Denise A Kent, PhD, APRN
Assistant Professor
Department of Biobehavioral Nursing Science
Contact
Building & Room:
722 NURS
Address:
845 S. Damen Ave., MC 802, Chicago, IL 60612
Office Phone:
Email:
CV Link:
About
Dr. Kent is a nurse researcher, committed to improving the lives of those affected by illness. Dr. Kent’s research is centered around researching best practices for the return of individual research results. Dr. Kent is the principal investigator of the RECEIVE Study funded by the American Lung Association (ALA) and co-investigator in the RECOVER Study (NIH funded initiative to address Long COVID) and the Lung Health Cohort Study funded by the ALA. Dr. Kent research focuses on increasing recruitment and retention for clinical research (especially among underrepresented groups).
Dr. Kent is also dedicated to teaching the next generation of nurses as evidenced by her years of teaching in both the undergraduate and graduate nursing programs at UIC. Dr. Kent has more than 17 years of teaching experience. She brings authenticity, transparency, and inclusivity to the classroom, as highlighted in an online publication by the UIC Center for Advancement for Teaching Excellence on teaching innovation. Dr. Kent inspires her students to obtain the knowledge, skills and confidence to drive positive health outcomes for all. She believes strongly in the mantra “lead by example.” Leaders are not born, they are created; and she encourages her students to think like leaders.
Dr. Kent is committed to improving diversity, equity, and inclusion within our college through her efforts as a Change Champion for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). As a champion for DEI Dr. Kent worked to establish department priorities that are in line with the CON strategic plan.
Nursing is a service profession and Dr. Kent’s faculty role is no different. Dr. Kent is an honors college fellow and participates in several college committees. Outside of the University, Dr. Kent is active member of Midwest Nursing Research Society where she serves an award reviewer. Dr. Kent also volunteers at Breakthrough in the East Garfield Park neighborhood to help members of that community struggling with food insecurities. Dr. Kent brings her passion for nursing to her research, teaching and service endeavors. Dr. Kent received her BSN degree from Northern (’00) and MS/Family Nurse Practitioner degree (’04) and PhD in Nursing (’11) from UIC.
Selected Grants
Executive Leadership ILLInet consortium., My ILLInet RECOVER Return Of Results (MIRROR), Principal Investigator
American Lung Association, REturning Computed tomography rEsults to actIVE Lung Health Cohort participants (RECEIVE), Principal Investigator
NHLBI, Researching COVID to Advance Recovery (RECOVER), Co-Investigator
American Lung Association, Lung Health Cohort, Co-Investigator
Selected Publications
Schutlz, C.,Burke, L., and Kent, D.. A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of the Initial Literature regarding COVID-19 Symptoms in Children in the United States Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 2023. Link to Pub
Vanderzwan, K., Hiller, A.,Carlucci, M.,Amusina, O.,Ryan, C., Krassa, T., McPherson, S., Tozer, C., Quinn,L., Kent, D. Mentoring Workgroup for Academic Role Transition Among Clinical Track Nursing Faculty, Journal of Nursing Education, 2023. Link to Pub
Ortiz, L. Kent, D., Ricca, P., Carlucci, M., Vanderzwan, K., Zeiher, W., Kilroy, S. Bloom’s Taxonomy: Framing virtual simulations during the COVID-19 pandemic, Journal for Nurses in Professional Development, 2022. Link to Pub
Vanderzwan, K., Hiller, A.,Carlucci, M.,Amusina, O.,Ryan, C., Krassa, T., McPherson, S., Tozer, C., Quinn,L., Kent, D. Mentoring Workgroup for Academic Role Transition Among Clinical Track Nursing Faculty, Journal of Nursing Education, 2022. (accepted)
Ortiz, L. Kent, D., Ricca, P., Carlucci, M., Vanderzwan, K., Zeiher, W., Kilroy, S. Bloom’s Taxonomy: Framing virtual simulations during the COVID-19 pandemic, Journal for Nurses in Professional Development, 2022. Link to Pub
Kilroy, S. Kent, D., Vanderzwan, K., McPherson, S. Development of a Multisite Nursing Simulation Work Group Focusing on INACSL Standards, Journal of Nursing Education -131R2, Educational Innovation, Vol. 60 No.3, 2021.Link to Pub
Kent, D. A., Fritschi, C., Park, C., & Quinn, L., Young Adults with T1DM: Is Fear a Mediator between Self-Efficacy and Quality of Life? Diabetes, June 2020.Link to Pub
Kent, D.A., & Quinn, L. Factors that Impact Quality of Life in Young Adults with Type 1 Diabetes. Diabetes Educator (Volume 44, Number 6), December 2018.*Link to Pub
MEDIA Coverage
UIC Today- September 15, 2022
Link: UIC Nursing study seeks to improve the return of research results to the participant
UIC College of Nursing Website- September 6, 2022
Link: UIC Nursing Researcher Dr. Kent: Improving how researchers share results with participants
UIC Newsletter- January 2021
Innovations in Online Teaching Link to Pub
Press Release in Practice Update (Diabetes Newsletter)- December 2020
Fear Impacts Quality of Life in Young Adults with Type I Diabetes Link to Pub
Press release in
Endocrine Today (Newsletter)- February 2020
Hypoglycemia fear damages quality of life for young adults with type 1 diabetes Link to Pub
Service to Community
Adult Support Volunteer
BreakThrough-East Garfield Park Community Center
3334 West Carrol Ave
Chicago, IL
Breatkthrough partners with those affected by poverty to build connections, develop skills, and open doors of opportunity. www.breakthrough.org
Professional Leadership
Member, Board of Directors, Med Staff On-Call, LLC. Chicago, IL
Member, Board of Directors, Shiftwise, Inc. Portland, OR
Cofaciliator/Organizer, Mentor Mondays: UIC College of Nursing Student Program
Notable Honors
2012, Entrepreneurial Winning Women-Semi- Finalist, Ernst & Young
2010, Seth Rosen Award, Seth Rosen Family
2000-Present, Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society Member, Sigma Theta Tau
2021, Barb Berger Award for Teaching Excellence, College of Nursing- BNS Department
Education
Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing
University of Illinois at Chicago May 2011
Masters in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner
University of Illinois at Chicago May 2004
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Northern Illinois University May 2000
Licensures and Certifications
Registered Advance Practice Nurse in Illinois, 2004-Present
Registered Nurse in Illinois, 2000- Present
Professional Memberships
American Organization of Nursing Leaders 2019- Present
Chicago Center for Diabetes Translation Research 2019-Present
American College of Healthcare Executives 2009- 2014
American Diabetes Association 2009-Present
Midwest Nursing Research Society 2005- Present
Sigma Theta Tau International 2000-Present
Selected Presentations
Kent, D. A ,Patil, C., Calhoun, B., Freedman, M., Fritschi, C., Tintle, N., & Krishnan, J. My ILLInet Recover Return of Results (MIRROR): A pilot study about participant preferences in a longitudinal COVID study. Central Society for Clinical and Translational Research, Chicago, IL, April 25, 2023.
Kent, D. A, Patil, C., Calhoun, E., Tintle, N., Collins, E., Villegas-Downs, M., & Krishnan, J. My ILLInet Recover Return of Results (MIRROR): Needs of Research Participants. Poster and Presentation at National Academy of Nursing Annual Health Policy Conference, Washington DC, October 6, 2023.
Kent, D., & Quinn, L. Young Adults with Type I Diabetes: A Web-based Approach to Support Research. Nursing Research Day. UIC. Chicago, IL March, 2019
Shin, H., Kent, D., Martyn-Nemeth, P., Park, C., and Quinn, L. Quality of Life in Young Adults with Newly Diagnosed T1DM, American Diabetes Association, June 2014.
Kent, D., Berger, B., Collins, E., Gallo, A., Penckofer, S., and Quinn, L. Psychosocial Factors in Young Adults with T1DM. Poster Presentation University of Illinois Diabetes Research Symposium, October 2013.
Kent, D., Berger, B., Collins, E., Gallo, A., Penckofer, S., and Quinn, L. Leveraging Technology in Young Adults with T1DM. Poster Presentation MNRS Annual Meeting, March 2013.
Kent, D., Berger, B., Collins, E., Gallo, A., Penckofer, S., and Quinn, L. Factors that Impact Quality of Life in Young Adults with T1DM. Poster Presentation American Diabetes Association, June 2012.
Research Currently in Progress
Title: My ILLInet RECOVER Return Of research Results (MIRROR): A pilot study about participant preferences
Grant Award: June 9, 2022
Active Dates: September 2022- Present
Funding: ILLInet-PASC RECOVER Executive Leadership
Role: Principal Investigator
Total Cost: $28,558
RECOVER, a research initiative from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), seeks to understand, prevent, and treat PASC, including Long COVID. PASC stands for post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 and is a term scientists are using to study the potential consequences of a SARS-CoV-2 infection. This pilot study aims to describe the preferences and expectations that participants in the RECOVER ILLInet-PASC Hub (ILLInet-PASC) have for Return of Results (ROR). Participant feedback will be used to create a ROR tool for the ILLInet-PASC study that categorizes participant preferences for use during the ROR process. This pilot study will expand the body of evidence related to RORs and produce an adaptable tool to support a scalable ROR process needed in large, multidimensional studies.