Research Interests

Workplace violence, Workplace bullying, Lateral violence, The Transition to practice: From Student to Registered Nurse

Education

• Ph D: Nursing and Health Policy, (2006), University of Massachusetts Boston - Boston, MA
  Dissertation/Thesis Title: Workplace Bullying Among Newly Licensed Nurses in Massachusetts and the Relationship to Intention to Leave the Organization
• MS: Medical-Surgical Nursing / Clinical Specialist, (1977), Boston University - Boston, MA
• BS: Nursing, (1973), State University of New York - Plattsburgh, N.Y

Selected Awards and Honors

• Nominated for Teacher Award for exceeding excellence in teaching (2010), Teaching - Student Government Association
• Nursing Department Faculty Teaching Award (2010), Teaching - UMass Lowell MA
• Theta Alpha Brenda Cherry Research Grant (2004), Scholarship/Research - Sigma Theta Tau
• Theta-at Large Research Award (2004), Scholarship/Research - Sigma Theta Tau
• ThetaAlpha Chapter Doctoral Scholarship (2002), Scholarship/Research - Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc
• Janet Dunphy Doctoral Scholarship by District (1998), Scholarship/Research - Massachusetts Nurses Association.
• Excellence in Academic Nursing Education Award by District 5, (1997), Service, Professional - Massachusetts Nurses Association

Selected Publications

• Simons, S.R., Sauer, P. (2013) "An Exploration of the Workplace Bullying Experience: Coping Strategies used by Nurses," Journal of Nurses in Staff Development 29: pp. 228-232
• Simons, S.R., Remington, R. (2013) "The Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Tube: A Nurse’s Guide to PEG Tubes," Medsurg Nursing: Official Journal of The Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses 22:2 pp. 77-83
• Abdallah, L.M., Simons, S.R., Catlin, A., Denney, A., Medas, J. (2012) "Feeding Tube Placement," American Journal of Nursing 112:5 pp. 12-12
• Abdallah, L.M., Simons, S.R. (2012) "Bedside Assessment of Enteral Tube Placement: Aligning Practice with Evidence.," American Journal of Nursing 112:2 pp. 40-6; quiz 48, 47
• Simons, S.R., Stark, R.B., DeMarco, R.F. (2011) "A New, Four-item Instrument to Measure Workplace Bullying.," Research in nursing & health 34:2 pp. 132-40
• Simons, S.R., Mawn, B. (2010) "Bullying in the Workplace--A Qualitative Study of Newly Licensed Registered Nurses.," AAOHN journal : official journal of the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses 58:7 pp. 305-11
• Simons, S.R. (2008) "Workplace Bullying Experienced by Massachusetts Registered Nurses and the Relationship to Intention to Leave the Organization," ANS.Advances In Nursing Science 31:2 pp. E48-E59
• Simons, S.R. (2006) "Workplace Bullying Experienced by Nurses Newly Licensed in Massachusetts and the Relationship to Intention to Leave the Organization," Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The Sciences and Engineering 67:6- pp. 3065-3065

Selected Presentations

• Impact of staff education and electronic medical record alerts on reducing hospital-wide sepsis mortality - Organization of Nurse Leaders, Massachusetts, Rhode Island & New Hampshire, September 2015 - Norwood, MA
• A nursing school’s journey through cultural awareness, inclusivity, and civility - Hot Topics Conference – Civility Rising: Re-envisioning, re-creating, and Thriving in Academia and Practice, April 2015 - Las Vegas, NV
• Retention, Graduation, and NCLEX-RN Success of Minority Nursing Students - Concurrent Paper Session Presentation at the 2011 NLN Education Summit, November 2013 - Orlando, FL
• A qualitative study of the coping strategies used by nurses who are bullied at work. - Eastern Nursing Research Society 24th Annual Scientific Sessions, 2012 - New Haven, CT
• Systematic Assessment of Curriculum Gaps to Improve Student Outcomes. - Regional Conference on Assessment in Higher Education, February 2012 - Lowell, MA
• Coping strategies used by nurses who are bullied at work. - Eta Omega Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau, October 2011 - Lowell, MA
• Where is the Evidence? Bedside Assessment of Nasogastric Feeding Tube Placement. - 15th Annual Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Conference, June 2011 - NYU Langone Medical Center, NY
• Workplace hostility: An examination of lateral violence and bullying. - New England Chapter of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, April 2011 - Nashua, NH
• A qualitative study of workplace bullying among nurses. - Rho Phi Chapter of Sigma Theta, April 2011 - Framingham, MA
• Nurses who are bullied at work: A qualitative study of the bullying experience using content analysis. - School of Health and Environment Faculty Research Day, April 2011 - University of Massachusetts Lowell
• Workplace Bullying Among Newly Licensed Nurses in Massachusetts. - Massachusetts General Hospital Research Group, May 2010 - Boston, MA
• Lateral Violence in the Workplace: Reflections on Lessons Learned. - Massachusetts Association of Registered Nurses 9th Annual Spring Conference, April 2010
• Bullying among Massachusetts Nurses: Voices from Within. - Ending Horizontal Violence: Creating a Culture of Cohesion Among Nurses Conference, April 2009 - Providence, RI
• Blueprinting Teacher-made Exams for Content Validity. - First Choice Training Institute, April 2009 - Salem, NH
• Workplace Hostility: Why are nurses still eating their young? - Veteran's Administration Medical Center, Nursing Staff, January 2009 - Northampton, MA
• The Bully Among Us: An Examination of Workplace Hostility. - Franciscan Children's Hospital, December 2008 - Brighton, MA
• Workplace Bullying Among Newly Licensed Nurses in Massachusetts and the Relationship to Intention to Leave the Organization. - Nursing PhD Colloquia, October 2008 - University of Massachusetts Lowell
• Nurses Eating Their Young: Exploring Workplace Hostility and Horizontal violence. - Shriners Hospital for Children, October 2008 - Boston, MA
• Caregiver vs Caregiver: Weêre all on the Same Team; Strategies to Improve the Relationship Between Nursing Professionals. - Western Massachusetts Nurses in Staff Development Organization (WMNSDO), October 2008
• Test construction and evaluation: Making your tests measure. - First Choice Training Institute, August 2008 - Salem, NH
• Workplace Bullying: Are Nurses Still Eating their Young? - Nursing Education Conference. Drexel University, June 2008 - Atlantic City, NJ
• Workplace Bullying Among Newly Licensed Nurses in Massachusetts and the Relationship to Intention to Leave the Organization. - Eastern Nursing Research Society 18th Annual Scientific Sessions, 2006 - Cherry Hill, NJ
• Workplace Bullying Among Newly Licensed Nurses in Massachusetts and the Relationship to Intention to Leave the Organization. - Sigma Theta Tau Delta Epsilon Chapter's Research Day, 2006 - University of Rhode Island
• Workplace Bullying Among Newly Licensed Nurses in Massachusetts and the Relationship to Intention to Leave the Organization. - Workplace Bullying, Third Annual International Conference, 2006 - Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
• Workplace Bullying Among Nurses in Massachusetts. - Conflict Studies Conference, November 2006 - University of Massachusetts Boston
• The Bully at Work. - Sigma Theta Tau, Theta Kappa Chapter, October 2006 - University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
• Using a Test Blueprint to Increase Exam Validity. - Rhode Island College, Department of Nursing, March 2006
• Using the Item Analysis to Revise Your Exams. - Rhode Island College, Department of Nursing, November 2005
• Introduction to the Item Analysis. - Rhode Island College, Department of Nursing, October 2005
• Change in Time of Uncertainty: Research & Theory Based Empowerment to Retain Nurses. - Boston College Connell School of Nursing, August 2002
• Bridging the NCLEX-RN Divide: Strategies for Success. - Teaching and Learning, Massachusetts Community College Conference, April 2002
• Drop Out, Flunk Out, Wash Out: Creative Strategies for Academic Success. - Nurse Educator Conference, Cape Cod Community College, April 1999
• Test Construction and Evaluation., 1997 - Lasell College, Newton, MA

Selected Contracts, Fellowships, Grants and Sponsored Research

• Research Grant: An Exploratory Study of Bullying Exposure among School Nurses: Prevalence and Impact (2017), Grant - National Association of School Nurses
  Quinn, B. (Co-Principal), Peters, A.A. (Principal), ElGhaziri, M. (Co-Principal), Simons, S.R. (Co-Principal)
• Bring Diversity and Leadership to Nursing (BDLN) (2012), Grant - HRSA Nursing Workforce Diversity Grant
  Melillo, K.D. (Principal), Dowling, J. (Co-Principal), Simons, S.R. (Co-Investigator), Knight, M. (Co-Investigator), Abdallah, L.M. (Co-Investigator), ,
• Bring Diversity and Leadership to Nursing (2012), Grant - U.S. DHHS, Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Health Professions, Division of Nursing
  Melillo, K.D. (Principal), Dowling, J. (Co-Principal), Abdallah, L.M. (Co-Investigator), Knight, M. (Co-Investigator), Simons, S.R. (Co-Investigator)
• Bring Diversity to Nursing (2012), Grant -
  Simons, S.R. (Co-Principal)
• Nurses who are bullied at work: A qualitative study of the bullying experience using content analysis. (2011), Grant - Eta Omega Chapter Sigma Theta Tau
  Simons, S.R. (Principal)
• Workplace Bullying Among Newly Licensed Nurses in Massachusetts and the Relationship to Intention to Leave the Organization (2006), Grant - Theta at Large & Theta Alpha Chapters Sigma Theta Tau
  Simons, S.R. (Principal)