Chia-Ling Mao

Dr. Chia-Ling Mao is a Professor in the Valley Foundation School of Nursing at San José State University's College of Health and Human Sciences. She holds a PhD from Texas Woman's University and has over 40 years of academic and clinical experience in psychiatric nursing and community mental health. Her work emphasizes cultural competency and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Education:

• Doctor of Philosophy, Texas Woman's University, 1985
• Master of Science, University of Illinois, 1977
• Bachelor of Science, National Defense Medical Center, Taiwan, 1971

Research Interests: Dr. Mao focuses on cultural competency in nursing care, global health challenges, and the mental health needs of diverse populations. She pioneered a study abroad program for nursing students to enhance cross-cultural understanding and has taught at undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels. Her research spans topics like complementary medicine use among ethnic minorities, health literacy in aging populations, and nurse-student simulation training.

Publications & Presentations: Over 70 peer-reviewed articles and conference presentations, including work on hypertension adherence in Chinese Americans, CAM practices in pediatric care, and nursing education innovations. Key themes include cultural barriers in healthcare, mental health interventions, and transcultural nursing practices.

Teaching & Service: Teaches courses like NURS 202 (Philosophical Foundations of Nursing Science) and actively volunteers in underserved communities. Her work bridges theory and practice through collaborative research with UCSF and interdisciplinary teams.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with nurse-managed clinics and community organizations to implement evidence-based care models, such as the Omaha System for outcome measurement.