June 2024

Duke School of Nursing is the recipient of a T32 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The $1.4 million grant, to be distributed over five years, will fund the School’s Nurse-LEADS program (Training in Nurse-LEd models of care ADdressing the Social determinants of health). 

“We’re proud to be awarded a T32 grant as part of our commitment to advancing nursing science to help ensure that a diverse and highly trained scientific workforce is available to assist in solving some of our nation’s most pressing health challenges,” said Dr. Sharron L. Docherty, Vice Dean for Research, Duke University School of Nursing. 

In 2014, the Duke School of Nursing launched its HIV Specialty Certificate to address the critical shortage of skilled healthcare providers in the field of HIV treatment and prevention. Since then, the certificate has been a beacon of hope and a testament to Duke’s commitment to advanced nurse training and patient care.

The epidemic of HIV/AIDS, once a harrowing diagnosis, has transformed significantly over the past four decades. Advances in diagnosis and treatment have turned what was once a universally fatal disease into a manageable chronic health condition. People with HIV now enjoy longer, healthier lives, and their primary healthcare needs are increasingly similar to those without HIV. However, as the first generation of healthcare providers dedicated to HIV care began to retire, a gap in the workforce emerged. 

Duke School of Nursing professors Paula Tanabe, PhD, RN, FAEN, FAAN, along with Hayden B. Bosworth, PhD, of the Duke University School of Medicine, and other colleagues, recently published a study titled “Time to pain relief: A randomized controlled trial in the emergency department during vaso-occlusive episodes in sickle cell disease.” The study compared the effectiveness of individualized opioid protocols versus standard weight-based protocols for pain relief in sickle cell disease patients experiencing vaso-occlusive episodes (VOE) in emergency departments. Results indicated that individualized protocols led to more rapid and significant pain reduction, suggesting their potential to improve patient outcomes and emergency department efficiency.

Earlier in June, Sanford School of Public Policy Professor Nicholas Carnes, left, joined Ernest Grant, Duke School of Nursing's Vice Dean for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, right, for a conversation on the challenges faced by nurses who wish to run for elected office. The event was hosted by the two Duke schools and the non-profit Healing Politics as part of the collaborative June 5-8 Campaign School seminar which aims to foster a new generation of politically savvy healthcare leaders by equipping nurses and midwives with the tools to lead and advocate effectively. 

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