Dishman School of Nursing faculty members receive innovative research award
May 13, 2022 | by Natalie Frels-Busby
Lamar University is proud to announce that Dr. Cynthia Stinson, chair of the Dishman School of Nursing and associate professor of nursing, and Dr. Ruthie Robinson, associate professor of nursing, recently received the Texas Organization of Baccalaureate and Graduate Nursing Education (TBOGNE) Research Innovation Award for their research about nurses on the front line during the COVID-19 pandemic. 
“Our first thought (when we won the award) was that we were thankful that because we won, we would be able to share our findings with more people and hopefully make an impact on the health of nurses in Texas,” said Stinson. “We were surprised because all universities in the state of Texas can apply for the award.”
TBOGNE seeks to promote the health of Texas through excellence in nursing education, provide access to educational opportunities and expand the integrity and harmony of spirit in the profession. Its goal is to enhance the preparation of entry-level and advanced practice nurses in Texas through the promotion of collaborative and facilitative relationships among Texas institutions involved with nursing education at institutions of higher learning.
Only one award is given each year, according to Stinson. The award was announced in the spring at the semester meeting in Austin. Stinson and Robinson will present the research to all schools in the fall at the fall meeting. The faculty researchers also received a $3,000 honorarium.
The award-winning research, “Compassion Fatigue and Resiliency During the COVID-19 Pandemic,” focused on nurses caring for COVID patients in hospitals across the United States. The study used a hermeneutic phenomenology design. Results showed nurses who are caring, empathetic and resilient. From these results come recommendations for fellow nurses and nurse leaders in practice and academia.
Stinson said they hope to do more research in the future related to COVID-19, looking at the human connection.
“Presently, we have completed research and hope to have a publication soon with our colleague Dr. Stacey Knight on isolation and loneliness for patients with no visitors in the hospital during the COVID pandemic,” the chair and associate professor added. “Nurses in our study talked about how difficult this was for patients and nurses.”
For more information about the JoAnne Gay Dishman School of Nursing, visit www.lamar.edu/arts-sciences/nursing.
“Our first thought (when we won the award) was that we were thankful that because we won, we would be able to share our findings with more people and hopefully make an impact on the health of nurses in Texas,” said Stinson. “We were surprised because all universities in the state of Texas can apply for the award.”
TBOGNE seeks to promote the health of Texas through excellence in nursing education, provide access to educational opportunities and expand the integrity and harmony of spirit in the profession. Its goal is to enhance the preparation of entry-level and advanced practice nurses in Texas through the promotion of collaborative and facilitative relationships among Texas institutions involved with nursing education at institutions of higher learning.
Only one award is given each year, according to Stinson. The award was announced in the spring at the semester meeting in Austin. Stinson and Robinson will present the research to all schools in the fall at the fall meeting. The faculty researchers also received a $3,000 honorarium.
The award-winning research, “Compassion Fatigue and Resiliency During the COVID-19 Pandemic,” focused on nurses caring for COVID patients in hospitals across the United States. The study used a hermeneutic phenomenology design. Results showed nurses who are caring, empathetic and resilient. From these results come recommendations for fellow nurses and nurse leaders in practice and academia.
Stinson said they hope to do more research in the future related to COVID-19, looking at the human connection.
“Presently, we have completed research and hope to have a publication soon with our colleague Dr. Stacey Knight on isolation and loneliness for patients with no visitors in the hospital during the COVID pandemic,” the chair and associate professor added. “Nurses in our study talked about how difficult this was for patients and nurses.”
For more information about the JoAnne Gay Dishman School of Nursing, visit www.lamar.edu/arts-sciences/nursing.