Pamela L. Stephenson, Ph.D., RN
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Associate Professor
Dr. Stephenson’s research is on spirituality and spiritual uncertainty at the end of life. She is currently working to develop, refine, and test the theoretical and empirical basis for a newly identified construct of spiritual uncertainty as it relates to persons facing a serious, life-limiting illness. Dr. Stephenson is developing two instruments for spiritual uncertainty. The State of Spirituality scale (SOS) is a bedside screening tool for providers working with patients with life-limiting disease and their families, and the Spirituality Uncertainty-Providers (SU-P) is a survey to assess spiritual uncertainty for providers of end-of-life care. Her goal is to provide health professionals with needed language and tools that will ease spiritual conversations with patients nearing the end of life and their families. She also seeks to build a better understanding of how uncertainties, worries, questions, and doubts about spirituality influence spiritual dialogue, distress, and decision making.
- Area of Expertise: Serious Illness & End of Life
- Affiliated with: Healthy Communities Research Institute, Global Understanding Research Initiative
- Education: Ph.D., Nursing, Kent State University, Kent, OH
- Collaborate with Dr. Stephenson: pstephe2@kent.edu