Amanda Constance Blok

Amanda Constance Blok is an Assistant Professor at UMass Chan Medical School, affiliated with the Graduate School of Nursing and the Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences. She also holds a position as a Nurse Fellow at the VA Center for Healthcare Organization & Implementation Research (CHOIR), where her work supports veterans and their families through quality improvement and implementation science initiatives.

Education:

• BS in Nursing, Oakland University
• MS, Boston College
• PhD in Nursing, University of Massachusetts Boston
• Postdoctoral Fellow in Implementation Science, University of Massachusetts Medical School

Dr. Blok's research focuses on health behavior change, nurse-driven implementation of digital health interventions, and caregiver support in critical care and oncology settings. She has extensive clinical experience as a nurse and specializes in tobacco cessation and behavioral interventions. Her work integrates implementation science with health informatics to develop scalable, evidence-based solutions.

The most recent articles demonstrate a strong trend in qualitative and mixed-methods research on family caregiving, smoking cessation through gamified and peer-driven digital tools, and the use of mHealth in inpatient and ambulatory settings. She frequently collaborates on interdisciplinary teams, particularly within the Veterans Health Administration, to improve healthcare delivery and patient engagement.

Scientific Contributions:

• Developed and evaluated nurse-led mHealth programs for smoking cessation
• Explored psychological distress in family caregivers during critical illness
• Advanced research on gamification and peer marketing in behavioral interventions
• Contributed to national policy discussions on lung cancer screening and smoking disparities

Dr. Blok advises on implementation strategies and has contributed to numerous clinical trials and pragmatic studies, particularly in digital health adoption and quality improvement. Her work is supported by collaborations across institutions and VA research networks, reflecting a strong commitment to translational science and veteran-centered care.

She is actively involved in research teams focused on healthcare innovation, including the use of virtual care technologies and data-driven workshops to improve teamwork in oncology. Her leadership in interdisciplinary projects underscores her role in advancing nursing science and implementation research.