Hundreds attend the 20th Annual UCLA Nursing Science & Innovation Conference

More than 200 nursing scientists, clinicians, educators, students, and leaders from across the country attended this year’s UCLA Nursing Science & Innovation Conference: Celebrating 20 Years of Evidence-Based Practice, Research, & Innovation at UCLA Covel Commons. 

Presented by the UCLA Health Center for Nursing Excellence and the UCLA School of Nursing, this annual event is a hallmark of UCLA’s commitment to pioneering advancements in nursing and healthcare. Attendees had the opportunity to connect with colleagues, exchange ideas, hear innovative research presentations, and make meaningful connections to forward nursing science and practice. 

Keynote presentations from distinguished nurse leaders kicked off and closed out the event. The morning session featured Maria O’Rourke, RN, PhD, FAAN, Chief Executive Officer and President of Maria W. O’Rourke & Associates, LLC, a consultancy focused on professional role clarity and its impact on practice excellence. Dr. O’Rourke’s talk, Professional Role Identity in Nursing: Magnifying the Power of Professionalism in Nursing via the Theory - Research - Practice Connection in Real Time, gave listeners a detailed look at the connection between nursing theory, research, and practice, as well as a reminder of the role nurses play in uplifting the profession. 

The afternoon session featured Kristen Choi, PhD, PMHNP-BC, FAAN, a UCLA assistant professor nursing and public health, as well as associate program director for UCLA’s National Clinician Scholars Program. Dr. Choi’s keynote, Milestones in Innovation: Nursing’s Impact on Health over a Decade of Change, examined the impact of nursing science and innovation on public health markers. 

Along with the keynote presentations, attendees had the opportunity to sit in on two-dozen different podium talks from researchers across the country. The event also featured two poster presentation sessions, with nearly 60 posters from the UCLA School of Nursing, UCLA Health, and more.

Poster Award Winners:

• UCLA Health Evidenced-Based Practice Award: Marielle Ngo, Wenxin Niu, Renee Perez – The Impact of Incorporating Evidence-Based Teaching on Cultural Competency within a Health Science Center in Southern California’s Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists Program
• UCLA Health Quality Improvement Award: Michelle Robison, Tara Goldberg –Implementation of a System-Wide Practice Change to Optimize Gynecologic Surgical Prep
• UCLA Health Research & Innovation Award: Sachi Sengupta, Alejandro Quezada – Nursing Recommendations to Improve Medication Reconciliation within the Discharge and Care Transition
• UCLA School of Nursing 3rd Place Award: TIE
  • Paul Boy, Mayumi Saiki – Perceptions of American Indian Cancer-related Pain Management in a Changing Social Climate
  • Yuriko Matsuo – Accelerated Aging: Concept Development
• UCLA School of Nursing 2nd Place Award: TIE
  • Mayumi Saiki – Exploring the Functional Connectivity of the Hippocampus Area Associated with Allostatic Load Index among Young Workers: A Pilot Study Using Data from Human Connectome Project
  • Matthew V. Peña – Racial Disparities in Mental Health Care Access Among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• UCLA School of Nursing 1st Place Award: 
  • Primadya S. Sakti – Flavored Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS) Use Among Youth in the United States: Insights from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study (2018-2019)

Conference Materials Available:

Conference ProgramPosters Available for ViewingOpening Keynote SlidesSing Your Song - Dr. Maria O'Rourke

Thank you to this year’s sponsors: