USF Nursing’s Dr. Susan McMillan Receives the 2013 HPNA Distinguished Researcher Award

University of South Florida College of Nursing Distinguished Professor and Thompson Professor of Oncology Nursing, Susan C. McMillan, PhD, ARNP, FAAN, will receive the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA) 2013 Distinguished Researcher Award and will be honored with the award during a ceremony at the 2013 HPNA Annual Assembly in New Orleans, La., March 13 through March 16.

Dr. McMillan received the prestigious award for being a nurse who demonstrates longevity and consistency in hospice and palliative nursing research presentations and publications in a variety of peer reviewed journals. HPNA, through this award, acknowledges her work as a nationally recognized researcher in the field of opioid induced constipation, her active work with HPNA on the organization’s research committee and their work in completing the first HPNA research agenda. Dr. McMillan has been in the HPNA research committee for more than ten years.

“Receiving an honor such as this award is very meaningful to me because it is not for a single thing I have done, but for years of work,” Dr. McMillan said. “I just like doing the work and do it because I want to help cancer patients who are near the end of life; so having that work honored in a national meeting is a thrill that I was not expecting but certainly am grateful to be receiving.”

Dr. McMillan, who has been with USF College of Nursing for 34 years, has conducted research on pain and quality of life at end of life in cancer for more than two decades. Over the years, she has been recognized by USF as a Million Dollar Researcher with more than $9 million in NIH and other external funding. Her study of the psychometric properties of instruments’ research on the Constipation Assessment Scale and Hospice Quality of Life Index have been translated and used internationally in many studies.

“I have been conducting this type of research for more than 20 years,” Dr. McMillan said. “Previous research had been conducted asking those around the patient about the experience rather than asking the patient. I have shared the Hospice Quality of Life Index with lots of researchers worldwide, and have served as consultant on a number of grant applications focusing on end of life care.”

Dr. McMillan is a member of the Board of Review and Editorial Board for the Oncology Nursing Forum and has been published in numerous peer-reviewed publications.