Dr. Spence has been a member of the Carlow faculty for 9 years. During that time she has published a manuscript entitled “Contemporary Variables Impacting Sleep in and Development in Female Gymnasts and Swimmers”.  She has also published a commentary entitled “Preventing the Triad/RED-S by Educating on Variables Affecting Development in Female Adolescent Athletes”.  Dr. Spence has been the Chair of the Carlow IRB and in conjunction with the CTRL has developed an IRB online platform for students, staff and faculty. Her research interests also include medication safety, central line infection prevention, self-care for nurses and promoting leadership and evidence based practice.

Education

• Doctor of Nursing Practice, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA (2012)
• Master of Science Parent-Child Nursing, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (1982)
• Bachelor of Science of Nursing, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI (1978)

Professional Memberships

• The Society of Pediatric Nurses
• American Nurses Association
• Sigma Theta Tau

Research

Interests: Medication Safety; Central Line Infection Prevention, Self-Care for Nurses; Promoting Leadership and Evidence Based Practice. 

• The implementation of a closed flushing system to decrease entries into central lines for pediatric oncology/BMT patients (2015)
• Impact of Daily Bathing with 2% Chlorhexidine Gluconate on Reducing Hospital Acquired Central Line Infection Rates on a Pediatric Oncology Unit (2014-2015)
• Reverse Isolation guidelines for families in an attempt to decrease the risk of infectious diseases in the Hematology/Oncology/Bone Marrow Transplant population. (2013)
• The Impact of Interventions Designed to Reduce Interruptions of Pediatric Nurses During Medication Administration in a Pediatric Hospital (2012)

Publications

• Commentary: Preventing the Triad/RED-S by Educating on Variables Affecting Development in Female Adolescent Athletes, March 2022
• Contemporary Variables that Impact Sleep and Development in Female Adolescent Swimmers and Gymnasts, Sports Medicine-Open, September 2021
• Skin Care Team in the Pediatric ICU, A model for Excellence CCN 2008; 28 (2): 125-135
• Reducing Adverse Drug Events Related to Opiates in Children; CHCA collaborative May 2007.
• Pain Control In Children with Sickle Cell Vaso-Occlusive Crisis. CHCA Race for Results December 07.
• Surgical Infection Prevention: CHCA collaborative, November 2006
• Assessing Postoperative Pain in Neonates: A multicenter observational study, Peds Vol 118 No4, October 2006 ppe992-e1000.
• ED to Inpatient Transfer, Child Health Initiative, November 2004

Awards & Recognition

• Excellence in Nursing Honorable Mention, Pittsburgh Magazine (2015)
• OASIS Award, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh (2013)
• Frank LeMoyne Award, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh (2013)