Dana M. Hansen Ph.D., APRN, ACHPN, FPCN
Biography
Dr. Hansen serves as an Associate Professor for Kent State University College of Nursing. Her research examines the dynamics of family interaction during advanced serious illness to enhance quality of life for patients and their families and healthcare providers through improved communication. Through a grant project funded by the Midwest Nursing Research Society and internal funding, Dr. Hansen found that contemporary approaches to communication, particularly social media illness stories or blogs, mitigate caregiver burden and create opportunities for difficult conversations, improving feelings of well-being for patients and family caregivers and bringing a sense of meaning to difficult situations. Dr. Hansen recently served as Principal Investigator for the CAREol Project, Catalyzing Relationships at the End of Life, funded in part by a Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation President’s Grant and the Henderson Reserve Fund. An academic partnership between Kent State University College of Nursing and Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), this study featured live end-of-life simulation experiences to investigate education about final conversations through a collaborative, interprofessional curriculum to empower nursing and medical students and clinical faculty to build professional resilience. Dr. Hansen is also involved as a site PI with NEOMED for the "Resiliency: Caring for Ourselves while Caring for Others During loss," grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Dr. Hansen has disseminated her research findings through peer-reviewed research presentations and numerous publications in academic journals such as the Journal of Nursing Measurement, Journal of Medical Internet Research Nursing, and International Journal of Palliative Nursing, as well as invited chapters for the Oxford Textbook of Palliative Nursing and Nursing Theorists and Their Work. Her affiliations include membership and leadership roles with the Palliative Care Research Cooperative Group, Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association, and the Midwest Nursing Research Society.
Courses
- NURS 40872 - Introduction to Evidenced Based Practice
- NURS 60101 - Theoretical Basis for Nursing Practice
- NURS 20020 - Honors - Assessment and Communication in Nursing
- NURS 20030 - Honors - Foundations of Nursing Interventions
- NURS 70715 - Theory Construction and Development in Nursing
Research Grants
Sanders, M.B., Hansen, D. Resiliency: Caring for Ourselves while Caring for Others During Loss, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), (January 2022) $1,034,528.00, Site PI.
Hansen, D., Motter, T., Shanholtzer, J. Catalyzing Family Relationships at the End of Life, Joshua Macy Jr. Foundation, (July 2020) $35,000, Board Grant, PI.
Hansen, D. Health Care Provider Experiences with Patient Social Media Illness Stories. Kent State University Research Council Award. (February 2019- February 2020). $2,500.00. PI
Petrinec, A.B., Hansen, D., Family Caregivers of ICU Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic Psychological and Health Related Quality of Life. LaBoon Stenporche/University Research Council Grant, Kent State University. $3,345. CO-I.
Hansen, D., Sheehan, D., Drew, B. Family Caregiver Recruitment through Social Media. New Investigator Seed Grant, Midwest Nursing Research Society. (March 2016-October 2018) $10,000.00, PI.
Stephenson, P., Sheehan, D., Hansen, D. Understanding Spiritual Uncertainty among Hospice and Palliative Care Providers. American Nurses Foundation. (October 2016- September 2018). $4,887.20; Co-I.
Stephenson, P., Sheehan, D., Hansen, D., & Broome, B. proposal submitted April, 2016, Determining the Feasibility of the State of Spirituality Scale. Palliative Collaborative Research Consortium (PCRC) subsidized by the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR). May 2016-May 2017. $17, 999. Co-I.
Hansen, D.M., Higgins, P.A., Warner, C.B. & Mayo, M.M. (2015). Exploring family relationships through associations of comfort, relatedness states, and life closure in hospice patients: A pilot study. Palliative and Supportive Care, 13 (2),
Hansen, D., Sheehan, D. The family caregivers’ experience with an illness blog: A pilot study. Zeller Scholarship Fund. (October 2014-October 2015). $2,500.00. PI.
Hansen, D. Exploring the associations among comfort, relatedness states, and life-closure. Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Alumni Research Committee, Case Western Reserve University. (January 2012 to January 2013). $500.00. PI
Education
Publications
- Hansen, D., Stephenson, P., Lalani, N. & Shanholtzer, J. (2022). Reflective journaling as preparation for spiritual care of patients. Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing, 25(1). Accepted 9-26-2022.
- Hansen, DM., Motter, T., Keeley, MP., Shanholtzer, J., Aultman, J. & Woodbridge, C. (2022). Interdisciplinary simulation for nursing and medical students about final conversations: Catalyzing relationships at the end of life (CAREol). Palliative and Suppo
- Distelhorst, K., Hansen, D (Chair). (2022). Neighborhood matters for transitional care and heart failure hospital readmission in older adults. Geriatric Nursing, 47, 183-190. Doi.org/10.1016/j.gerinurse.2022.07.014.
- Hebeshy, M., Hansen, D (Chair)., Broome, B., Abou Abdou, S., Murrock, C, & Bernert, D. (2022). Reliability and construct validity of the nurses’ intention to use deep vein thrombosis preventive measures questionnaire. Journal of Nursing Measurement, 30(1)
- Stephenson, P., Sheehan, D., Hansen, D., & Petrinec, A., (under review). Spiritual uncertainty with hospice and palliative care providers. International Journal of Palliative Care.
- Stephenson, P., Sheehan, D., Hansen, D. (Accepted September 2022). The State of Spirituality Scale as a screening tool for spiritual distress. Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, 26(6), TBD.
- Distelhorst, K., Graor, C.H. & Hansen, D. (Chair)(2021) Upstream factors in population health: A concept analysis to advance nursing theory. Advances in Nursing Science, 44(3), 210-223. DOI:10.1097/ans.0000000000000362
- Kanan, S., Shahrour, G., Broome, B., Bernert, D., Alibrahim, M. & Hansen, D (Chair). (2021) Predicting intentions to physical activity in Jordanian patients with coronary artery disease: Impact of attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral cont
- Hansen, D., Petrinec, A., Hebeshy, M., Sheehan, D., & Drew, B.L. (2019). Advancing the science of recruitment for family caregivers: Focus group and delphi methods. Journal of Medical Internet Research Nursing, 2(1), e13862. DOI: 10.2196/13862.
- Hansen, D., Petrinec, A. & Harb, N. (2019). Use of social media as a communication tool for people with serious illness and their families. In B.R. Ferrell and J. Paice (Eds.), Oxford Textbook of Palliative Nursing (5th ed. Pp. 791-799). New York: Oxford
Affiliations
Awards/Achievements
- Anti-Bias Training, Spring 2022, Kent State University
- Intercultural Faculty Scholars Cohort, AY 2018/2019, Kent State University
- Nominated for the Mid-American Conference Academic Leadership Program (MAC-ALDP) 2021
- The Daisy Faculty Award Nomination 2015
- Nurse Faculty Loan Program, Health Resources and Services Administration August 2009-May 2012
- Multiple Morbidities in Vulnerable Populations Nurse Scientist Training: Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award, National Institutes of Health (T-32 pre-doctoral Fellow in Nursing)
