Associate Professor
Dr. Zègre-Hemsey is an associate professor with expertise in emergency cardiac care. Her research is focused on improving outcomes for individuals with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), and other time-sensitive cardiovascular conditions.
In her current research, Dr. Zègre-Hemsey investigates (1) cardiac monitoring (electrocardiography) and other non-invasive physiological measures, and (2) implementation of evidence-based innovations into prehospital and acute care settings, to advance patient triage, diagnosis, and access to care.
Dr. Zègre-Hemsey is an emergency department nurse with a PhD in Nursing from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). She is also an adult-gerontology clinical nurse specialist (CNS) with a focus on critical-care trauma. Dr. Zègre-Hemsey holds an adjunct faculty appointment in the UNC School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine.
2022 Fellow of the American Heart Association (FAHA)
2019 UNC Healthcare Faculty of the Year, UNC Medical Center Nurse leadership
2017 American Heart Association Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing Early Career Travel Grant
2015 American Heart Association Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing Early Career Research Travel Stipend
2014 Laurel Archer Copp Literary Achievement Award, UNC School of Nursing
A complete list of publications is available here.
Selected list of publications
Zègre-Hemsey JK, Hogg M, Crandell J, Pelter MM, Gettes L, Chung EH, Pearson D, Tochiki P, Studnek JR, Rosamond W. Prehospital ECG with ST-depression and T-wave Inversion are Associated with New Onset Heart Failure in Individuals Transported by Ambulance for Suspected Acute Coronary Syndrome. J Electrocardiol. 2021 Nov-Dec;69S:23-28. doi: 10.1016/j.jelectrocard.2021.08.005. Epub 2021 Aug 13. PubMed PMID: 34456036; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8665024.
Cui ER, Fernandez AR, Zègre-Hemsey JK, Grover JM, Honvoh G, Brice JH, Rossi JS, Patel MD. Disparities in Emergency Medical Services Time Intervals for Patients with Suspected Acute Coronary Syndrome: Findings from the North Carolina Prehospital Medical Information System. J Am Heart Assoc. 2021 Aug 3;10(15):e019305. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.120.019305. Epub 2021 Jul 29. PubMed PMID: 34323113; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8475668.
DeVon HA, Daya MR, Knight E, Brecht ML, Su E, Zègre-Hemsey J, Mirzaei S, Frisch S, Rosenfeld AG. Unusual Fatigue and Failure to Utilize EMS Are Associated With Prolonged Prehospital Delay for Suspected Acute Coronary Syndrome. Crit Pathw Cardiol. 2020 Dec;19(4):206-212. doi: 10.1097/HPC.0000000000000245. PubMed PMID: 33009074; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7669539.
Rosamond WD, Johnson AM, Bogle BM, Arnold E, Cunningham CJ, Picinich M, Williams BM, Zègre-Hemsey JK. Drone Delivery of an Automated External Defibrillator. New England Journal of Medicine. 2020 Sep 17;383(12):1186-1188. doi: 10.1056/NEJMc1915956. PubMed PMID: 32937053; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7523534.
Zègre-Hemsey JK. Optimizing Patient Outcomes in Emergency Cardiac Care Through Advances in Technology: Nurse Scientists in Action. J Emerg Nurs. 2020 Mar;46(2):136-138. doi: 10.1016/j.jen.2020.01.007. PubMed PMID: 32164928.
Zègre-Hemsey JK, Sommargren CE, Asafu-Adjei JK, Drew BJ. Normal Prehospital Electrocardiography is Linked to Long-term Survival in Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department with Symptoms of Acute Coronary Syndrome. J Electrocardiol. 2015 Jul-Aug;48(4):520-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jelectrocard.2015.01.014. Epub 2015 Feb 2. PubMed PMID: 25683824; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4484314.
Drew BJ, Harris P, Zègre-Hemsey JK, Mammone T, Schindler D, Salas-Boni R, Bai Y, Tinoco A, Ding Q, Hu X. Insights into the Problem of Alarm Fatigue with Physiologic Monitor Devices: A Comprehensive Observational Study of Consecutive Intensive Care Unit Patients. PLoS One. 2014;9(10):e110274. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0110274. eCollection 2014. PubMed PMID: 25338067; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4206416.
Zègre Hemsey JK, Dracup K, Fleischmann K, Sommargren CE, Drew BJ. Prehospital 12-lead ST-segment Monitoring Improves the Early Diagnosis of Acute Coronary Syndrome. J Electrocardiol. 2012 May-Jun;45(3):266-71. doi: 10.1016/j.jelectrocard.2011.10.004. Epub 2011 Nov 23. PubMed PMID: 22115367; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3305819.
2022-2026, National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Grant R01HL137761. Project Title: Electrocardiographic Detection of Non-ST Elevation Myocardial Events for Accelerated Classification of Chest Pain Encounters (ECG-SMART-2). Role: Co-PI
2019-2023, National Institutes of Health, National Institute Nursing Research, Grant K23NR017896. Project Title: Patient-reported Symptoms of Acute Coronary Syndrome in Prehospital Cardiac Care. Role: PI
2018-2019, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Grant UNCSUR31707. Project Title: A Feasibility Study to Assess Delivery of Automated External Defibrillators via Drones. Role: Co-I
2016-2019, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Grant KL2TR0011009. Project Title: Optimizing Electrocardiographic Methods for the Early Identification of ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction in Prehospital Cardiac Care. Role: PI
2014-2015, Support Pilots for Advancing Research and Knowledge, Research Support Center grant. Project Title: Prehospital Electrocardiography for Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome: Assessment of Current Utilization in North Carolina. Role: PI
