November 17, 2006

MGH nursing research reaches milestone

Two nursing research positions have been established at the Yvonne L. Munn Center for Nursing Research, representing an important milestone for nursing research at the MGH. Diane L. Carroll, PhD, APRN, and Laurel E. Radwin, PhD, RN, (left) have accepted positions as nurse researchers at the Munn Center.

Carroll has worked at the MGH for more than 25 years. She has been an active participant in cardiovascular nursing, quality improvement, patient education and programmatic development, and has been a mentor to nurses with unit-based research projects involving cardiovascular patients. She has received numerous funding awards and grants from organizations, including the National Institutes of Health/Nursing Institute for Nursing Research (NIH/NINR), to study nursing interventions related to the care of patients with cardiac illnesses.

Radwin has extensive experience researching and evaluating the quality of nursing care. She has developed measures to examine the impact of patient-centered nursing care for acutely ill patients and to identify nursing-sensitive patient outcomes. Radwin is the recipient of numerous honors, including the designation of "Emerging Nursing Star in Health Disparities Research" from Howard University's Division of Nursing, and has received several awards and grants including those from the NIH/NINR and the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality.

As Munn Center nurse researchers, Carroll and Radwin will expand their programs of research, seek additional funding to advance their programs and implement a research mentorship program for staff, as well as facilitate the development, evaluation, translation and utilization of research into clinical practice.

The Yvonne L. Munn Center for Nursing Research at the MGH was established in 2003 to serve as a foundation for a world-class nursing research program. Through the center, nurses are provided the opportunity to identify new ways to reshape, influence and improve the delivery of patient care and nursing practice. Thanks to the generosity of Yvonne L. Munn, former MGH associate general director, and an investment by the MGH, a new phase is established in advancing the Munn Center's mission.