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Becky Christian, PhD, RN, FNAP, FAAN

Christian
Professor, School Of Nursing

Program Director, PhD Program

bchristian2@kumc.edu

Professional Background

Becky J. Christian, PhD, RN, FNAP, FAAN is Professor and PhD Program Director at the University of Kansas, School of Nursing. Dr. Christian received BSN and MSN (Family-Child Nursing) from the University of Missouri-Columbia and PhD in Nursing Science from The University of Texas at Austin.

As a nurse scientist guided by clinical expertise in pediatric nursing, Dr. Christian’s program of research is focused on children and adolescents with chronic conditions – the interplay among physiologic, functional, psychosocial, and development characteristics as children integrate chronic illness into their everyday lives; and how families adapt to and manage their child’s chronic condition and/or physical disability.

Throughout her academic nursing career, Dr. Christian has focused on helping students to make linkages between theory, research, practice, and health policy. Dr. Christian has extensive experience teaching child health nursing, theory development, research methods, and measurement, as well as mentoring students in dissertation research and evidence-based practice scholarly projects and translational research. Dr. Christian received the Texas Excellence – University Teaching Award at The University of Texas at Austin.

Dr. Christian’s philosophy of servant leadership has been demonstrated through administrative service as PhD Program Director at two Schools of Nursing, and Department Chair at two Schools of Nursing. In each of these leadership positions, Dr. Christian has provided research mentorship and coaching to students and faculty, while guiding their professional development. Dr. Christian’s professional service has been highlighted by emphasis on research mentorship providing peer review for faculty, mentoring students (PhD, DNP, MSN, BSN), and faculty in research grant proposal development and scholarship, receiving several research mentorship awards.

Dr. Christian is Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing; Distinguished Scholar and Fellow in the National Academies of Practice (interprofessional); member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. Dr. Christian was selected as Child Health Policy Fellow (interprofessional) by American Academy of Pediatrics.

Dr. Christian serves on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Pediatric Nursing writing Research Commentary synthesizing translational research and evidence-based practice articles for each issue. Dr. Christian reviews for scholarly journals including: Nursing Research, Qualitative Health Research, Journal of Pediatric Nursing, Journal of Specialists in Pediatric Nursing, Pediatrics, Journal of Interprofessional Education and Practice, Social Work and Health Care, Sleep Health, and Journal of Translational Medicine.


Research

Overview

Becky J. Christian, PhD, RN, FNAP, FAAN is Professor and PhD Program Director at the University of Kansas, School of Nursing.

Dr. Christian is Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing; Distinguished Scholar and Fellow in the National Academies of Practice (interprofessional); member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, and Phi Kappa Phi. Dr. Christian was selected as an interprofessional Child Health Policy Fellow by American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Christian serves on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Pediatric Nursing writing Research Commentary synthesizing translational research and evidence-based practice articles for each issue (11 years).

As a nurse scientist guided by clinical expertise in pediatric nursing, Dr. Christian’s program of research is focused on children and adolescents with chronic conditions – the interplay among physiologic, functional, psychosocial, and development characteristics as children integrate chronic illness into their everyday lives; and how families adapt to and manage their child’s chronic condition and/or physical disability (Building Life Skills in Children with Cystic Fibrosis; R01-NR04576, NINR, NIH). Dr. Christian (Co-PI) was funded for mixed-methods study to explore Informal Caregivers of Children with Cerebral Palsy (funded 2-phases, Primary Children’s MC Foundation Innovative Research Grant); mixed-methods study, Engaging Adolescents to Prevent Overweight: Exergames and Healthy Eating – Pilot Intervention (Co-PI, UAB Dean’s Scholar Award); an exploratory qualitative pilot study, Adolescents with Cystic Fibrosis: Peer-2-Peer Intervention (PI, University of Louisville, Research Grant-II).

Dr. Christian has served on research grant review panels for NIH (NINR; Social Sciences and Population Studies Integrated Review Group), Tri-Service Military Nursing Research, American Nurses Foundation (level-1 grant review and level-2 funding panels), Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science, and Society of Pediatric Nurses. Dr. Christian reviewed research abstracts for Council for Advancement of Nursing Science, Tri-Service Military Nursing Research, Society of Pediatric Nurses, Southern Nursing Research Society, Midwest Nursing Research Society, Western Institute of Nursing, UAB Minority Health Research Center, and Research! Louisville. Dr. Christian served as Chair – University of Utah Research Committee; Chair – University of Utah College of Nursing Research Committee; member Executive Vice President for Research Internal Grant Review University of Louisville.