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 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. In the course of this research, using both qualitative and quantitative methods, she: 1) developed the theoretical framework, 2) designed and developed the intervention, 3) implemented the intervention and analyzed its results, and 4) evaluated the intervention using focus groups.

Applying the knowledge acquired regarding increasing mobility, tailoring interventions, and worker behavior change during her dissertation research, Dr. Yap developed a cost-effective, nurse-led intervention to reduce incidence and 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. The effectiveness of this intervention was demonstrated in recently-completed study funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Interdisciplinary Nursing Quality Research Initiative (clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01008254). In the course of this study, the 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 the development of a new psychometric tool to assess nursing culture. The Nursing Culture Assessment Tool (NCAT) is will be used in Drs. Ruth Anderson and Cathleen Colόn-Emeric’s R01 study to evaluate nursing culture change after using a staff interaction intervention (CONNECT) with a falls quality improvement intervention.

Academic Program Affiliations

Doctor of Nursing Practice Program
PhD in Nursing Program

Education

PhD	University of Cincinnati College of Nursing

Professional Certifications

ANSI	ANSI Edge Safety certification
WCC	Wound Care Certified
Aud.Cert.	CAOHC Audiometric Certification

Research Interests

Dr. Yap’s research has been interdisciplinary since its inception, and she has a strong interest in translational science, with a developing program of research in the areas of activity/mobility, as well as organizational and behavior change as they relate to quality indicators and measurements. Her research program is concerned with understanding and improving nursing care processes and their impact on outcomes. She is committed to improving the care outcomes of older adults in long-term care settings, particularly with respect to reducing facility-acquired pressure ulcers.

Awards and Honors

• 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

• health behavior change
• occupational / environmental health
• wound care
• pressure ulcers
• organizational/nursing culture

Representative Publications

• 2012 -- Kennerly, S. M., Yap, T. L., Hemmings, A. B., Beckett, G., Schafer, J. Development and psychometric testing of the Nursing Culture Assessment Tool (NCAT). Clinical Nursing Research. 2012, in press;

• 2012 -- Kennerly, S. M., Yap, T. L., Miller, E. A nurse-led interdisciplinary leadership approach targeting pressure ulcer prevention in long-term care. Health Care Manager. 2012, in press;

• 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)

• Outcomes of Nursing Management Practice in Nursing Homes  
  National Institutes of Health
  2R01-NR003178-09A2
  09/2011-06/2016
  Role: Collaborator
  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.