College of Nursing Presents Interdisciplinary Research in Helsinki

Faculty from Seton Hall’s College of Nursing took the global stage at the 2025 International Council of Nurses Conference (ICN) in Helsinki, Finland, to present two poster sessions on challenges in chronic illness care and nurse practitioner education.

In the first poster presentation, Moira Kendra, D.N.P., ACNP-BC, program director of the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program, collaborated with nurses from Morristown Medical Center and Santiago Castiello-Gutierrez, Ph.D., assistant professor in Seton Hall’s Department of Higher Education Leadership, Management and Policy.

Kendra’s poster, "Using Drawings to Understand Patient’s Perceptions of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Qualitative Study," shared results from her research on patients hospitalized with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

She asked participants to sketch perceptions of their illness and share their stories through interviews. The results revealed emotional experiences of fear, vulnerability and uncertainty, as well as themes of hope, resiliency and strong nurse-patient relationships.

Kendra said her inspiration for the project came from her experiences as a Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership, Management and Policy student enrolled in Castiello-Gutierrez’s Advanced Qualitative Research course.

“Castiello introduced me to drawings used in qualitative research,” Kendra noted. “As a result of those lessons, I was inspired to use this research technique on patients with COPD.”

This interprofessional collaboration “highlights the College of Nursing’s commitment to integrating humanities and social sciences through meaningful research,” said Kristi Stinson, Ph.D., R.N., A.P.N.-B.C., interim dean of the College of Nursing.

In a second poster presentation, Kendra was joined by the College’s Graduate Department Chair, Mary Ellen Roberts, D.N.P., and adjunct faculty member Catherine Loughery, A.G.A.C.N.P., to present their poster, "Impact of Telehealth Experience in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease on AG-ACNP Student’s Knowledge, Attitude and Practice."

Their research analyzed a telehealth simulation for students in the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program (A.G.A.C.N.P.). Students reported increased confidence in using telehealth platforms — an essential nursing skill in today’s technology-driven healthcare environment.

Participation in ICN highlights the College of Nursing’s dedication to scholarship, global engagement and innovation in both teaching and practice.

“Our goal is to translate research that is innovative into practice to improve patient outcomes. Collaborating across disciplines with colleagues and mentors such as Castiello provides the opportunity to strengthen our work,” said Kendra.

Through research, interprofessional collaboration and technology-enhanced education, Seton Hall continues to educate nurses as servant leaders in a global society.

Categories: Health and Medicine