10 Nursing Interventions for Family Caregivers: Guide to Best Practices in Adult-Gerontology Patient Care

About

Dr. Saunders is a certified Adult Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) with expertise in adult-gerontology patient and family caregiver (FC) care. Her experience in family caregiving began during her studies for her PhD in nursing. At that time her own mothers health was at risk due to the toll of caring for her spouse who was suffering with heart failure (HF). This story was captured in Dr. Saunders first publication titled Family Caregivers Need Support with Heart Failure Patients. Following this work she went on to complete her dissertation research with 50 family caregivers (FCs) for patients with HF to identify evidence of caregiver burden depression lower quality of life and a correlation with patient re-hospitalizations. That work led to her next investigation comparing employed HF FCs to unemployed HF FCs. She has additional expertise with FCs for patients suffering from cancer pain and FCs for patients with dementia. In dementia her focus has been on decisions regarding nutrition and older women spousal caregivers for husbands with dementia. Her most recent NIH funded study examined the transition to widowhood following dementia caregiving among older rural and urban widows. Dr. Saunders research expertise and passion rests in qualitative methodology. Overall Dr. Saunders has nine awards 16 publications and 18 conference presentations on her FC research. Dr. Saunders is the current President for the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (2023-2024). A Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs) unique focus is to provide nurses with the tools and knowledge to practice nursing optimally. Dr. Saunders has functioned as lead faculty and director for a CNS program since 2007. She has expertise in curriculum development and evaluation. She speaks nationally and publishes regularly to promote nursing practice and education.