Nursing Research at Baystate
Nursing Research at Baystate Health is led by nurses and prioritizes the advancement of nursing science through evidence-based practice, quality improvement and research.
Our Goals
- Partner with nurses at all levels of education and across all clinical areas to integrate evidence-based practice into bedside care.
- Engage nurses in leading quality improvement initiatives and driving nurse-led innovation.
- Empower nurses to incorporate holistic nursing practices and promote research into complementary treatment modalities.
- Advance research in understanding nursing work and improving nurses' work environment.
Advancing Nursing Through Research, Innovation, and Holistic Practice
Three main foci:
- Nurse-Driven Innovation. In collaboration with UMass Amherst’s Elaine Marieb Center for Nursing and Engineering Innovation (EMCNEI), Baystate Nursing Research is supporting nursing innovation while improving patient care. Our partnership with EMCNEI empowers direct care nurses to engage in research that strengthens and enhances the nursing work environment. This clinical-academic collaboration provides both formal and informal mentorship, resources, and support for nurses interested in advancing research and innovation. Read the UMass Amherst EMCNEI report.
- Holistic Nursing. We are committed to promoting and improving holistic care by researching how complementary alternative modalities impact patient comfort and overall well being. As part of our work, our team is investigating nurse-led aromatherapy and use of the M-technique©, a gentle and structured hand massage. We also educate clinical nurses in holistic self-care practices and evaluate how these practices can enhance their physical, emotional, and mental well-being.
- Nursing Work & Work Environment. Our work also focuses on expanding knowledge of nursing work and the inpatient work environment. We have completed research highlighting the complexity of nursing work, including nurses’ role in patient flow management, emergency triage, and ethical advocacy. Our team leads ongoing programs of research in interruption management, advanced nursing certification, ethical decision-making, nursing prioritization, work unpredictability, and nurses’ perceived workload.
Nursing Research Fellowship Program in Partnership with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Baystate Health has a rigorous Nursing Research Fellowship Program hosted by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). The fellowship program is designed to increase nurses’ understanding and skills in conducting research projects at Baystate Health. Through mentorship from nurse scientists, each fellow develops an institutional review board approved study, presents their work internally and externally and writes a manuscript for a journal.
Current and Past MSKCC Research Fellows
| Research Fellow | Research Project Title |
|---|---|
| Patricia Faron, BSN, RN, CPAN, HN-BC | Use of Lavandula angustifolia via nasal inhaler during interventional pain procedures: A single arm prospective pilot study. |
| Taylor Budiyono, BSN, RN, CWOCN | Evaluating the Knowledge of Assessment, Prevention, and Treatment of Neonatal Diaper Dermatitis Among Pediatric Staff Nurses. |
| Emily Sheridan, MSN, RN, CPEN | Identifying Characteristics of Emergency Department Patients Lost to Follow Up with Positive Urine Cultures. |
For more information about the Nursing Research Fellowship
E-mail Cidalia VitalNursing Grand Rounds
Nursing Grand Rounds is a monthly educational initiative designed to provide nurses with valuable learning opportunities on a diverse array of topics. These sessions are accessible virtually and in person to nurses, nursing students, and other healthcare professionals.
Given the ever-evolving nature of nursing care, it is crucial for nurses to engage in continuous education to refine their clinical skills and stay updated with the latest practices. Nursing Grand Rounds aims to support this ongoing professional development by offering presentations that cover current trends, innovative practices, and evidence-based research.
The primary objectives of Nursing Grand Rounds are to:
- Enhance Nursing Practice
- Improve Patient Outcomes
- Elevate Patient Experience
By participating in Nursing Grand Rounds, nurses can ensure they remain at the forefront of their profession, continually advancing their practice and contributing to improving healthcare delivery.
Meet the Nursing Research Team
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Cidalia J. Vital, PhD, RN, CNL, CRRN, AHN-BC – Director Nursing Research and HolisticResearch focuses on nursing innovation, patient safety, nurse well-being, and holistic nursing practice. |
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Karen Giuliano, PhD, RN, MBA, FAAN – Nurse ScientistResearch focuses on human-centered design, product development, and nurse-driven innovation. Current research investigates IV-infusion pumps accuracy and usability. |
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Ellen Benjamin, PhD, RN, CEN- Nurse ScientistResearch focuses on the cognitive and organizational work of nurses, including emergency patient flow management. Current research investigates how nurses prioritize patients, ration resources, and perceive workload. |
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Sarah Romain, PhD Candidate, RN- Research Coordinator (Grant Funded)Researching clinical nursing ethics support, supporting IV infusion pump research and other current nursing research initiatives. |
Funding and Awards
Baystate nursing research is proud to have received funding and external recognition for our work.
- Learning Health System
- ICU Medical
- Daisy Foundation grant
- Sigma Theta Tau - Beta Zeta Chapter
- ECNEI Pilot Study grant 2024 and 2025
- University of Massachusetts 2025 Distinguished Community Partner Award
- Emergency Nurses Association Foundation Grant
Baystate Health Nurse Scientist Receives Prestigious Research Grant
Nurse Scientists in Action
What is a Nurse Scientist? They help create a culture of inquiry, advocate for continuing education with an application to practice and innovation and lastly, nurse scientists conduct their own research (Vessey, McCabe & Lullof, 2017). At Baystate, nursing research studies are in full action, and the nursing research team is working in the simulation laboratory, completing a research study with new graduate nurses. Photo: Nursing Research Team from left to right: Cidalia Vital, Hoon Lee, Caitlyn O’Connor and Sue Scott in the simulation lab working on their research study.
If you are interested in what the department is working on, please reach out to Cidalia Vital, Nurse Scientist and Program Director for Nursing Research.
Scholarly Work at Baystate Health
Scholarly Commons is a repository of scholarly works, consisting of abstracts and citations, that showcase research and expertise within our institution.
Publication Highlights
- Vital, C. J., Naglieri-Prescod, D. A., Gunn, B., Patrick, K., & Benjamin, E. (2026). The role of nursing inquiry in driving innovation. Advancing Medical-Surgical Nursing, 2(4), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amsn.2026.100081
- Georgadarellis, G. L., Benjamin, E., Roberts, S. C., Vital, C. J., & Sup, F. C., IV. (2026). Evaluating nursing work systems and identifying barriers for robotic technology integration: Observational study. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 28, e89409. https://doi.org/10.2196/89409
- Benjamin, E., Marôco, J. L., St. Marie, P., Healy, C., Vital, C. J., & Shi, L. (2026). Associations between direct care nursing characteristics and emergency department length of stay: Findings from an exploratory retrospective study. Journal of Emergency Nursing. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jen.2026.04.021
- Majumdar, J. R., Vital, C. J., Barton-Burke, M., Quinlan, P., Goldberg, J., Fessele, K. L., & Mazzella-Ebstein, A. M. (2026). Building clinical nursing research capacity: A scalable multi-institutional fellowship model. The Journal of Nursing Administration. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNA.0000000000001772
- Benjamin, E., Chung, J., Banda, E. L., Romain, S., & Vital, C. J. (2026). Unpredictability in inpatient nursing work: An evolutionary concept analysis. Research and Theory for Nursing Practice. https://doi.org/10.1891/RTNP-2025-0145
- Nyarko, B. A., Vital, C. J., & Giuliano, K. K. (2026). Intravenous smart pump alarms in everyday hospital use: A real-world descriptive analysis. Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing, 45(4), 197-203. https://doi.org/10.1097/DCC.0000000000000764
- Romain, S. B., Vital, C. J., & Giuliano, K. K. (2026). Enhancing IV smart pump setup and flow rate accuracy: An exploratory study on an educational intervention in critical care. International Journal of Critical Care, 20(2), 37-46. https://doi.org/10.29173/ijcc1050
- Vital, C. J., Schroers, G., Fortnam, K., Eckel, S. F., Degnan, D., Armistead, L. T., & Giuliano, K. K. (2025). Evaluation of interruptions during IV smart pump medication administration in intensive care units. Journal of Patient Safety. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1097/PTS.0000000000001427
- Benjamin, E., Romain, S., Vital, C., Blake, C., Peterson, C., & Chung, J. (2025). “They don't know what it's really like”: Qualitative insights into inpatient nurses' perceived workload. BMC Nursing, 24, e1083.
- Melnyk, B. M., O'Hara, S., Hsieh, A. P., Helsabeck, N. P., Giuliano, K. K., & Vital, C. (2025). Validity and reliability of the new Innovation Culture Scale© for use in healthcare settings. The Journal of Nursing Administration, 55(8), 436-442. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNA.0000000000001607
- O'Hara, S., Melnyk, B. M., Hsieh, A. P., Helsabeck, N. P., Giuliano, K. K., & Vital, C. (2025). Innovation, wellness, and EBP cultures are associated with less burnout, better mental health, and higher job satisfaction in nurses and the healthcare workforce. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing. https://doi.org/10.1111/wvn.70012 https://sigmapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/9DURBDW8CZAFC9ISHKCA?target=10.1111/wvn.70012
- Vital, C., Benjamin, E., Peterson, C., Naglieri-Prescod, DA., Patrick, K., & Nathanson, B. (2025). Motivators and barriers to obtaining cardiac vascular nursing certification among acute care nurses. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 56(6), 225-230. https://doi.org/10.3928/00220124-20250423-01
- Benjamin, E. (2025). Innovations in emergency nursing: Adapting patient flow management to emergency department overcrowding. Journal of Emergency Nursing, 51(2), 261-268. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jen.2024.10.002
- Georgadarellis, G. L., Cobb, T., Vital, C. J., & Sup, F. C. (2024). Nursing perceptions of robotic technology in healthcare: A pretest–posttest-survey analysis using an educational video. IISE Transactions on Occupational Ergonomics and Human Factors. https://doi.org/10.1080/24725838.2024.2323061
- Benjamin, E. & Guiliano, K. (2024). A work systems analysis of emergency nurse patient flow management using the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) model: Applying findings from a grounded theory study. JMIR Human Factors, 11, e60176. http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/60176
- Vital, C., Peterson, C., Benjamin, E., Naglieri Prescod, D., Faron, P., & Nathanson, B. (2024). Exploring the perceived value of holistic certification among nurses at a Magnet organization. Holistic Nursing Practice, https://doi.org/10.1177/08980101241277050
- Benjamin, E. (2024). The work of patient flow management: A grounded theory of emergency nurses. International Emergency Nursing, 74, e101457. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ienj.2024.101457
- Vital, C. J., & Nathanson, B. H. (2023). Effects of the interruption management strategy "Stay S.A.F.E." during medication administration. Rehabilitation Nursing. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1097/RNJ.0000000000000404
Nursing Research at Baystate Health
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