Brief Bio

Dr. Tracey Yap came to the Duke University School of Nursing in August 2011 from the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing, where she was assistant professor and deputy-director of nursing at the NIOSH-sponsored Education Research Center. Dr. Yap is Assistant Professor at DUSON, a John A. Hartford Foundation Claire M. Fagin Fellow, and a Senior Fellow in the Duke University Center for Aging and Human Development.

Dr. Yap completed her PhD at the University of Cincinnati. Her dissertation research focused on a tailored behavioral intervention to increase intentional physical activity among workers in manufacturing settings. With funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Interdisciplinary Nursing Quality Research Initiative, she then developed a cost-effective, nurse-led intervention that reduced prevalence of pressure ulcers in long-term care facilities by increasing resident mobility through a prompting system specifically tailored to each facility using musical cues. In the course of this study, Dr. Yap’s research team recognized that the occupational subculture of nursing in each facility played an important role in implementing the intervention, a discovery which led to development of the Nursing Culture Assessment Tool (NCAT), a new psychometric tool for evaluating nursing culture.

Dr. Yap is committed to improving the care outcomes of older adults in long-term care settings, particularly with respect to prevention and management of common yet seemingly intractable geriatric syndromes such as facility-acquired pressure ulcers. She has been selected by the international 2014 Pressure Ulcer Guideline Development Group as a member of the working groups for both older adults and repositioning/mobilization.

Academic Program Affiliations

Education

Professional Certifications

Research Interests

Dr. Yap has a strong interest in translational science, and her scholarship broadly focuses on understanding and improving the processes that facilitate nursing staff implementation of best practices for resident care. Her research expertise includes both quantitative and qualitative methods and the tailoring of interventions that permit the study of group behavior change over time related to outcomes of interest.

Her current research as a Claire M. Fagin Fellow is focused on evaluation and refinement of the NCAT. She is re-examining its content validity in contextually different long-term care settings by exploring staff perspectives on its accuracy. Use of these findings will guide item refinement and/or development of a protocol manual to standardize NCAT use in future clinical trials.

Dr. Yap is also a co-investigator on the R01 study of Drs. Ruth Anderson and Cathleen Colón-Emeric,which is testing the benefit of combining the new CONNECT staff interaction intervention with a fall-prevention quality improvement intervention, in order to reduce patient fall rates in nursing homes. The R01 team has adopted the NCAT as part of the study, and will administer it in each of the 16 facilities at four time points over a five-year period, thereby yielding invaluable information on how nursing culture changes over time with implementation of the CONNECT intervention. The proposed study will identify important new ways in which long-term care facilities can support older adults through fostering a positive workplace culture that facilitates implementation of practices that produce quality care outcomes.

Awards and Honors

• 2012 Working Group Member, 2014 Pressure UIcer Guideline Development Group, National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP), European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (EPUAP), & Pan Pacific Pressure Injury Alliance (PPPIA).

• 2012 Claire M. Fagin Fellowship, National Hartford Centers for Gerontological Nursing Excellence

• 2012 Inducted, Sigma Xi

• 2008 Liberty Leadership Fund's Academic Scholarship, AAOHN Foundation

• 2008 Physical Activity & Public Health Course Fellow, University of South Carolina

• 2007 Physio-Control Academic Scholarship, AAOHN Foundation

• 2006 Inducted, Sigma Theta Tau, Beta Iota chapter

• 2006 Medtronic Academic Scholarship, AAOHN Foundation

• 2005 T42-OH008432-02 doctoral training grant, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

• 2004 Graduate Student Scholarship, University of Cincinnati

• 2004 T42-OH008432-01 doctoral training grant, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

• 2003 Kay Crist Nursing Scholarship, University of Northern Kentucky

Areas of Expertise

• Gerontology
• Quality of Care / Patient Safety
• Translational Research

Areas of Interest

• pressure ulcer prevention
• behavior change
• nursing culture
• organizational culture
• occupational/environmental health

Representative Publications

• 2013 -- Hemmings, A., Beckett, G., Kennerly, S., Yap, T. Building a Community of Research Practice: Intragroup Team Social Dynamics in Interdisciplinary Mixed Methods Inquiry Journal of Mixed Methods. April 11, 2013;

• 2012 -- Pubmed # 22523245 Kennerly, S. M., Yap, T. L., Hemmings, A., Beckett, G., Schafer, J. C., Borchers, A. Development and Psychometric Testing of the Nursing Culture Assessment Tool. Clin Nurs Res. November, 2012; 21(4); 465-483

• 2012 -- Pubmed # 22842762 Kennerly, S. M., Yap, T., Miller, E. A Nurse-Led Interdisciplinary Leadership Approach Targeting Pressure Ulcer Prevention in Long-term Care. Health Care Manag (Frederick). July-September 2012; 31(3); 268-75

• 2011 -- Pubmed # 21675395 Yap, T. L., Kennerly, S. M. A nurse-led approach to preventing pressure ulcers. Rehabil Nurs. May-June, 2011; 36(3); 106-10

• 2010 -- Pubmed # 20954577 Yap, T. L., Busch James, D. M. Tailored e-mails in the workplace. AAOHN J. October, 2010; 58(10); 425-32

• 2009 -- Pubmed # 19650604 Yap, T. L., Davis, L. S., Gates, D. M., Hemmings, A. B., Pan, W. The effect of tailored e-mails in the workplace. Part II. Increasing overall physical activity. AAOHN J. August, 2009; 57(8); 313-9

• 2009 -- Pubmed # 19639858 Yap, T. L., Davis, L. S., Gates, D. M., Hemmings, A. B., Pan, W. The effect of tailored E-mails in the workplace. Part I. Stage movement toward increased physical activity levels. AAOHN J. July, 2009; 57(7); 267-73

• 2009 -- Pubmed # 19103982 Yap, T. L., Hemmings, A., Davis, L. S. The systematic development of a tailored e-mail intervention for health behavior change toward increasing intentional physical activity. West J Nurs Res. April, 2009; 31(3); 330-46

• 2009 -- Pubmed # 19203673 Gillespie, G. L., Yap, T. L., Singleton, M., Elam, M. A summative evaluation of an EMS partnership aimed at reducing ED length of stay. J Emerg Nurs. January, 2009; 35(1); 5-10

• 2008 -- Pubmed # 18330383 Yap, T. L., Davis, L. S. Physical activity: the science of health promotion through tailored messages. Rehabil Nurs. March-April, 2008; 33(2); 55-62

• 2007 -- Pubmed # 18165665 Yap, T. L., Yap, W. Y. Using clinical trial summary results to establish quality measures. JAMA. December, 2007; 298(23); 2740-1; author reply 2741

• 2007 -- Pubmed # 17896651 Yap, T. L., Davis, L. S. Process of behavioral change as it relates to intentional physical activity. AAOHN J. September, 2007; 55(9); 372-8; quiz 379-80

• 2007 -- Pubmed # 17896647 Yap, T. L., Davis, L. S. Health at every size. AAOHN J. August, 2007; 55(9); 344-6; author reply 346-7

Grant Funding (selected)

• Evaluation of the Nursing Culture Assessment Tool as a basis for improving prevention of pressure ulcers in long-term care  
  John A. Hartford Foundation Building Academic Geriatric Nursing Capacity: Claire M. Fagin Fellowship award
  07/2012-06/2014
  Role: Principal Investigator
  The purpose of the research is to refine the previously developed Nursing Culture Assessment Tool (NCAT) by administering it to nursing staff in contextually different long-term care settings, to determine the clinical relevance of the NCAT in the context of PU prevention care practices by re-examining its content validity in this context and exploring focus group perspectives on its accuracy. Use these findings to guide item refinement and/or development of a protocol manual to standardize NCAT use in future clinical trials.

• Outcomes of Nursing Management Practice in Nursing Homes  
  National Institutes of Health
  2R01-NR003178-09A2
  09/2011-06/2016
  Role: Co-investigator
  This research will test the benefit of a new staff interaction intervention (CONNECT) over and above a falls quality improvement intervention in reducing patient fall rates in nursing homes.

• Interdisciplinary Mobility-Team Approach to Reduction of Facility-Acquired Pressure Ulcers  
  Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
  66636
  09/2009-08/2011
  Role: Principal Investigator
  Project Goal: 50% reduction of facility-acquired pressure ulcers in long-term care facilities through enhanced resident mobility.

• Development of a Model for CNA Sub-Culture within Long-term Care  
  University of Cincinnati’s College of Nursing’s Dean’s Research Award
  01/2010-01/2012
  Role: Co-PI
  Project Goal: Field test a qualitative interview instrument & observation guide focused on organizational culture.

• Occupational Health Nursing Program  
  National Occupational Research Agenda
  07/2010-06/2011
  Role: Co-PI nursing portion
  Project Goal: Assist graduate students with research projects.

• Tai Chi a possible way to reduce cardiovascular risk factors in firefighters  
  Pilot Research Program of the NIOSH sponsored Educational Research Center at University of Cincinnati
  T42/OH008432-06
  07/2010-12/2011
  Role: Co-PI/Mentor
  Project Goal Reduce Firefighters’ cardiovascular risk factors related to sedentary behavior.

• Workplace Culture: Psychometric Evaluation of the Nursing Culture Assessment Tool  
  Pilot Research Program of the NIOSH sponsored Educational Research Center at University of Cincinnati
  T42/OH008432-06
  07/2010-06/2011
  Role: Co-Mentor
  Project Goal Develop, test psychometric properties, discover dimensionality, and refine item structure of a nursing culture assessment tool.

• Tailored E-mails in the Workplace: A Focus Group Analysis  
  National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) — Administrative supplement
  T42-OH 008432-05— Administrative Supplement
  07/2007-06/2008
  Role: Co-PI nursing portion
  Project Goal: Administrative supplement to assist MSN students with qualitative research.

• Examining the effect that tailored messages have on intentional physical activity  
  NIOSH & Health Pilot Research Project Training Program, Univ Cincinnati Educ. & Res. Center Grant
  T42/OH008432-02
  06/2007-06/2008
  Role: Principal Investigator
  Project Goal: Evaluate personalized, tailored, email physical activity messages ability to increase intentional physical activity.

• Tailored messages and their effect on intentional physical activity  
  NIOSH & Health Pilot Research Project Training Program, Univ Cincinnati Educ. & Res. Center Grant
  T42/OH008432-01
  06/2006-06/2006
  Role: Principal Investigator
  Project Goal: Design, Develop, and establish content validity for a set of tailored email messages for encouraging intentional physical activity.

• Occupational Health Nursing Program  
  National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH)
  T42 OH 008432-05
  07/2005-06/2011
  Role: Co-investigator
  Project Goal: Train MSN students in occupational safety & health. Train PhD nursing students for research in occupational safety & health.