Nurses are on the front line of public health, and our faculty is dedicated to improving the health of our community and our world. Our work in the clinic, in the community, and in research is focused on educating all people about health issues and increasing access to care. We work with vulnerable populations in our community and beyond to provide a bridge into a permanent medical home, and we understand the importance of personalizing and tailoring care to meet the varying needs of a diverse, multicultural population. Our practice and research is at the forefront of improving the public health of our community.
Behavioral Health
We approach behavioral health from a transdisciplinary method, combining resources across disciplines (including nursing, social work, and psychology) to provide evidence-based interventions that are tailored to meet the needs of individual patients. We focus on collaborative care and have expertise in medication and psychotherapy management of severe mental health disorders, including mood, anxiety, and psychotic disorders, and several forms of trauma.
Chronic Disease
Effective management of and education about chronic diseases is a key element of public health. Our research examines how to ensure care to vulnerable populations with chronic diseases and how telehealth and other methods can improve prevention and management of chronic disease.
Infectious Diseases
Our faculty’s work with infectious diseases encompasses spans from prevention to treatment. We have faculty who specialize in HIV and AIDS treatment, prevention, and care in Sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, we recommend, on a national level, ways to prevent infectious diseases through vaccine development.
Vulnerable Populations
Our work and research on the health of vulnerable populations covers a wide range of topics. We examine how to identify and address the unmet preventative care needs and the health literacy needs of vulnerable populations, as well as analyze the effects of culturally tailored interventions for these populations. Our faculty are actively working on grant-supported research with our students that has the potential to shape health policy related to addressing infant weight gain and obesity in vulnerable populations.