Class Year: 2023
Program/major: PhD in Nursing
Shanell Hill thrives on the fast-paced environment and the challenges that come with caring for the most critical patients. As a critical care nurse in an open-heart unit, Hill says the reward comes when she sees her patients transition from the operating room to walking and moving into a step-down unit.
“Early and progressive mobility is key for recovery in this population, which is why I decided to study implementation of mobility interventions in critical care,” she said. “The evidence shows the benefits of mobility; however, that continues to be a challenge in the critical care area.”
Hill was introduced to Case Western Reserve University through the Bridges to the Doctorate Program at the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing. The program provides research opportunities for Master of Science in Nursing students from Ursuline College and Cleveland State University from underrepresented populations and introduces the students to Case Western Reserve’s PhD program.
“As a Bridges Scholar, I was able to get a sense of the environment and culture at CWRU. The support offered by CWRU is unmatched. The professors really care about students and want them to succeed,” she said.
Nursing is the largest discipline within healthcare, and Hill said she’s excited to see nurses moving toward functioning at their full capabilities, ensuring more efficiency and providing patients with better access to care.
“I am also excited to see nursing becoming more diverse,” Hill, who is the diversity chair for CWRU’s chapter of the PhD Student Nurses Association, added. “Nursing demographics are slowly moving closer to those being served. Having more diversity in nursing is one essential step toward mitigating healthcare disparities.”