Current Employment: Clinical Services Director, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, CA

Education

2011

PhD, University of California, School of Nursing, Los Angles, CA

1988

MSN, University of Pittsburgh, School of Nursing, Parent/Child Nursing, Pediatric Oncology Specialty

1983

BSN, Carlow College, School of Nursing, Pittsburgh, PA

Grants

2010

NIHAHRQ Predoctoral Grant Award - Funded, $40,000

2010

American Cancer Society Doctoral Award - Funded, $30,000

2009

Alex Lemonade Stand Foundation Nursing Research Grant - Funded, $26,300

Honors and Awards

1986

Nominee Nurse of the Year, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh (CHP), PA

1994

Nursing Excellence Award for Pediatric Oncology Education, Association Of Pediatric Oncology Nurses (APON)

1996

APON Leadership recognition award, APON

1997

Nominee for California Nurseweek Excellence Award, CHLA

1999

Safety Awareness Award, CHLA

1999

University of Southern California (USC) Team Excellence Award RN Internship CHLA

1999

Nominated for the Casey Hooke APON leadership Award, APON

2004

President Elect, APON

2005 

Nominated CHLA Humanism Award, CHLA

2005

Clinical Practice Recognition Awards, Children's Oncology Group (COG) Nursing Discipline

2005  

President, APHON

2005

Nominated Nursing Excellence Award, Nursing Spectrum California

2005

Runner up Nurse Best Leader Award, Advance for Nurses, Southern California Region

2007

Recipient Kathy Ruccione Founder's Award for Excellence in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nursing, Southern California Association of Pediatric Hematology Oncology Nurses (SCAPHON), San Diego, CA

2008

Recipient Association of California Nurse Leaders (ACNL) Gretta Styles Doctoral Scholarship Award, ACNL, Palm Desert, CA

2008

Recipient Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) Foundation Robert Pierce Scofield Doctoral Academic Scholarship, ONS, Pittsburgh, PA

2008

Recipient CHLA Daisy Award May 2008, CHLA

2008

Recipient J&J Future of Southern California Faculty Nursing Education Scholarship

2008/2009

Nominated for California Nurseweek Excellence Award Leading and Advancing the Profession, CHLA

2010

California Nurseweek Excellence Award Finalist, Leading and Advancing the Profession

2010

Recipient 2010 APHON Casey Hooke Leadership Service Award, APHON

2011

California Nurseweek Excellence Award Finalist, Leading and Advancing the Profession

2012

Recipient 2012 APHON Writing Award, APHON

2013

Inductee 2013 Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing, FAAN

2017

Recognition Top RN in Los Angeles, Worldwide Leaders in Healthcare, International Nurses Association

Publications

Peer Reviewed, Invited, Monographs

2015 Secola, R. Marachelian, A., Cohn, S. L., Toy, B., Neville, K., Granger, M. P., Brentlinger, A., Martin, G. The role of nursing professionals in the management of patients with high-risk neuroblastoma receiving dinutuximab therapy. JOPON, In Peer Review. 2015 Darezzo Rodrigues Nunes, M., Jacob, E. Adlard, K., Secola , R., Castanheira Nascimento, L. Fatigue and sleep experience at home in children and adolescents with cancer. Oncology Nursing Forum, 42 (5), 498-506. 2013 Secola, R. Targeted Therapy in Children and Adolescents with Cancer. APHON Counts, Fall, 2013. 2013 Altounji, D. Morgan, H., Grover, M., Dalduyman, S., Secola, R. Self Care: What it means to the pediatric hematology oncology nurse. Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing, 30 (1), 18-23. 2012 Secola, R. Azen, C., Lewis, MA, Needleman, J., Pike, N., Sposto, R., Doering, L. A Crossover Randomized Prospective Pilot Study Evaluating a Central Venous Catheter Team in Reducing Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infections In Pediatric Oncology Patients. Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing, 29 (6), 307-315. 2012 Secola, R., Lewis, M.A., Pike, N., Needleman, J. Doering, L. (2012). “Targeting to Zero” in Pediatric Oncology: A Review of Central Venous Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infections. Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing, 29 (1), 14-27. 2012 Secola, R., Lewis, M.A., Pike, N., Needleman, J., Doering, L. (2012). Feasibility of the Use of a Reliable and Valid Central Venous Catheter Blood Draw Checklist. Journal of Nursing Care Quality, 27 (30), 218-225. 2010 Fichera, S., Hackett, H., & Secola, R. Perinatal germ cell tumors: A case report of  a cervical teratoma. Advances in Neonatal Care. 2010 June; 10(3): 133-9. 2010 Kanathezhath, B., Shah, A. J., Secola, R., Hudes, M., Feusner, J. H. The utility of routine surveillance blood cultures in asymptomatic hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients. Journal of Pediatric Hematology Oncology.2010 May; 32(4): 327-31. 2009 Angiolilo, A., Ingle, A. A., Yu, A., Secola, R., Reaman, G. H., Adamson, A. A  Phase II study of campath-1H in children with ALL in second or refractory relapse. Pediatric Blood and Cancer,2009 Dec; 53(6):978-83. 2007 Secola, R. (2007). Overview of ITP Diagnosis and Current Treatment Modalities, Online Continuing Education Study Program, Baxter Healthcare and Blitz Associates. 2006 Secola, R. (2006). Tumor Lysis Syndrome: Nursing Management and New Treatment Options. John Hopkins Advanced Studies in Nursing, 4(3), 41-48. 2005-2007 President’s Pens, Issue themes, APHON Counts Newsletters. 2004 Cairo, M.S., Davenport, V., Bessmertny, O., Goldman, S., Berg, S., Kreissman, S.G., Laver, J., Shen, V., Secola, R., van de ven, C., Reaman, G.H. (2004). A Phase I/II trial of  recombinant human Interleukin-11 (Neumega) following Ifosfamide, Carboplatin, Etoposide (ICE) in children and adolescents with solid tumors or lymphoma: a clinical,  haematological and biological study. British Journal of Haematology, 128(1), 49-58. 2001 Secola, R. (2001). Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: A glimpse of the past and a  view of the future. JOPON, 18(4), 171-177. 2001  Bracho, F., Krailo, M., Shen, V., Bergeron, S., Davenport, V., Mares, W.L., Blazar, B. R., Mortari, A. P., van de Ven , C., Secola, R., Ames, M. M., Reid, J. M., Reaman, G., Cairo,  M.(2001). A Phase I Clinical, Pharmacological and Biological Trial of Interleukin-6 Plus Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor after Ifosfamide, Carboplatin, and Etoposide in Children with Recurrent/Refractory Solid Tumors: Enhanced Hematological Responses but a High Incidence of Grade III/IV Constitutional Toxicities. Clinical Cancer Research, 7, 58-67.   2000 Secola, R., Derrickson, J., Reid, D. (2000). Establishing RN competency for the administration of sedation and analgesia to pediatric oncology patients. JOPON, 17, 124-126. 1999 Ethyol Amifostine, Secola, R., JAPON Summer Issue. 1999 Ethoyl Amifostine, Secola, R., CCG Nursing Newsletter. 1998 Abstract-Videotaped Instruction for Primary Caretakers of Pediatric Oncology Patients JAPON Winter, 1998 (Secola,R.,  Adlard, K.). 1998 Cairo, M. S., Krailo, Weinthal, J. A., Secola, R., Bergeron, S., van de Ven, C., Blazar, B.R., Garrison, L., Reaman, G. H.  (1998). A Phase I study of granulocyte-macrophage- colony stimulating factor/interleukin-3 fusion protein (PIXY321) following ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide therapy for children with recurrent or refractory solid tumors A  report of the Children's Cancer Group. Cancer 83 (7), 1449 -1460. 1997 Secola, R. (1997). Pediatric Blood Cell Transplantation. Seminars in Oncology Nursing, 13(3), 184-193. 1996 Rosenthal, J., Sender, L., Secola, R., Killen, R., Millerick, M. Murphy, L., Cairo, M. S. (1996). A Phase II trial of heparin prophylaxis for veno-occlusive disease (VOD) of the liver in children undergoing bone marrow transplantation, Bone Marrow Transplantation, 18(1), 185-191. 1996 Abstract - The Safety and Efficacy of Repetitive Peripheral Stem Cell Support in Children Receiving Sub-myeloablative Chemotherapy, Shen, V. et. al., American Association for Cancer Research, 1994. 1994 Abstract "The Use of Colony Stimulating Factors In Children", Secola. R., JAPON, May 1994. 1993 Secola, R. (1993). PIXY 321(GM-CSF/IL-3 Fusion Protein). JOPON, 10(3), 117-118.

Books/Chapters

2012 Secola, R., Harrison, L., and Altounji, D. Nursing Considerations for Children, Adolescents and Young Adults with Hematological Malignancies, In: Hematological Malignancies in Children, Adolescents and Young Adults, Cairo, M.S. and Perkins, S. L. (eds). World Scientific Publishing, Singapore. 2003 Natalie's Neumega and Nathan's Neumega Educational Booklets, Wyeth-Ayerst/Genetics Institute Sponsored, Secola , R., Cairo, M., Davenport, V., PCRF Distributors, Irvine, CA. 1998/2008/2013 Textbook Chapter, Health Challenge: Pediatric Malignancies, Adlard, K., Secola, R., Altounji, D. Bergeron, S. Children and Their Families, the Continuum of Care, 1st /2nd editions, WB Saunders, 1998. 1994/1996/1998 New Agents/Biological Response Modifiers Handbook, CCG New Agents and CCG Nursing Committee. 1993 Developmentally Appropriate Teaching Books on G-CSF Administration, Loranger, N., Secola, R., Leffin, D., AMGEN Inc/CHOC 1993 Biotherapy: The Fourth Modality of Cancer Treatment Handbook, APHON.