Faculty Research Spotlight
From stress management to palliative care to end-of-life care, Dr. Valerie Yancey, associate professor of primary care and health systems nursing, underscores the value of relating to the whole person in her research and teaching. She finds that when nurses are attuned to their patients’ experiences with illness, loss or trauma, both patients and nurses experience more meaningful relationships and better outcomes. Yancey’s interests have expanded beyond hospital-based ICU nursing to include expanding awareness of the health care needs of post-combat veterans and their families. She provides education to faith communities and parish nurse groups on how communities can help ease the transition back home for returning veterans. She also has created modules for doctoral students on assessing veterans’ service-related health concerns, both physical and psychological.
“When nurses see themselves as healers in relationship with others, rather than dispensers of information, they are more likely to find meaning in their work and develop a deepened sense of how to help others achieve positive health outcomes,” Yancey said.
