Kelly A. Bosak, PhD, APRN, ANP-BC, FHFSA

Professional Background

Dr. Bosak is a certified adult nurse practitioner with expertise in acute and chronic cardiovascular conditions, with a focus on heart failure. She received pre-doctoral fellowship funding from the American Heart Association to develop and test her internet intervention to improve exercise adherence in adults with cardiovascular-renal-metabolic syndrome. Since joining the University of Kansas School of Nursing faculty, Dr. Bosak received the NIH K-12 research career development award with competitive renewal over 5 years to test the active components of Social Cognitive Theory underlying exercise adherence in adults with cardiovascular disease facilitated by neuroimaging. She participated in the Clinical Translational Science Award (CTSA) post-doctoral research practicum at Mayo Clinic. She also received pilot funding from the KUMC Research Institute and the Office of Grants and Research plus other internal funding awards to investigate exercise adherence in adults with heart failure and implementation of guideline-directed medical therapy in clinical practice. As research evolves and priorities change, Dr. Bosak has identified a need to develop new knowledge and skills in implementation research methods, and electronic health technology to facilitate clinical interventions and reduce disparities in outcomes for adults with heart failure in the rural setting.

• BSN, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing
• MSN, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing
• Other, Adult Nurse Practitioner, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing, Omaha, NE
• PhD, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing
• Post Doctoral Fellowship, University of Kansas Medical Center

• Adult Nurse Practitioner Certification, American Nurses Credentialing Center
• Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Kansas State Board of Nursing
• Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, State of Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
• Registered Nurse, State of Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services

• Friends of the National Institute of Nursing Research Ambassador Program , Friends of NINR Ambassador, Member, 2024 - Present
• American Heart Association Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing , Member, 2021 - Present
• Heart Failure Society of America, Data and Heart Failure Core Writing Committee; Scientific Statements Committee, Member, 2021 - Present
• Midwest Nursing Research Society , Research Interest Group Advisory Committee, Chair, 2013 - 2016
• Midwest Nursing Research Society , Research Interest Group Advisory Committee, Member, 2012 - 2013
• Midwest Nursing Research Society , Research Interest Group Advisory Committee, Member, 1996 - Present

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Research

Overview

My program of research focuses on intervention development and implementation to strengthen the biobehavioral mechanisms of physical, cognitive, and psychosocial resilience in patients with chronic health conditions, specifically heart failure. In my pre-doctoral fellowship funded by the American Heart Association, I investigated the impact of an internet exercise intervention for individuals with cardio-metabolic-renal syndrome demonstrating positive effects on lipid biomarkers, feasibility, and fidelity of the exercise intervention (published in the Western Journal of Nursing Research). My post-doctoral research (K12) at the University of Kansas demonstrated the biobehavioral basis of exercise adherence and tested theoretical constructs and cognition underlying my exercise intervention using functional magnetic resonance imaging (published in Nursing Research). I collaborated on an investigation of the factors affecting adherence to exercise in patients with heart failure with an interdisciplinary multi-site research team centered at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. This research found that negative attitudes and self-efficacy mediated long-term adherence to exercise in patients with heart failure (published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine). I am currently Co-I on a HRSA grant to expand respiratory therapy and hybrid cardiopulmonary rehabilitation and develop a rural network to increase the registered nurse workforce capacity in Kansas. This experience has been key in developing my knowledge and skills for success as HRSA Fellowship Director for advanced practice nurses transitioning to autonomous practice across the state of Kansas. My previous research experience and variety of funding sources is consistent with my goals to develop and implement interventions that are widely disseminated, sustained, and evaluated in the real-world rural health clinic setting. I am currently pursuing funding from the Kansas Center for Implementation Science (KCIS), a NIH supported Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) for appointment as a Research Project Leader (RPL). I will develop a mobile intervention to strengthen psychosocial resilience for adults with heart failure and examine known biomarkers of myocardial stress, epigenetics, and sex and gender differences to identify individuals who will benefit most from strengthening resilience.

• Advancd Practice Nurse Fellowship, HRSA, Other

• Bosak, Kelly, Yates, B, Pozehl, B. 2009. Feasibility of an internet physical activity intervention.. Western journal of nursing research, 31 (5), 648-61
• Bosak, Kelly, Yates, B, Pozehl, B. 2010. Effects of an internet physical activity intervention in adults with metabolic syndrome.. Western journal of nursing research, 32 (1), 5-22
• Bosak, Kelly, Pozehl, B, Yates, B. 2012. Challenges of applying a comprehensive model of intervention fidelity.. Western journal of nursing research, 34 (4), 504-19
• Bosak, Kelly. 2012. Managing metabolic syndrome in women.. The Nurse practitioner, 37 (8), 14-20; quiz 20-1
• Bosak, Kelly, Martin, Laura., E. 2014. Neuroimaging of goal-directed behavior in midlife women.. Nursing research, 63 (6), 388-96
• Bosak, K, Park, ShinHye. 2017. Characteristics of adults seeking healthcare provider support facilitated by mobile technology: secondary data analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research: Human Factors, 4 (4), e33
• Bosak, Kelly, Shin Hye, Park. 2018. Characteristics of adults' use of Facebook and the potential impact on health behavior: Secondary data analysis . Interactive Journal of Medical Research, 7 (1)
• Bosak, Kelly, Vlad, Papa., B, Morgan, Brucks., G, Cary, Savage., R, Joseph, Donnelly., E, Laura, Martin., E. 2018. Novel biomarkers of physical activity maintenance in midlife women: preliminary investigation. BioResearch, 7 (1)
• Alonso, Windy, Kupzyk, Kevin, Norman, Joseph, Bills, Sara., E., Bosak, Kelly, Dunn, Susan, Pozehl, Bunny. 2021. Negative attitudes, self-efficacy, and relapse management mediate adherence to long-term exercise in patients with heart failure. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, XX, 1-11
• Bosak, K, Abusalim, N., A. 2024. Coordinating Resources for an Implementation-Effectiveness Trial Across an Integrated Digital Network.