School of Nursing happenings

Jan. 27 — Dean co-authors study on early-career nurses and burnout
School of Nursing Dean Stephen Cavanagh co-authored the study, “Comparing Thriving at Work Among Trans-Tasman Early-Career Nurses: A Multinational Cross-Sectional Study,” published in the journal, Healthcare. Along with his postdoc, and lead author, Willoughby Molone, the study finds that early-career nurses who experience strong workplace support and lower burnout are significantly more likely to thrive at work and less likely to consider leaving the profession. It underscores the role of supportive organizational environments in improving nurse well-being and retention.

Jan. 26 — Professor presents at international health intelligence conference
Shu-Fen Wung, a professor at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis, presented her research, "Causal Reinforcement Learning Based Agent–Patient Interaction with Clinical Domain Knowledge," at the International Workshop on Health Intelligence (W3PHIAI-26) in Singapore. This work by Shu-Fen and her team explores how AI learning model can integrate clinical domain knowledge to support more reliable and interpretable agent–patient interactions, with a focus on dementia care applications. Held in conjunction with the 40th Annual AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence, the conference focuses on how large-scale pretrained models and autonomous systems are transforming clinical workflows, patient management, health system operations and public health surveillance.

Jan. 23 — Professor publishes study on strategies for older adults
Shu-Fen Wung, a professor at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis, published the study, “The Lived Experience of Older Adults with Monitoring Technologies: An Interpretive Phenomenology Study,” in the journal Healthcare. This study highlights the real-life experiences and strategies older adults use to manage a monitored life, providing insights for effective technology-assisted interventions. Involving individuals with dementia in the design process offers a framework for co-developing technologies that support aging in place while preserving identity and independence. Healthcare is an international, scientific, peer-reviewed, open access journal on health care systems, industry, technology, policy and regulation.

Jan. 16 — Faculty present at AACN doctoral education conference
Several faculty from the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis presented at the 2026 Doctoral Education Conference: Chart the Future of Doctoral Nursing Education of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). Associate Professor Charleen Singh gave a podium presentation on “Integrating, DNP education, global opportunities, as well as challenges and achievements faced at UC Davis with the DNP-FNP Program" where she discussed scholarly projects from the inaugural cohort of the DNP-Family Nurse Practitioner program, including global work. And Assistant Professor Jody Minnick presented the poster, “Integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) in DNP Project Prospectus Development: a Pilot Framework,” which discussed how artificial intelligence can support doctoral work through synthesizing data to create an outline. The annual conference explores national trends in doctoral nursing education, strategies to increase enrollment and ways to increase or maintain rigor in terminal degree programs. Associate Dean for Academics Amy Nichols also presented.

Jan. 15 — Professor publishes study on artificial intelligence in heart journal
Shu-Fen Wung, a professor at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis, published the study, “Dysphagia in Heart Failure: Demographics, Nutritional Status, and Patient-Reported Outcomes,” in Heart & Lung. Shu-Fen and her team have developed an artificial intelligence application that provides personalized self-care education for patients recovering from heart surgery to reduce preventable hospital readmissions. Initial evaluations indicate that it effectively addresses common recovery questions and has received high ratings from clinical experts, underscoring its potential as a reliable resource for home post-surgical care. The journal is the official publication of the American Association of Heart Failure Nurses.

Jan. 9 — Professor named to statewide advisory board
Leigh Ann Simmons, a professor at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis, has been appointed to the advisory board for the California Initiative to Advance Precision Medicine. Launched in 2015, the initiative drives the development of innovative technologies and personalized strategies to coordinate cross-sector partnerships for prevention, diagnosis and treatment to improve the health and well-being of all Californians. The purpose of the council is to advise and make recommendations to the California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS) on matters related to the initiative. Leigh Ann’s experience leading the ReACH Equity T32 predoctoral training program could help support in designing professional development activities for a new doctoral student cohort of grantees.

Jan. 9 — Professor publishes study on artificial intelligence in heart journal
Shu-Fen Wung, a professor at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis, published the study, “Artificial intelligence applications for enhancing patient self-care education following sternotomy: Development and initial evaluation,” in Heart & Lung. Shu-Fen and her team have developed an artificial intelligence application that provides personalized self-care education for patients recovering from heart surgery to reduce preventable hospital readmissions. Initial evaluations indicate that it effectively addresses common recovery questions and has received high ratings from clinical experts, underscoring its potential as a reliable resource for home post-surgical care. The journal is the official publication of the American Association of Heart Failure Nurses, and publishes original, peer-reviewed articles that advance the clinical and translational science of cardiovascular and pulmonary disease.

Jan. 3 — Professor publishes review in physiology journal
Shu-Fen Wung, a professor at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis, published “Health effects of plants, light, and natural elements of biophilic interventions in confined settings: a systematic review,” in Frontiers in Physiology. The systematic review found that biophilic interventions — those that incorporate elements like plants, natural light and other features of nature — significantly enhance health and resilience in highly confined settings, such as hospitals and eldercare facilities. These strategies effectively reduce physiological stress, improve mood and accelerate recovery. They are being implemented through tailored, often pathogen-free systems designed to address environmental challenges and infection control issues.

Jan. 2 — Clinical researcher funded for traumatic brain injuries in children
Lori Kennedy, an associate professor at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis, received $100,000 grant from Children’s Miracle Network to support “$100,000 from the Children's Miracle Network to support “Optimal Virtual Care for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Children.” Lori’s research will test a regional telehealth model for children with mild traumatic brain injury that combines application of Brain Injury Guidelines and pediatric neurosurgeon consultation with structured follow-up provided by advanced practice providers. The study aims to improve outcomes, reduce unnecessary transfers and promote equitable access to specialty care for families across rural and underserved communities. Lori is a clinical nurse scientist who serves as director of the Center for Nursing Science at UC Davis Health.

Jan. 1 — Professor co-authors policy statement for American Heart Association
Shu-Fen Wung, a professor at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis, co-authored the policy statement, "Genetic and Genomic Testing in Cardiovascular Disease," in Circulation. The new statement updates a previous AHA policy from over a decade ago and provides a comprehensive framework for public policy. It is essential for ensuring equitable access, appropriate regulatory oversight, and ethical stewardship of data related to genetic and genomic testing. The policy statement serves as a roadmap for policymakers, payers and researchers. It urges them to take decisive action to ensure that advances in genomics lead to high-quality, nondiscriminatory and universally accessible care for patients with cardiovascular conditions. Circulation is a journal of the American Heart Association that publishes original research manuscripts, review articles and other content related to cardiovascular health and disease