Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Student nurses converge for an interdisciplinary research conference organized by George Mason students

Taylor Thomas — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 13:59:11 +0000

Student nurses converge for an interdisciplinary research conference organized by George Mason students Taylor Thomas Wed, 06/04/2025 - 09:59

In This Story

Karen Trister Grace

Tara Altay, a PhD student in George Mason’s School of Nursing, noticed an unfortunate conference trend: a decrease in attendance and an increase in price. Disheartened but refusing to remain passive, Altay leveraged her role as treasurer of the �� Graduate Nursing Organization (GNO) to combat this observation becoming the norm. Refusing to see knowledge and network become inaccessible to fellow students and nursing professionals, the GNO, in partnership with George Mason Nurses for Sexual and Reproductive Health (NSRH), organized a D.C.-area interdisciplinary student nursing research conference.

Tara Altay. Photo provided

“The main motivation was to create an affordable, in this case free, student research conference inclusive of all nursing degree programs (ADN, BSN, MSN, DNP, PhD),” Altay said. "One of the most fun parts of professional conferences is the connections made and side conversations with peers. We wanted to create that opportunity for students here and all students around D.C., Maryland, and Virginia."

Altay also added that they also wanted to provide doctoral students with a supportive space to practice presenting their research—one where peers fostered meaningful discussions that enriched and strengthened their work.

The 67 student participants who registered for the conference came from the University of Maryland, Shenandoah University, University of Virginia, George Washington University, Johns Hopkins University, and Virginia Commonwealth University.

“This conference was a great networking opportunity, as well as a chance to learn what other doctoral students are doing during their final year project and what they plan to do with their degree afterwards,” said Kathryn Oliver, an attendee and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) student.

As a self-described young, aspiring health care professional of color, Ka'Lise Benson, a direct-entry Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) student, was thrilled to engage with those with similar aspirations. “I left feeling so grateful and so encouraged. I felt that the conference, having placed me in a space full of like-minded individuals, confirmed the call I already felt so led to answer,” she said.

Meghan Stough presenting her research on opiod use disorder interventions. Photo by Rene Ayala

The conference featured doctoral research in both poster and podium presentations, offering bachelor’s and master's-level students the opportunity to observe the trajectory of their future careers. Meghan Stough, another DNP-FNP student, was one of 18 student presenters. She utilized the conference to share her DNP project on evidence-based interventions to expand access to medications for opioid use disorder in the pre-hospital setting.

“The conference allowed me to practice translating complex clinical work into a concise, accessible format—an essential skill in nursing leadership and advocacy. Presenting and receiving feedback enhanced my confidence in scholarly communication and solidified my role as a nurse leader committed to knowledge dissemination,” Stough said.

Community practitioners were invited to share their field experiences and the innovative ways they apply their nursing degrees to serve diverse populations beyond hospital and primary care settings, including keynote speaker Terri-Ann Thompson from Ibis Reproductive Health, who spoke about her work on reproductive justice. Thompson was joined by four nurse practitioners as co-panelists in breakout sessions. Additionally, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences Women and Gender Studies department adapted their Intersectionality 101 program into a nurse-specific presentation and discussion panel for attendees in support of the conference’s theme, “Equity.”

“I'm so proud of our student chapter members for organizing this impressive event. It was inspiring to spend the day among such motivated students, and I hope this is just the start of an ongoing tradition at George Mason,” said Karen Trister-Grace, assistant professor in the School of Nursing and faculty advisor for NSRH.

Attendees from across the Washington, D.C.-area gather for George Mason student-led nursing conference. Photo by Rene Ayala

Topics

Nursing Research

Student Research

Master of Science in Nursing

bachelor of science in nursing

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Students

Outstanding Public Health Nurse Award: Kadija Conteh-Barrat, BSN '09, DNP '15

Mary Cunningham — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 14:45:37 +0000

Outstanding Public Health Nurse Award: Kadija Conteh-Barrat, BSN '09, DNP '15 Mary Cunningham Tue, 10/25/2022 - 10:45

Kadija Conteh-Barrat, BSN '09, DNP '15

The School of Nursing is proud to honor Kadija Conteh-Barrat, BSN '09, DNP '15 with the Outstanding Public Health Nurse Award.

The Outstanding Public Health Nurse Award recognizes a nurse who makes outstanding contributions to the field of public health, including social justice, health equity, and the delivery of public health care and services. Conteh-Barrat was honored at the School's Honoring Mason Nurses event in April 2022. Learn more here.

Conteh-Barrat is the founder and CEO of Manak Community Health Organization (MaCHO), founded in 2020 to advance health equity and drive better health outcomes in the most underserved communities in Sierra Leone. Conteh-Barrat’s work to help those in crisis and to increase access to quality health care in Sierra Leone was inspired by her life-changing experiences during Sierra Leone's civil war and as a refugee in Guinea.

“Kadija's medical missions and community clinic are helping to address health care needs in Sierra Leone, advance health equity, decrease mortality, and improve health outcomes in these hard-to-reach communities,” said one of her nominators.

In March 2022, Conteh-Barrat completed her second medical mission in Sierra Leone and established a health clinic in the Yurika community, serving 84 villages. She has partnered with U.S. non-profits and the local health district to ensure sustainability, increase capacity, expand care in isolated communities, and provide lifesaving medications, ongoing chronic disease management, and maternal childcare.

She is working toward a postgraduate certificate in Psychiatric and Mental Health at Mason and is an adjunct faculty member in the College. In 2021, she was recognized as an Emerging Leader in Healthcare by United Health Group.

Topics

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

CPH Upward

Mason Alumna Joni Brady (DNP, '15) Incorporates Multicultural Viewpoints to Advance Nursing Practice, Uplift Future Nurses

John Brandon Cantrell — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 18:07:50 +0000

Mason Alumna Joni Brady (DNP, '15) Incorporates Multicultural Viewpoints to Advance Nursing Practice, Uplift Future Nurses John Brandon C… Fri, 10/29/2021 - 14:07

Topics

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

CHHS News

CPH Upward

Joni Brady (DNP, '15) reflects on how her time at Mason prepared her with the skills to lead a global nonprofit and progress her career of helping nurses advance across the world.

Mason alumna Joni Brady (DNP,'15) and her family have found a home in many locations, making multicultural viewpoints a welcome norm throughout her life. As part of a military family, Brady has lived in Okinawa, Japan; Stuttgart, Germany; San Diego, California; New York, and now Northern Virginia. In each location, she evolved as a care provider by learning unique perspectives and insights into global health and leadership from nurses all over the world.

While traveling, Brady engaged herself in the local community and furthered her education as a nurse. She earned her nursing diploma in New York, her bachelor's degree in California, and her master's degree in Germany. When she returned to the States, she pursued a Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) degree at Mason, which she completed in 2015.

"What you realize through travel and exposure to those other cultures is we all have the same basic wants and needs, regardless of where we're from," says Brady. "That's one of the things I loved about my education at Mason. We have such a diverse student body, and you get the beauty of all those cultures coming together and sharing their different world views and life experiences."

Growing as a Mason Nurse, Helping Other Mason Nurses Grow

Like many, Brady chose Mason due to the reputation of its diverse community. "I loved the diversity of the student body, and I liked that that there was that diverse population [where my] colleagues would be representing multinational backgrounds," says Brady. "It was beautiful to be with colleagues in that setting of learning, and it was a safe space--everyone was supportive of each other."

The lively atmosphere and curriculum of Mason's DNP program allowed Brady to pursue several projects that prepared her for a career in leadership. One memorable experience for Brady was working on a five-semester implementation science project at Inova with the system nurse researcher. The experience helped Brady provide future opportunities for nursing students.

"Our work, teaching nurses how to implement evidence-based practice, was a pilot research study and went on to underpin annual funding for evidence-based practice grants to practicing clinical nurses,” says Brady.

Since the completion of her project, Inova nurses have produced 40 evidence-based practice projects with results presented locally, nationally, and internationally. "Being involved at Mason gave me the ability to give other nurses the opportunity to grow their practice through my work," says Brady.

Brady’s time at Mason strengthened her skills in clinical nursing, consulting, researching, and leading a global nonprofit. When thinking back on her career, Brady values bringing together different viewpoints and cultures to advance nursing practice across the world. She credits Mason for further preparing her to meet her goals.

"I love that I have been able to tie it all together in a way that is personally meaningful and professionally meaningful," says Brady. "I also think my time at Mason in my doctoral program really prepared me to have the skills to lead a global nonprofit."

Advancing the Nursing Practice Internationally

Brady's appreciation for different cultures and her value in advancing nursing practice are evident in her career as a nursing consultant and researcher. During her time abroad, Brady attended conferences in multiple countries, such as Ireland and the United Kingdom, to understand how different cultures view the perianesthesia specialty, the nursing practice of caring for patients undergoing and recovering from anesthesia due to surgical and invasive procedures.

As the Chair of the International Collaboration of PeriAnesthesia Nurses (a global nonprofit with a multinational board represented by eight countries), one of Brady's goals was to establish a more uniform understanding of the perianesthesia clinical nurse role to strengthen the practice worldwide.

Since then, Brady and a team of researchers have published a well-received study by the international nursing community. The study employed a global survey, which showed discrepancies in how different countries recognized the field of perianesthesia. The findings described the role, responsibilities, and education of perianesthesia nurses working in care units from 11 countries. The peer-reviewed nursing journal publication has been downloaded over 2,100 times since January 2021.

Giving Back to the Mason Community

Just as Brady has helped nurses around the world advance their practice, she values giving back to the Mason community. Her service on the College's Alumni Chapter Board has been instrumental through her advocacy and philanthropy of uplifting Mason's future leaders in health care by promoting new opportunities for students to pursue.

"I'm grateful for the experience, for the comradery, and for the important work that Mason is doing to enrich our community in so many ways," says Brady. "I am proud to be a grad of Mason and continue service through the Alumni Chapter Board."