School of Nursing. The area of interest for her dissertation is social support and capital in health care workers. Ms. Brady’s research experience has also been diverse. While in her first graduate program, she began working as a research assistant, continuing after graduating as a project director for a longitudinal occupational study examining working conditions and injuries in RNs. She has also worked with a community that had health concerns using participatory research methods. She is currently a co-investigator on a clinical based study to explore patients’ perception of care and safety during hospitalization and will soon start a new study to examine potential microbial contamination of monitoring equipment in critical care. Ms. Brady is also a data manager for a longitudinal study examining blood borne pathogen exposures in home health care workers. She also serves on the Institutional Review Board as a patient advocate at the University of Maryland.
Yao-Mei Chen, PhD Candidate, obtained her baccalaureate degree in Nursing from Kaohsiung Medical University in Taiwan (1988), and a master degree of Clinical Nurse Specialist in Gerontological Nursing from the University of Maryland Baltimore, School of Nursing (1995). She has 18 years of nursing experience. At present, Ms. Chen is a PhD Candidate whose dissertation research focuses on hospital nurses’ intent to leave and its relationship to their work environment. Ms. Chen’s clinical expertise is in neurological nursing. She was a co-investigator for a 2-year longitudinal study of the cognitive intervention effects on the bio-psycho-social function of stroke patients, funded by the National Science Council in Taiwan. She has many Chinese publications in related areas. Following eight years of administrative experience, she decided to focus on organizational research to help facilitate a positive work environment for nurses. She recently presented at two conferences on role stress and job satisfaction of advanced practice nurses in Taiwan. One of these presentations has been accepted for journal publication. As a research assistant, she works on research related to new forms of work organization in hospital settings and workplace violence in social service sectors.
Kelly Flannery, RN, BSN, obtained her associates degree from the Community College of Philadelphia (2003) and later her Bachelors of Science in nursing from Drexel University (2005). She is currently working on her Masters in Community Public Health nursing and plans to receive her degree in 2008. Ms. Flannery has 4 years of nursing experience. She has worked in critical care, the operating room and was a contracted clinical research coordinator for the National Institute on Aging. Ms. Flannery currently works as a research assistant on the Evaluation of Organizational Justice Intervention to Alleviate Type III Violence grant.
Dawn Foster, MS, RN, CCRN, PhD candidate, has 18 years of nursing experience in the critical care setting. Ms Foster received Baccalaureate degrees in Nursing and Psychology from Towson State University (Towson, Maryland), her Masters degree in Trauma, Critical Care, Emergency Nursing dual NP/CNS from the University of Maryland Baltimore, School of Nursing, where she is presently a Doctoral Candidate. The area of interest for her dissertation involves the nursing experience in an environment pursuing Magnet Status. Ms. Foster also holds certification in Education, with teaching experience at all levels of higher education. Ms. Foster has a variety of experience in research and is presently a research assistant with the Work & Health Research Center.
Valerie E. Rogers, MS, RN, CPNP, CWOCN, earned her BSN at Michigan State University (1975) and MS at the University of Maryland Baltimore, School of Nursing (1997). She has over 32 years of nursing experience, including serving 7 years as a PNP and wound, ostomy, and continence nurse in pediatric surgery. Prior to entering the MS program, she worked as maternal-child nurse in various capacities throughout her career including pediatric oncology, general pediatrics, PICU, NICU, labor and delivery, and postpartum. Ms. Rogers’ teaching experience includes 2 years as an instructor in a vocational-technical center teaching a high school health careers course and in the LPN program, as well as 2 years as a prenatal educator. Ms. Rogers’ research experience includes 1 1/2 years working with Dr. Geiger- Brown on her Nurses' Sleep and Health Study (examining sleep, sleepiness, fatigue and neurocognitive deficits in nurses working consecutive extended shifts); 1 year working with Dr. Ramos-Marcuse on her Caring and Sharing Program for depressed inner-city mothers of preschool children; and 6 months working with Dr. Friedmann on her PETS for Older Adult Hypertensives Study. She is currently a PhD candidate who worked part-time for 2 years as a data manager for a pediatric oncology program/Children's Oncology Group prior to returning to graduate work.
Barbara Scharf, MSN/MPH, RN, BC, has over 30 years of nursing experience in intensive care and community health, both nationally and in Israel. She earned her diploma from Johns Hopkins Hospital School of Nursing, BSN from Boston University, MSN/MPH from Hunter College and ANA certification in Professional Development. After spending over 12 years in home care in progressive positions from visiting nurse to director of quality management and staff development, Ms. Scharf joined the doctoral program at the University of Maryland Baltimore, School of Nursing. She now works on the Blood-Borne Pathogens Exposure and Safety in Home Care Workers grant and the Evaluation of Methods to Characterize Home Health Employers’ Occupational Safety Programs grant. In the formative stage, her dissertation topic will include investigation of the home care nursing workforce related to patient care outcomes and organizational characteristics.