Mary Dolansky, PhD, RN, FAAN

Sarah C. Hirsh Professor
Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing
Associate Professor
Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences
School of Medicine
Past Director
QSEN Institute
Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing
Senior Faculty Scholar
VA Quality Scholars Program
Director
Sarah Cole Hirsh Institute
Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing

Teaching Information

Teaching Interests

  • Interprofessional Education
  • Quality and Safety

Research Information

Research Interests

  • Heart failure self-management and cognitive impairment
  • Quality improvement and patient safety
  • Implementation science

Research Projects

Research Grants (Completed)

Co-Principal Investigator
Age-Friendly Health Systems Ambulatory Care Implementation: A Partnership among Case Western Reserve University, an Age-Friendly Health System Supporter; CVS MinuteClinic®, an Age-Friendly Health System Participant; and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Hartford Foundation, 4/01/20 to 3/31/23, Total Costs: $2,453,670.

Principal Investigator
Age-Friendly Health Systems Ambulatory Care Extension: A Partnership among Case Western Reserve University, an Age-Friendly Health System Supporter; CVS MinuteClinic®, an Age-Friendly Health System Participant; and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Age-Friendly Health System Implementation Lead.
Hartford Foundation, 10/01/18 to 3/31/20, Total Costs: $953,675.

Educations/Training Grants (Funded)

Mentor
Co-sponsor: Stephanie Griggs, and Ronald Hickman / Predoctoral Student: Pamela Bolton, MSN
The effects of Circadian Rhythm on Outcomes: Racial disparities in sleep, circadian rhythm, and glucoregulation among individuals post-CABG. NINR, Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award, 7/1/23 – 6/30/26.

Principal Investigator
MetroHealth Medical Center / Glick Foundation
Development and Testing of an academic-practice partnership for ambulatory care settings. Academic-Practice Partnership to Enhance BSN Students’ Population Health Competency Development, Clinical Outcomes, and Preceptor Development and Retention. Total budget: $150,000.
 
Faculty
Principal Investigator: Lisa Brannack, DNP
Veteran Core Values. Jonas Philanthropies, Jonas Nursing and Veterans Healthcare
Veteran's Health scholar for the 2021-2023 cohort, $30,000.

Education/Training Grants (Completed)

Core faculty/research Mentor
Shamaine Martin, Shanell Hill, Latoya Paul / Co-Principal Investigators: L. Madigan, P. Sharpnack, K. Mitchell
Bridges to the Doctorate in Nursing for Northeastern Ohio. NIGMS, R25GM111515-01A1,9/1/2015 - 10/1/2022 total: $234,485.

Principal Investigator
COVID-19 Enhancement to the ENRICH: Enhancing Nurse Roles in Community Health: Undergraduate and Workforce Training and Education in Primary Care. HRSA-18-012 Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention (NEPQR)- Registered Nurses in Primary Care (RNPC) Training Program. Total Costs: $70,000, May 2020- April 2021. 

Principal Investigator
ENRICH: Enhancing Nurse Roles in Community Health: Undergraduate and Workforce Training and Education in Primary Care. HRSA-18-012 Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention (NEPQR)- Registered Nurses in Primary Care (RNPC) Training Program. HRSA, 7/2018 to 12/2022, Total Costs: $2,187,305.

Faculty Adviser
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Future of Nursing Scholar. Predoctoral Student: Mary Ann Lawlor MA.E.d., BSN. July 2018 to June 2021.

Core faculty/research Mentor 
Co-Principal Investigators: L. Madigan, P. Sharpnack, K. Mitchell
Bridges to the Doctorate in Nursing for Northeastern Ohio. NIGMS, R25GM111515-01A1, total: $234,485.

Other Research Projects

Principal Investigator (Co-Principal Investigators: Nicholas Schiltz and Anne Pohnert)
Age-Friendly Health Systems Ambulatory Care Scale-up, Sustainability, Spread: A Partnership among Case Western Reserve University, an Age-Friendly Health System Supporter; CVS MinuteClinic®, an Age-Friendly Health System Participant; and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.
Hartford Foundation, 4/01/23 to 3/31/26, Total Costs: $2,567,000

Co-Investigator (Principal Investigator: Shanina Knighton)
1R01AG078273-01. Clean Hands Accessible and Manageable for Patients (CHAMPs): A technology-based self-management intervention to improve patient hand hygiene and reduce hand contamination among older adults. National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, 10/1/2022 to 9/30/2025, $3,020,105

Multiple Principal Investigator (MPIs: Rao (Contact PI), Koopman Gonzalez, Miller, Pronovost)
Center to Improve Clinical Diagnosis. The goal of this study is to establish a center devoted to identifying best practices for diagnosis of common, but serious medical problems, and to demonstrate the center's capability through three distinct demonstration projects. AHRQ R18 HS029358  09/30/22-09/29/26, Total Award: $3,890,553.

Co-Investigator (Principal Investigator: A. Hijaz & G. Rao)
Empowering Women and Providers for Improved Care of Urinary Incontinence : EMPOWER Study
The EMPOWER study is an integrated, multilevel (patient, provide, and system) approach that addresses key barriers to diagnosing and managing UI in the primary care setting. AHRQ 1U18HS028742-01 02/2022 to 1-31-2025. Implementation and Dissemination of Evidence-based Practice. Total, 2,990,999.

Co-Lead of the Workforce Development for Clinical Research Staff Professionals Module in the Training & Outreach Element. (Principle Investigator: McComsey, Grace A.)
1 UM1 TR004528-01,  National Center for Advancing Translational Science. Case Western Reserve University Clinical and Translational Science Collaborative of Northern Ohio, Catalyzing Linkages to Equity in Health (CLE Health). Major Goals: The major goals of the CTSC are to improve health and eliminate disparities by 1) facilitating and expediting innovation in multicenter clinical and translational science, 2) supporting novel approaches that address gaps in clinical and translational science, and 3) training a robust, diverse clinical and translational science workforce at all levels. 07/2023 – 06/2030 Total Award Amount (including Indirect Costs): $56,334,787.

Co-Investigator. Principal Investigator: Sara Douglas, PhD. CLOSER_A Videoconference Intervention for Distance Caregivers. NIH/NINR. The proposed research study tests an intervention delivered via videoconference that provides information and support to improve distance caregivers’ anxiety, distress, depression and health status. 1 R01 NR 015464-02 Douglas (PI) 3/01/2016-1/31/2020

Principal Investigator: Patient and Informal Caregiver Partnership in Medication Reconciliation across Care Transitions. John A. Hartford, Change AGEnt, January 2015- January 2016.

Principal Investigator: A Hidden Safety Resource: Family Caregiver Participation in Medication Reconciliation across the Transitions of Care, Cardinal Health Foundation, E3 Grant, 4-1-13 – 6-30-14, total budget, 35,000.

Co-Investigator Principal Investigator: Rebecca Boxer, MD Efficacy of Skilled Nursing Facility Heart Failure Management, NIH, NHLBI. NHLBI, 1R01HL113387-01, 5/1/2012-4/30/17, total budget, 2,400,000.

Co-Investigator (Principal Investigator: Melissa Zullo, PhD):Disability, Illness Burden, and Transitions of Care to Cardiac Rehabilitation for Medicare Patients. NHLBI, 1R03HS019795-01 9-30-2010 to 9-29-2012.

Co-Principal Investigator: Cognitive Impairment and Self-management in Adults with Heart Failure, Heart Lung and Blood institute, National Institutes of Health, R01, 4/1/10 to 3/31/14. 

Co-Investigator: Disparities Electronic Self-Management Resource Training to Reduce Health Disparities (eSMART-HD), NIH National Center on Minority Health and Health 9/30/09 – 8/31/11.

Co-Principal Investigator: A Measure of Systems Thinking: A Key Component of the Advancement of the Science of CQI. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, October 2008-April 2010.

Co-Investigator: "The Management of Heart Failure Patients in Long Term Care and Skilled Nursing Settings: The Bridge Project Phase 1." McGregor Foundation. PI Rebecca Boxer, MD, November 2007-November 2008.

Pilot Study Investigator: "The Effects of a Skilled Nursing Facility Self-management Cardiac Rehabilitation Intervention." Center of Excellence to Build the Science of Self-Management: A Systems Approach. S. Moore, Principal Investigator, NIH, National Institute for Nursing Research. P30NRO10676 September 2007 - June 2009.

Principal Investigator: K12 Pilot Funds,“Feasibility and Safety of a Skilled Nursing Facility Self-management Cardiac Rehabilitation Intervention." Case/Cleveland Clinic Multidisciplinary Clinical Research Career Development Award, August 2007 to April 2008.

Principal Investigator: K12 Pilot Funds, "Older Adults in a Skilled Nursing Facility following a Cardiac Event: Need and Feasibility of Cardiac Prehab Services." Case/Cleveland Clinic Multidisciplinary Clinical Research Career Development Award, May 2007 to July2007.

Principal Investigator: K12 Pilot Funds, "Discharge Destination of Older Adults following Hospitalization for a Cardiac Event." Case/Cleveland Clinic Multidisciplinary Clinical Research Career Development Award, May 2006 to November 2006.

Principal Investigator: "Disability and Rehabilitation Services Following Cardiac Events." Ohio Nurses Foundation Research Grant, March 2003 – March 2004.

Post-Doctoral Geriatric Nursing Scholarship recipient: "Building Academic Geriatric Nursing Capacity." Funded by the John A. Hartford Foundation and sponsored by the American Academy of Nursing July 2001 to December 2003.

Principal Investigator: "The Effect of Cardiac Rehabilitation on Older Adults' Recovery Outcomes Following Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery." Rehabilitation Nursing Foundation, New Investigator Award, January 1999 to December 2000.

Recent Funding

Student Funding

Co-sponsor. Predoctoral Student: Anton Vehovec. New Mechanism to Explain Heart Failure Self-Management. NINR, Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award, 7/1/15 – 6/30/18.

Awards and Honors

Isabel Hampton Robb Award for Outstanding Leadership in Clinical Practice
2023
National League of Nursing
Amy J. Berman Geriatric Nurse Leadership Award
2023
Sigma Theta Tau International

Education

Postdoctoral Fellowship
John A. Hartford Foundation
Doctor of Philosophy
Case Western Reserve University
Master of Science in Nursing
Kent State University
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Kent State University
Multidisciplinary Clinical Research Training Program
Scholar NIH-KL2
Case Western Reserve Universtiy/Cleveland Clinic

Additional Information

Related Sites

"Take the Lead on Health Care Quality Improvement," a free massive open online course (MOOC) offered fall 2014, had 5,471 students from 196 countries. The MOOC targets ways frontline health care workers can deliver safer and better care to patients. The principles can also apply to medicine, dentistry, social work, nonprofits, health care professionals and home health care professionals.

Quality and Safety at Frances Payne Bolton

Systems Thinking: Advancing the Science of Continuous Quality Improvement