SCHOLAR DIRECTORY

Marcia Y. Shade is a student in the PhD in Nursing program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Prior to pursuing her doctoral education, she was a full-time nurse educator that shaped and facilitated the learning of future nurses. She continues to provide recommendations for nursing curriculum and education. Marcia received her Bachelors of Science in Biology at University of Nebraska. She received her BSN and Master of Science in Nursing from Nebraska Methodist College. Marcia is a member of Sigma Theta Tau, National Gerontological Nurses Association, and the Gerontological Society of America. She has served as the student representative on the PhD affairs council and also serves as the Midwest Nursing Research Society Emerging Scholars Student Liaison from UNMC. She also was selected by the Dean of the College of Nursing as the student representative at the spring 2014 Nebraska Legislative Dinner. Marcia’s goal is to have a positive impact on patients, policy, education and our profession. Older adults in rural America face a unique health disparity in which nurses can lead and promote change to improve health outcomes. Marcia’s dissertation research will focus on potentially inappropriate medications in community-dwelling older adults. She will examine how a team approach to medication optimization influences PIMs use, adverse drug events, and health status outcomes. Marcia believes the collaborative care of the rural community-dwelling older adult is vital to optimizing all aspects of care, preserving health, independence, and quality of life.