Wendy A. Umberger, Ph.D., RN, PMHCNS-BC
Biography
My research focuses on psychological factors related to chronic non-cancer pain and integrative therapies to decrease pain and improve function. Over the past 25 years, I studied the effect of guided imagery on pain and function in persons with chronic pain and undergoing knee arthroplasty. I am interested in how parental chronic pain impacts the family system and developed several mid-range theories related to this phenomenon.
I've practiced as a psychiatric mental health advanced practice nurse for over 30 years; this practice has informed my research endeavors. My colleagues and I have also received major continuous funding to help grow the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner program at Kent State University. A large portion of this funding supports student learning, interprofessional team building, and measurement of student, team and patient outcomes in integrated care settings.
Education
Publications
- Umberger, W., Draucker, C., & Jacobson, A. (in press, 2019). Guided imagery for total knee replacement: Responses to an audiobook placebo treatment. Western Journal of Nursing Research.
- Umberger, W., & Gaddis, L. (in press, 2019). The science of addiction through the lens of opioid treatment for chronic non-cancer pain. Pain Management Nursing.
- Hamash, K., Umberger, W., Aktas, A., Walsh, D., & Cheruvu, V. (2018). The effect of the pain symptom cluster on performance in women diagnosed with advanced breast cancer: The mediating role of the psychoneurological symptom cluster.
- Umberger, W., & Risko, J. (2016). ‘It didn’t kill me. It just made me stronger and wiser: Silver linings for children and adolescents of parents with chronic pain. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 30, 138-143.
- Draucker, C.B., Jacobson, A., Umberger, W., Myerscough, R., & Sanata, J. (2015). Acceptability of a guided imagery intervention for individuals undergoing a total knee replacement. Journal of Orthopedic Nursing, 34, 356-364.
- Umberger, W., Risko, J., & Covington, E. (2015). The forgotten ones: Needs of children and adolescents living with parental chronic non-cancer pain. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 30, 498-507.
- Umberger, W., Martsolf, D., Jacobson, A., Risko, J., Patterson, M., & Calabro, M. (2014). Ways of understanding parental chronic pain: A typology. Pain Management Nursing, 15, 854-863.
- Umberger, W. (2014). Children of parents with chronic non-cancer pain: A comprehensive review of the literature. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 27, 26-34.
- Umberger, W., Martsolf, D., Jacobson, A., Risko, J., Patterson, M., & Calabro, M. (2013). The shroud: Ways adolescents manage living with parental chronic pain. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 45, 344-354.
Affiliations
Awards/Achievements
- 2018, Pioneer Assessment Award, Kent State University
- 2014, Scholar of the Month, Kent State University
- 2011, Who’s Who in Medicine and Healthcare, Marquis Who's Who
- 2007, Hyundai Motors American Scholar, American Nurses Foundation
- 1999, American Nurses Foundation Scholar, American Nurses Foundation
- 1995, Ellis Merit Award, Case Western Reserve University
- 1992, Dean's Scholar Award, Case Western Reserve University
- 1986, Linnea Henderson Award, Kent State University
- 1984, David B. Smith Fellowship, Kent State University
- 1984, NIMH Traineeship, National Institutes of Health
- 1982, Summa Cum Laude, Kent State University
