Undergraduate Nursing Students and Faculty Showcase Research

Undergraduate research interns and their mentors at the College of Nursing participated in the first ever research presentations given in an effort to spread knowledge of their findings and advance the nursing practice on Oct. 21 and Nov. 18.

“These presentations facilitate the dissemination of research findings by the undergraduate research interns as beginning scientists to peers and future colleagues and provide a venue for them to discuss the implications of the findings for improving healthcare and health outcomes,” said Associate Professor Gia Mudd-Martin, RN, MPH, PhD.

The October presentation featured three research studies conducted by Mudd and her two undergraduate research interns: Katie Voigts, who presented her work titled “Parental History of Hypertension Increases Personal Risk of Hypertension”; and Allie Milam, who presented “Tooth Loss is Associated with Increased Risk for Cardiovascular Disease.” Mudd also presented “Genetic Research and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Reduction.”

Voigts’s research included more than 1000 participants from rural areas in Kentucky and found that hypertension in first degree relatives has a direct relationship with personal hypertension. Milam, who had previously won top student poster at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR), found a positive relationship between tooth loss and increased risk for cardiovascular disease.

“With my research I hope to educate the population and improve health efforts, especially in rural areas where access to dental health is limited,” said Milam.

Mudd-Martin aimed to improve health aspects of Kentucky communities, but found that cardiovascular disease still occurred in this population despite diligent prevention efforts. Her study focused on how health is influenced by our genes and how nurses can use this information to improve health outcomes of patients.

More recently, undergraduate student Mary Cho and Assistant Professor Rebecca Dekker, PhD, RN, APRN, showcased their study titled “Best Rest for Women with Preeclampsia: A Systematic Review.” Cho’s work focused on the effect of bed rest on gestational hypertension (preeclampsia) and found that the evidence is too weak to support widespread use of bed rest therapy for the prevention or treatment of preeclampsia.

“The aim of my study was to encourage healthcare providers to educate pregnant women or women who are at risk for developing preeclampsia about the proper signs and symptoms of preeclampsia and risk factors for cardiovascular disease,” said Cho. “They should let them be active in their treatment instead of placing them on a non-evidence based practice such as bed rest.”

Assistant Professor Rebecca Dekker, PhD, RN, APRN, is currently conducting a study with women who have gestational diabetes. In addition to running an intervention on Facebook in which the women have access to experts and personalized educational videos in their private group, Dekker maintains her blog, “Evidence Based Birth,” which gives women a starting point to find evidence about their options during childbirth.

“As a top research institution, it is important we learn from our colleagues their research findings so that we may advance and implement successful practices in the health care setting,” said Dr. Janie Heath, dean and Warwick Professor of Nursing. “These students and faculty should be very proud of themselves—their hard work is certainly paying off.”

In 2009, the UK College of Nursing Research Interns program received the Innovations in Professional Nursing Education Award from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. The program aims to give students a better understanding of how research drives practice and may inspire students to pursue graduate education where they learn how to develop a research program, develop networks, prepare presentations and write grants.