What is your specific area of interest in geriatric surgery?
I am interested in developing effective non-pharmacological preventions and interventions for delirium in the geriatric population. Other areas of interest include the way a person’s health literacy directly impacts outcomes, as well as the medical team’s responsibility to meet the patient where they are in order to provide effective care. In my everyday practice, I examine the use of non-pharmacological pain management strategies and sleep hygiene to improve outcomes for the geriatric surgery population.
What is an example of your best work in geriatric research?
Currently, I am working on POSH-DREAM. This team is comparing peri-operative and post-operative screens to assess for delirium risk. A major component of this project is working with nurses to increase their skills to recognize and screen for delirium.
In your opinion, what is an important health services research question that needs to be answered in the field of geriatric surgery?
An important health services research question that I feel needs to be answered is: how does cognitive engagement and normalizing the hospital environment for delirium prevention impact a patient’s ability to return to baseline after surgery? Overall, what does best practice for a geriatric population in the hospital look like?
What is a fun fact about you?
I enjoy vegetable gardening, but I have an active 4-year-old whose main goal is to try to eat almost everything before it gets into the house.