Lee Ellington, PhD, Associate Professor at the University of Utah's College of Nursing was recently awarded $2,252,243 over four years from the National Institute of Nursing Research, with secondary funding from the National Cancer Institute.
Ellington and her team received a perfect score on their R01 grant application entitled "Cancer Caregiver Interactions with the Hospice Team: Implications for End of Life and Bereavement Outcomes" to conduct this important study. They are collaborating with the Palliative Care Research Cooperative Group (PCRC), an organization funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research. The PCRC focused on advancing the science of palliative and end-of-life research through rigorous, multi-site, evidence-based research.
Hospice family caregivers of cancer patients provide round-the-clock care and report multiple unmet needs despite the hospice team members' efforts to inform and support them. When caregiver needs go unaddressed, cancer patient care may be compromised and family caregiver quality of life and emotional well-being are negatively impacted. Ellington's project will evaluate hospice care teams' responsiveness to family caregiver daily needs and assess impact for family caregivers' long-term adjustment. The study findings will help improve future clinical interventions by identifying specific family-centered hospice care team processes that are critical for family caregiver benefit. The study includes two for-profit and two not-for-profit hospices. The PCRC, on behalf of Ellington, will be identifying potential study sites in the near future.
About the College of Nursing
The University of Utah College of Nursing is an integral part of the University of Utah Health Sciences Center and the University of Utah. We are committed to working together to serve the people of Utah and beyond by continually improving the quality of life for individuals and communities. We strive for excellence in education, research and clinical care, and each mission is vital to our overall success. Diversity and inclusiveness, independent inquiry and collegiality form the fabric of everyday life for faculty and students. The University of Utah is currently ranked 2nd among colleges of nursing nationwide for NIH funding.
We offer nursing education programs in both traditional and online formats covering a wide range of degrees and specializations. Degrees include: Bachelor of Science, which includes an online RN-BSN track, Master of Science in Nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice, and Doctor of Philosophy.
The College of Nursing is also home to the Gerontology Interdisciplinary Program offering a degree and certificates in gerontology, and the Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence.