UB SON PhD Student Receives 3rd Place ENRS Poster Award

“I'm thrilled that our poster received this recognition,” de Rosa says. “COVID-19 has affected so many aspects of our everyday lives, and it has been an honor to hear family members share their perspectives. I'm looking forward to continuing research regarding how family caregivers of older adults make a difference in their lives through the care they provide.”

De Rosa’s study sought to learn about the experiences of family members of nursing home residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nursing homes were closed to outside visitors to protect residents from getting sick, but the physical separation also drastically changed residents' interactions with their loved ones. She interviewed family members to find out how they were dealing with the situation. They often felt frustrated and worried, but in many cases, they also found creative ways to stay connected.

“Even though I'm in my second year in the program, ENRS was one of my first conferences, and I was surprised to see my name by itself as an award recipient,” de Rosa says. “We worked as a team on this project, and I could not have even gotten started on my own. I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to collaborate with all of my co-authors.”

Her faculty advisor was Yu-Ping Chang, associate dean for research and scholarship.

"We’re so excited for Cristina for receiving a School Selected Poster Award from the Eastern Nursing Research Society during their annual conference this year,” Chang says. “The competition is amazing, with so many great schools being represented. It’s nice to know that our PhD students and the work they are doing are among the best of the best. Cristina and her team's research findings on her study in family members of nursing home residents have been severely impacted by COVID have been insightful and provided important implications for clinical care and policy.”