معرفی
Associate Professor Terrah Akard, PhD, FAAN, is a faculty member at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing and a nationally recognized expert in pediatric palliative care. She was named a 2019 Chancellor Faculty Fellow, a prestigious honor for recently tenured faculty, and currently serves as Director of the PhD in Nursing Science program. Her research focuses on improving quality of life and reducing suffering for children with life-threatening conditions and their families.
Her research interests include:
- Psychosocial strategies to improve coping in children and families facing serious illness
- Development of web-based recruitment methods for clinical research
- Interventions across the illness trajectory—from diagnosis to bereavement
- Pediatric oncology, neonatal intensive care, and end-of-life care
Dr. Akard’s work has pioneered the use of digital advertising to recruit participants for large-scale randomized trials, a novel approach in pediatric palliative care. Her research has been funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research, American Cancer Society, and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Notable honors include:
- Chancellor Faculty Fellow (2019)
- Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN)
- ADDY Award winner for a research-related video
As a Chancellor Faculty Fellow, she received $40,000 per year for two years to support her scholarship and participate in transinstitutional initiatives. She advises graduate students and leads one of the nation’s premier nursing science doctoral programs, shaping the next generation of nurse scientists.
Dr. Akard is actively involved in advancing research-practice integration and has collaborated with clinicians on continuing education programs. Her leadership in methodology and patient-centered innovation positions her at the forefront of nursing science.
