Brief Bio

Margaret (Midge) Bowers is MSN Assistant Program Director and Lead Faculty of the Adult Nurse Practitioner-Cardiovascular specialty in the School of Nursing MSN program. She is an Associate in the American College of Cardiology, and has over 30 years of experience in cardiac patient care. She holds a secondary appointment in the Department of Medicine as a Nurse Practitioner in Cardiovascular Medicine.

She earned her BSN from Binghamton University in 1981 and her MSN as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in critical care at the Duke University School of Nursing in 1990. She completed a Post-Master’s Certificate as a Family Nurse Practitioner at Duke in 1998 and joined the faculty of the School of Nursing in 1998. She earned the DNP degree from the University of Colorado-Denver in 2012.

Midge Bowers focuses her clinical practice on congestive heart failure. She also has extensive clinical experience in cardiology and critical care transport. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau, the American Association of Critical Care Nurses, the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculty, the Heart Failure Society of America, the American Association of Heart Failure Nurses, and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

Bowers is principal investigator on a Duke Translational Nursing Institute funded grant for the WEIGH-IN Study, which aims to identify the relationship between daily weights and early symptom recognition in patients with systolic and diastolic heart failure and evaluate the relationship of social support, medication and weight monitoring adherence, and symptom perceptions with heart failure-related hospital readmission and mortality.

Academic Program Affiliations

Education

Professional Certifications

Research Interests

Clinical Interests

As a Nurse Practitioner, Midge Bowers leads the pioneering Congestive Heart Failure Disease Management Program in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at Duke University Medical Center. This program helps to manage care for nearly 500 chronic heart failure patients. Its mission is to improve length and quality of life for patients by shifting the focus from crisis management to continuous care. Patients receive care based on scientifically proven models of care. Each patient is assigned to an advanced practice nurse who teaches them how to manage their own care. Patients are given the tools to self-monitor their symptoms, which improves their quality of life and prevents recurrent hospitalizations.

Awards and Honors

• 2015 Named as one of "16 Great Acute Care Nursing Professors", AACN publication BOLD Voices

• 2014 AANP State Award for Nurse Practitioner Excellence - North Carolina, American Academy of Nurse Practitioners

• 2012 Outstanding Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Faculty Award, Duke University School of Nursing

• 2011 Associate, American College of Cardiology

• 2010 Campus Technology Innovators Award presented to DUSON iNet Team for SimSoap: A Twitter Soap Opera, (Category: Teaching & Learning)

• 2009 Distinguished Teaching Award, Duke University School of Nursing

• 2009 Individual Recognition Award Nominee, Glaxo Smith Kline

• 2006 Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year, Duke University School of Nursing

• 1986 Sigma Theta Tau, Beta Epsilon chapter

Areas of Expertise

• Acute / Critical Care
• Cardiovascular

Representative Publications

• 2015 -- Carpenter, J. E., Short, N., Williams, T. E., Yandell, B., Bowers, M. T. Improving congestive heart failure care with a clinical decision unit. Nursing Economic$. Sep-Oct, 2015; 33(5); 255-262

• 2015 -- Pubmed # 26333603 Bowers, M. T. Cardiovascular Health Among an Underserved Population: Clinical Implications. Nurs Clin North Am. September, 2015; 50(3); 457-64

• 2015 -- Pubmed # 25819861 Granger, B. B., Ekman, I., Hernandez, A. F., Sawyer, T., Bowers, M. T., DeWald, T. A., Zhao, Y., Levy, J., Bosworth, H. B. Results of the Chronic Heart Failure Intervention to Improve MEdication Adherence study: A randomized intervention in high-risk patients. Am Heart J. April, 2015; 169(4); 539-48

• 2015 -- Bowers, M. T. Professional issues in heart failure nursing (Chapter 11). In Heart Failure Nursing Certification: Core Curriculum Review (2nd ed.), edited by Paul, S. and Kirkwood, P. 2015; pp. 263-270. : .

• 2014 -- Bowers, M. T., Baas, L. Setting up systems of care. In Heart Failure Disease Management: From Planning to Implementation (1st Ed.), edited by Paul, S. 2014; Mt. Laurel, NJ: American Association of Heart Failure Nurses.

• 2013 -- Bowers, M. T. Managing patients with heart failure. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners. November, 2013; 9(10); 634-642

• 2012 -- Bowers, M. T. Professional issues in heart failure nursing (Chapter 11). In Heart Failure Nursing Certification - Core Curriculum Review (1st), edited by Paul, S. February, 2012; pp. 265-276. Mt. Laurel, NJ: American Association of Heart Failure Nurses.

• 2012 -- Pubmed # 22147884 Reed, S. D., Li, Y., Kamble, S., Polsky, D., Graham, F. L., Bowers, M. T., Samsa, G. P., Paul, S., Schulman, K. A., Whellan, D. J., Riegel, B. J. Introduction of the Tools for Economic Analysis of Patient Management Interventions in Heart Failure Costing Tool: a user-friendly spreadsheet program to estimate costs of providing patient-centered interventions. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes. January, 2012; 5(1); 113-9 PMCID: PMC3261318

• 2012 -- Bowers, M. T. Letter from Guest Editor and Research Corner: Atrial and ventricular arrythmias in heart failure. The Connection: American Association of Heart Failure Nurses Newsletter. Winter, 2012;

• 2012 -- Bowers, M. T. Managing arrhythmias in patients with heart failure. The Connection (American Association of Heart Failure Nurses Newsletter). Winter, 2012;

• 2011 -- Pubmed # 21795935 Holt, J. E., Flint, E. P., Bowers, M. T. Got the picture? Using mobile phone technology to reinforce discharge instructions. Am J Nurs. August, 2011; 111(8); 47-51

• 2011 -- Pubmed # 21807321 Shah, M. R., Califf, R. M., Nohria, A., Bhapkar, M., Bowers, M., Mancini, D. M., Fiuzat, M., Stevenson, L. W., O'Connor, C. M. The STARBRITE trial: a randomized, pilot study of B-type natriuretic peptide-guided therapy in patients with advanced heart failure. J Card Fail. August, 2011; 17(8); 613-21

• 2011 -- Reed, S. D., Li, Y., Kamble, S., Graham, F., Polsky, D. E., Bowers, M. T., Paul, S., Whellan, D. J., Riegel, B. Development of a user-friendly cost estimation tool for heart failure patient-centered interventions: The TEAM-HF costing tool Heart and Lung The Journal of Acute and Critical Care. July, 2011; 40(4); 387-388

• 2011 -- Pubmed # 21362527 Sherwood, A., O'Connor, C. M., Routledge, F. S., Hinderliter, A. L., Watkins, L. L., Babyak, M. A., Koch, G. G., Adams Jr, K. F., Dupree, C. S., Chang, P. P., Hoffman, B. M., Johnson, J., Bowers, M., Johnson, K. S., Blumenthal, J. A. Coping effectively with heart failure (COPE-HF): design and rationale of a telephone-based coping skills intervention. J Card Fail. March, 2011; 17(3); 201-7 PMCID: PMC3073538

• 2011 -- Pubmed # 21251581 Sherwood, A., Blumenthal, J. A., Hinderliter, A. L., Koch, G. G., Adams Jr, K. F., Dupree, C. S., Bensimhon, D. R., Johnson, K. S., Trivedi, R., Bowers, M., Christenson, R. H., O'Connor, C. M. Worsening depressive symptoms are associated with adverse clinical outcomes in patients with heart failure. J Am Coll Cardiol. January 25, 2011; 57(4); 418-23

• 2011 -- Bowers, M. T., Gilliss, C. L., Davis, L. L. Acute and primary care advanced practice nursing: Past, present and future. In Advanced practice nursing: Emphasizing common roles. (3rd Ed.), edited by Stanley, J. M. 2011; pp. 114-145. Philadelphia: F. A. Davis.

• 2010 -- Barzee, M., Bowers, M., Molloy, M., Lanier, N. Love in the CND: Mistakes and Missed Connections [a SimSoap Opera] February 8-14, 2010;

• 2010 -- Barzee, M., Bowers, M., Molloy, M., Lanier, N. A SimSoap: Using a Twitter narrative in nursing education. February 8-14, 2010;

• 2009 -- Pubmed # 19114412 Blood-Siegfried, J., Bowers, M. T., Lorimer, M. Is shock a key element in the pathology of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)? Biol Res Nurs. October, 2009; 11(2); 187-94 PMCID: PMC2989240

• 2008 -- Pubmed # 18523222 Allen, L. A., Yager, J. E., Funk, M. J., Levy, W. C., Tulsky, J. A., Bowers, M. T., Dodson, G. C., O'Connor, C. M., Felker, G. M. Discordance between patient-predicted and model-predicted life expectancy among ambulatory patients with heart failure. JAMA. June 4, 2008; 299(21); 2533-42

• 2008 -- Pubmed # 18371490 Shah, M. R., Whellan, D. J., Peterson, E. D., Nohria, A., Hasselblad, V., Xue, Z., Bowers, M. T., O'Connor, C. M., Califf, R. M., Stevenson, L. W. Delivering heart failure disease management in 3 tertiary care centers: key clinical components and venues of care. Am Heart J. April, 2008; 155(4); 764.e1-5

• 2005 -- Pubmed # 16290955 Shah, M. R., Claise, K. A., Bowers, M. T., Bhapkar, M., Little, J., Nohria, A., Gaulden, L. H., McKee, V. K., Cozart, K. L., Mancinelli, K. L., Daniels, H., Kinard, T., Stevenson, L. W., Mancini, D. M., O'Connor, C. M., Califf, R. M. Testing new targets of therapy in advanced heart failure: the design and rationale of the Strategies for Tailoring Advanced Heart Failure Regimens in the Outpatient Setting: BRain NatrIuretic Peptide Versus the Clinical CongesTion ScorE (STARBRITE) trial. Am Heart J. November, 2005; 150(5); 893-8

• 2004 -- Bowers, M.T. Diuretics and nitrates (Chapter 30). In Cardiovascular Nursing Secrets, edited by Davis, L. 2004; pp. 341-348. St. Louis: Mosby.

• 2004 -- Bowers, M.T. Heart failure (Chapter 11). In Cardiovascular Nursing Secrets, edited by Davis, L. 2004; pp. 115-126. St. Louis: Mosby.

• 2002 -- Champagne, M. T., Hewitt, D., Short, N., Brown, S., Bowers, M. Access to opportunity: The Duke-East Carolina Partnership for Training Program. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks-Special Nursing Edition. August, 2002; 6(2);

• 2000 -- Pubmed # 11072275 DeWald, T., Gaulden, L., Beyler, M., Whellan, D., Bowers, M. Current trends in the management of heart failure. Nurs Clin North Am. December, 2000; 35(4); 855-75

• 1991 -- Bowers, M. T. The Hamlet disaster: a nursing perspective. Nursing Matters. 1991; 2

Grant Funding (selected)

• The Relationship Between Daily Weight Monitoring and Early Symptom Recognition in Patients with Chronic Systolic and Diastolic Heart Failure (Weigh-In CHF)  
  American Association of Critical Care Nurses
  03/2008-02/2010
  Role: PI
  Project Goal: To identify the relationship between daily weights and early symptom recognition in patients with systolic and diastolic heart failure. Secondary objectives include evaluating the relationship of social support, medication and weight monitoring adherence, and symptom perceptions with heart failure related hospital readmission and mortality.

• Tools for Economic Analysis of Patient Management Interventions in Heart Failure  
  National Institutes of Health; National Institute of Nursing Research
  09/2009-09/2011
  Role: Co-PI
  Project Goals: To develop tools to allow investigators to conduct high-quality economic evaluations of healthcare interventions, particularly those that involve patient-focused education or behavioral modification. To develop a disease simulation model designed to evaluate short- and long-term costs and health outcomes associated with patient-focused interventions. To build a disease simulation model that can be used by other research groups or healthcare managers to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of specific interventions aimed at patients with heart failure. The model will be designed specifically to allow users to define their patient cohort at baseline and integrate the observed effect(s) of the intervention. The model will apply these inputs and run simulations to project expected short-term and long-term effects on costs and health outcomes, including quality-adjusted life-years.

• Creating a National Model for Nurse Educator Preparation at the Master’s Level  
  HRSA Advanced Education Nursing Program
  07/2009-06/2012
  Role: Consultant
  Project Goals: To prepare graduates as advanced generalists capable of teaching prelicensure personnel. Consultant for development of acute care course content.

• Durham Health Innovations: VIP (Vascular Improvement Project)  
  Duke Translational Institute
  07/2009-06/2010
  Role: Steering committee member
  Duke Translational Institute: Grants to Plan Innovative Duke-Durham Partnered Approaches to Specific Health Problems in Durham County Project Goals (PIs K. Thomas & S. Elliott-Bynum): We will identify specific Durham locales that display a high prevalence of cxhronic cardiac disease, hypertension and kidney disease, and we will construct community-based programs to aggressively manage hypertension in the targeted areas to improve the health of residents.

• Expecting Success in Cardiac Care: Reducing Racial Disparities  
  Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
  07/2005-06/2008
  Role: Leader of Community Demonstration Project
  Project Goal: Evaluate racial disparities in cardiac care in the Durham community. Goals focus on inpatient and outpatient cardiac care for African American and Latino population. Community Demonstration Project Leader role encompassed acting as liaison with medical and nursing leadership at the community health center. Provided care as a nurse practitioner in the Lincoln Community Health Clinic October 2005-July 2007. Participate in twice monthly Heart Failure Consult clinic at this site in the Durham community.

• Adult Physical Exam Video Project  
  Duke Center for Instructional Technology Jump Start grant
  04/2006-04/2007
  Role: Project faculty
  This project created video series that demonstrate a specific adult physical examination taught in N332 Physical Assessment. The various formats of the videos were integrated to online courses posted in Blackboard, to self-paced web tutorials for online learning and to video iPods for mobile learning.

• STARBRITE  
  American Heart Assoc., American College of Cardiology, Duke Clinical Research Institute, Biosite Diagnostics, Inc.
  4389/03/12R1
  07/2003-06/2006
  Role: Co-PI
  Project Goal: To evaluate strategies for tailoring heart failure regimens in the outpatient setting comparing BNP levels with Clinical Congestion Score.

• Simulation in Critical Decision Making: Train the Trainer  
  National League for Nursing
  01/2001-01/2004
  Role: Co-PI
  Project Goal: To identify alternate methods of providing preceptor education to rural preceptors in the Nurse Practitioner and CRNA specialties using clinical simulation.