Diversity Equity and Inclusion Research Area

Kenya Fluellen’s research focuses on Patient Engagement and Cultural Discordance in Spanish speaking patients with limited English proficiency. I am exploring how patients engage with healthcare professions who do not share the same culture; specifically how cultural factors affect engagement behaviors in healthcare.

Dr. Melissa Leisen’s research on child and family-centered care focuses on equitable healthcare for children with disabilities and their families. She is developing strategies to prepare future nurses to care for this growing population. One such strategy is through respite care. The use of respite care as a teaching/learning strategy provides the mutual benefits of providing family caregivers a break from their caregiving duties while preparing future healthcare professionals to work with this population. Learners gain insight into unique needs of children with disabilities in the context of their family life beyond the acute care setting.

Dr. Judith Fruiterman’s research focuses on the lived experience of nurse leaders of acute, in-patient facilities during the covid pandemic March 12, 2020 – March 31, 2021. The purpose of this study utilizing Gadamer’s hermeneutic, phenomenological construct, is to consider the shared perceptions, feelings, and common lived experiences of nurses who served in nurse leader positions in inpatient facilities during the Covid epidemic, March 12.2020 to March 31.2021.