• Hometown: Davenport, IA
• Faculty mentor/advisor: Daniel Crawford DNP, Faculty advisor/Program Director
• What is your degree program and expected graduate date? Doctor of Nursing Practice: Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Primary Care
• What is your degree program and expected graduate date? May 2023
• Please describe your research: My project is focused on screening for depression in adolescents in a local primary care clinic in my hometown. The aim is to increase early identification and referral to services of depression in children ages 12 and older and improve the quality of mental health care they are receiving.
• In simple terms, why does this research matter? This work is important because issues related to mental health, like depression, in children are underdiagnosed and often left untreated or not adequately treated. We know from research on these topics that this can lead to life-long health consequences such as increased risk for chronic illness and mental health disorders in adulthood. Not to mention suicide is one of the leading causes of death among adolescents aged 15 to 19 years according to the CDC. Mental health is just as important as physical health in our children and ensuring that they are routinely having their mental health screened during their regular physical exams can help ensure that we are providing high quality and holistic health care to patients and their families.
• How soon after starting at the University of Iowa were you able to participate in research? This is my third and final year at Iowa and I began research for this project starting the end of my first year. We are encouraged through our course work to remain up to date on evidence-based practice and research through courses aimed at increasing our knowledge as clinicians in evaluating research and how to translate this to our practice as well.
• How has being involved in research made you more successful at the University of Iowa? I believe that being involved in research has made me more successful by increasing my knowledge and skills, particularly my leadership and critical thinking skills.
• What are your career goals and/or plans after graduation? After graduation, I hope to work with children in the field of development and disabilities as a Nurse Practitioner. I presently am a part of the Iowa Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities Project (ILEND) at the Center for Development and Disabilities through the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics as Graduate Trainee. Through this program I was provided an opportunity to become trained in the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule to assess Autism Spectrum Disorder. I am a mother of a child with Autism, and I hope to find a career in this field to be able to increase access to Autism Diagnostic services as well as other developmental services to children across Iowa in my future practice.
• Does your research have connections to or implications for COVID-19? Please explain. I believe that my project does have connection to COVID-19 due to the reasons I stated but also because a recent study has come out stating that pediatric depression and anxiety has doubled during the pandemic. Mental health issues have been stated to be at an all-time high and national crisis in children during this difficult time.

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