Jane Grassley, professor and Joanna “Jody” DeMeyer Endowed Chair for Nursing in the College of Health Sciences, has been recognized as the 2017-18 St. Luke’s Nursing Research Outstanding Mentor. Grassley received this honor as she has served as a mentor the last four years for St. Luke’s Nursing Research and Evidence Based Practice (EBP) Fellowship Program, a representation of the strong partnership between Boise State’s School of Nursing and St. Luke’s Health System in Boise.
The EBP Fellowship Program, which has been in effect for more than 10 years, serves as a professional development program that allows working nurses to improve the ways in which care is delivered. The program offers classes and seminars about conducting research and evidence-based practice for nurses at St. Luke’s. Those selected for the program are teamed up with a mentor from Boise State’s School of Nursing, Idaho State University, or other St. Luke’s staff and former fellows to explore a topic of their choosing.
Nurses are chosen by senior fellows of the program to participate. The classes and seminars offered allow for nurse fellows to conduct a research study or evidence-based practice project on any topic of their choosing. The weekly classes are held over an intensive 18 month period before they present their posters at the annual fellows celebration. Their research posters are also displayed at the traveling poster show during St. Luke’s nurses week.
Grassley’s fellows have previously studied nurses’ breastfeeding support on night shifts, evidence-based breastfeeding support, discharge teaching about breastfeeding, and the late preterm infant. This year Grassley mentored Ryoko Pentecost, and Kristy Schmidt who both graduated from Boise State University in May of 2016 with a Masters in Nursing. Pentecost and Schmidt researched the topic, “Screening for Substance Use During Pregnancy: Perceived Provider Barriers.” Their research study will continue a second year and be presented at the next fellows celebration.
“Participating as a mentor in the St. Luke’s Health System Nurse Fellowship Program has been a delightful and meaningful experience,” said Grassley. “I love watching the nurse fellows grow in their confidence that they can bring positive and effective evidence-based change that benefits their nursing unit and/or patients. Mentoring involves being available to encourage my fellows when they feel overwhelmed by reading the research literature and empowering them to push past their perceived barriers and complete their projects. I feel very honored to have received this award.”
Grassley was invited by Laura Tivis, director of research for St. Luke’s Health System to become a mentor for fellow nurses. Other Boise State Nursing mentors have included:
- Cara Gallegos, assistant professor
- Kim Martz, associate professor
- Marty Downey, emeritus professor
- Pam Strohfus, associate professor and graduate programs coordinator
“Jane Grassley has done such a wonderful job mentoring nurses on nursing research projects,” said Lucy Zhao, assistant professor for the School of Nursing. “She is truly an asset to both Boise State University and our nursing community!”
“It’s a wonderful honor and so well deserved,” said Ann Hubbert, professor and director for the School of Nursing. “Jane’s exceptional contributions, not only within the School of Nursing, but to the entire nursing community, impacts the transformations in advancing healthcare daily. We are thankful for the strong partnership between St. Luke’s and the School of Nursing that allows our faculty to continue to make these kinds of contributions. We are so thankful for all of your work that benefits so many!”
To read more about the EBP Fellowship Program, visit the St. Luke’s Blog.