14th Annual Scientific Sessions
Report on 2002 ENRS Conference

Conference Update
Award Winners

2002 Conference Update
Stellar Conference Organized by Penn State

From March 21 to March 22, 2002, ENRS members and other nurse researchers were the recipients of the gracious hospitality of the ENRS 2002 Conference Planning Committee at Penn State University School of Nursing. The conference was well-organized and research presentations were scholarly; the setting provided ample opportunity for nurse researchers to meet to talk about shared research interests. Interesting and stimulating preconference sessions on Thursday, March 21 started off the conference. Dr. Ada Sue Hinshaw, well known to all nurse researchers, gave the opening keynote address on Friday morning and discussed a number of nursing research studies that have changed practice. Always a mentor, Dr. Hinshaw , had a special meeting with doctoral students to discuss careers in research. Other speakers updated the participants on NINR funding and post-doctoral opportunities at AHRQ. Paper presentations, symposia, and poster sessions provided an opportunity for dialogue among participants about their research.

On Thursday evening, we walked through a light snowfall to buses that delivered us to the Hintz Family Alumni Center for a spectacular President’s Reception. Blazing fires in the fireplaces, classical music and delicious food set the mood for more networking.

Two awards were given at the breakfast on Saturday morning. At the end of the scientific sessions, Suzanne Gordon gave the Jean Vallance Lecture in Nursing Innovation and addressed the need for nurse researchers to get the word out about their research findings. Congratulations to Drs. Sarah Gueldner and Donna S. Havens , Conference Planning Committee co-chairs, and all the faculty at Penn State who worked behind the scenes for a memorable event.

The 2002 ENRS Conference participants and the ENRS Board would like to extend their appreciation for support of the conference to the members of the ENRS 2002 Conference Steering Committee, exhibitors, sponsors, and exhibitors. Special thanks to the Penn State College of Health and Human Development and Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Department of Nursing, who served as co-sponsors for the conference.
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2002 Awards

Two ENRS members were recognized for their outstanding contributions to nursing scholarship at the 2002 Conference. They were introduced by Joanne Stevenson , PhD , FAAN, Chair of the Awards Committee.

2002 Award for Distinguished Contribution to Research
Bernadette Melnyk received her PhD from the University of Rochester and her Masters preparation as a pediatric nurse practitioner at the University of Pittsburgh. Currently she is a tenured Associate Professor, Associate Dean for Research, and Director of the Center for Research and Evidence-Based Practice at the University of Rochester. Dr. Melnyk has a distinguished program of research on improving outcomes for children who have experienced significant life or health challenges: examples include--premature birth, low birth weight, divorce, and most recently the after effects of 9/11. Currently she has a $2.44 million grant from NINR to test interventions for low birth weight infants.

She is very well published in scientific journals and books and has received numerous awards. Dr. Melnyk was recognized for her exceptional success in translating her research to the public and engaging them in research-based behavior change. Her theory-based randomized trials on helping parents and children in pediatric and neonatal intensive care units cope with these stresses has led to numerous appearances on national TV. In several nationally televised shows, she has translated for parents how to help children cope with myriad stresses such as 9/11 and the war in Afghanistan. Following receipt of her award at the breakfast meeting, Dr. Melnyk gave an inspirational presentation about her research program. A major take-home message was to allow yourself to dream and then to take steps to reach that dream.

2002 John A. Hartford Award to a Junior Investigator

Sally Norton , PhD , RN received the 2002 John A. Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing Practice Award as a junior investigator. Dr. Norton received her MS in Critical Care Nursing and her PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1994 and 1999 respectively. In 2001 she completed a post-doctoral research fellowship at the Oregon Health Sciences University. Her program of research focuses on end-of-life decision making particularly in the area of transitioning from curative to palliative care. Since 1998 she has had 7 publications and several more are currently in review. Each of her research projects has had extramural funding and she already has received several awards: the Nursing Excellence Scholarship from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses, the Vilas Professional Development Award from the University of Wisconsin, the Midwest Nursing Research Society Qualitative Research Section’s Award for her dissertation, and the Ada Sue Hinshaw Nurse Scholar Award from the Friends of the National Institute of Nursing Research. Dr. Horton is an Assistant Professor, Center for Clinical Research on Aging at the University of Rochester School of Nursing.

Congratulations to both award winners!

For more information about these awards, see:
Distinguished Contribution to Research Award
John A. Hartford Geriatric Research Award

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