The School of Nursing welcomes Jenny Alderden back to Boise State’s nursing faculty as an associate professor. Alderden is a skilled healthcare and medical informatics researcher with a decade of work focusing on data-driven risk assessments of patients for various medical complications. She earned her doctorate in nursing with an emphasis in biomedical informatics.
“In my research work, I consider myself a nurse researcher as well as an informatics researcher,” Alderden said. “I work with massive amounts of patient data to look for patterns and inform plans of care.”
Alderden served as a critical care flight nurse in the U.S. Navy, including as the head nurse of a shock trauma platoon in Al Anbar, Iraq. She maintains specialty certification as a critical care registered nurse and critical care nurse specialist through the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. She is the principal investigator on a grant funded by the association.
Alderden has spent over a decade researching data-driven assessment of patient risk for various complications, including pressure injuries, commonly known as “bed sores,” in intensive care and long-term care settings. Recently, Alderden worked with a team from Duke University on a study of ways to prevent pressure ulcers. Science Animated created a short animation summarizing the trial’s findings and how the researchers used data analysis and clinical knowledge to assess risk in their patients.
Alderden plans to continue her work in researching data-driven methods for relieving suffering and improving health outcomes. “The School of Nursing is focusing on developing a robust program of research,” she said. “I’m excited to continue that work at Boise State because the research energy and dynamism here are unmatched. I can continue my research and make a difference as a teacher and mentor for our students.”