Cristina de Rosa, MSN, RN, Stephanie Mucha Scholar

• Hometown: Niagara Falls, NY
• Favorite Self-Care Activities: Power yoga, traveling, outdoor activities
• Undergraduate Education: Master of Science in Nursing, Webster University; Bachelor of Science, Nursing, Binghamton University; Bachelor of Arts, English, University at Buffalo
• Current Program: PhD

In addition to University at Buffalo School of Nursing’s reputation as a research institution, I feel that the PhD program has the resources and support that will enable me to be successful in my academic endeavors.

I am primarily interested in workforce and professional issues, especially self-care for nurses. In my efforts to provide consistently high quality care as an inpatient nurse, I experienced some of the many stressors common in health care that can cause burnout and turnover. As I worked to influence small changes in my environment, I came to realize that these challenges were not specific to me or unique to my nursing unit and that their solutions are likely to be broadly applicable as well.

In the future, I hope to continue research on these issues and their effects on patients, as well as educate students to incorporate solutions into their practice.

I am incredibly thankful for this fellowship, which enables me to pursue my education on a full-time basis. This award gives me the opportunity to achieve my academic and professional goals of becoming a competent nurse researcher and contributing to the evidence base at the foundation of nursing.