Join the UNC School of Nursing for a virtual seminar featuring faculty members Ashley Leak Bryant and Mark Toles as they share their expertise in developing innovative nurse-led interventions that improve outcomes for older adults and their care partners.
Ashley Leak Bryant, PhD, RN, OCN, FAAN, serves as the Frances Hill Fox Distinguished Professor at the UNC School of Nursing, where she also holds the role of Senior Associate Dean for Strategy and Global Affairs. Additionally, she co-directs the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Quality and Safety in Nursing and Midwifery. As a key member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dr. Bryant serves as Assistant Director of Cancer Research, Training, and Education Coordination. Her expertise encompasses palliative and supportive care, acute myeloid leukemia (AML), interprofessional collaboration, and workforce development. Dr. Bryant’s research centers on multidisciplinary interventions aimed at improving symptoms, functional status, and quality of life for older adults with blood cancers and their caregivers. She is currently testing a nurse-led, team-based intervention designed to enhance symptom management and function in older adults with AML, while also addressing the well-being of their caregivers through a team that includes physical tharapy, occupational therapy, and social work professionals.
Mark Toles, PhD, RN, FAAN, is a professor and the Beerstecher-Blackwell Distinguished Term Scholar at the UNC School of Nursing, where he also serves as the Senior Division Chair for Health Systems, Policy, and Leadership Innovations. His expertise lies in improving the care of older adults and their caregivers, particularly the quality of care in nursing homes and the transitional care of older adults as they move between healthcare settings. Most recently, Dr. Toles completed his R01 study, “Connect-Home,” which tested the efficacy of transitional care for patients and caregivers during transitions from skilled nursing facilities to home. He has also received funding for a continuation R01 to adapt this model for patients with dementia and their caregivers, further exploring an interdisciplinary team-based approach that includes nurses, social workers, and occupational and physical therapists.