![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.boisestate.edu\/nursing\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2024\/11\/Max-V-Canyon-County-1024x683.webp\")
\u201cThis process nearly always forces me to stop and review how things have been progressing and every time I do this, I always find flaws or think of new ideas as reflection breeds innovation,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd the students themselves often give me a lot of insight\u2026I always learn from them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cStudents ask great questions and bring energy and creativity to the research team,\u201d said Amy Spurlock, professor and Jody DeMeyer Endowed Chair in Nursing. \u201cThey are not as entrenched in ‘old’ ways of doing things and bring a new perspective that is needed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kausler also considers students\u2019 innovative ideas and collaboration \u201cinvaluable,\u201d she said. \u201cTheir questions challenge me to examine research problems from new angles, and their enthusiasm enhances project momentum.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kausler studies maternal mental health. She hopes to improve patient outcomes by using technology to increase access to care and by developing culturally appropriate interventions based on individuals\u2019 feedback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOur research methods take community experiences and needs into account by seeking input from the people who will be most affected by the results of our study \u2013 the participants,\u201d said Amber Baranek, who works with Kausler as a research assistant. \u201cI realized just how important it was to derive our information from [patient] voices\u2026If we are to direct our knowledge in a way that will facilitate better outcomes for them, we must take our study population into account when determining what is needed to progress forward.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI am hopeful that this study will inform how we conduct mental health care for women at risk of perinatal substance use, depression and anxiety,\u201d Baranek said. \u201cHealth care in itself can be difficult to access, and mental health care can be even more complex to navigate for some people. If it is found that telehealth is a feasible method for providing this care, we may increase both accessibility and motivation for patients to seek the care they need.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Providing vulnerable populations with the opportunity to learn about their mental health from their own home would be extraordinary,” she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why become an RA?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI feel that I have developed a genuine tie with the community because now we are not just living in the same space, but actively collaborating and having conversations to create new ways of managing mental health,\u201d said Baranek. \u201c[Kausler] taught me the importance of all these elements while having the patience to help me when I did not understand.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Both Baranek and research assistant Matthew Bailey noticed how their time management and organizational skills grew. Bailey also greatly developed his writing abilities and considered his time working alongside professors \u201cextremely valuable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI was able to get real experience to decide if research is a role I would like to pursue in the future,\u201d he said. \u201cThe faculty were understanding of my workload and willing to help with anything I needed. I appreciated being able to bounce ideas and goals I have for myself off of nurses and educators that had achieved those same goals and they were able to provide realistic timelines and steps I can take to achieve them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe research assistant experience is something that I am so grateful for because it has broadened my views of patient care and allowed me to network and create useful, professional relationships,\u201d said Emma Stover, a second-semester nursing student also working with Kausler. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThrough [Kausler\u2019s] guidance and knowledge I have learned about research and the nursing field. This has given me more insight and knowledge in what nursing area I would like to go into along with how important research is to improving healthcare.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Nursing](\"https:\/\/www.boisestate.edu\/nursing\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2023\/12\/DSCF9453-sq664.jpg\")