Azizeh K.  Sowan, PhD, RN, MSN, MSDA, MBA, FAAN

I am a tenured Associate Professor with a Graduate Faculty Status at the School of Nursing UT Health SA, and the Safety Coordinator and Informatics and Research Consultant for University Health, a 705-bed Magnet facility in SA, TX (20% Effort). I am a national expert in health informatics, with a focus on quality and safety indicators. Through an interdisciplinary, patient-centered model, my research aims to transform healthcare environments through research and quality improvement projects to improve the safety and quality of care, with a central theme to optimize the design, usability and safety of IT systems and generate and use clinical-based data to track trends.

• Professional Background

  Education

  • 2020 - Master of Business Administration - School of Business (In progress to be completed in 2020) - University of Texas at San Antonio
  • 2017 - Master of Science - Data Management and Analytics - University of Texas at San Antonio
  • 2006 - Doctor in Philosophy - Nursing Informatics - University of Maryland at Baltimore
  • 2001 - Master of Science in Nursing - Nursing Education - University of Jordan
  • 1994 - Bachelor of Science In Nursing - Nursing Science - University of Jordan

  Highlights

  Licensures and Certifications

  • Registered Nurse - Texas 
  • Registered Nurse - New Mexico  
  • RN - Jordanian Nurses and Midwives Council  
  • Six Sigma, Black Belt 

  Honors and Awards

  • 2020, Inducted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing  
  • 2020, LTC Philip Piccione and COL Jean Migliorino Research Award
  • 2019, Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation- Macy Faculty Scholars Program Finalist   
  • 2018, University of Texas Health Presidential Teaching Excellence Award

  Appointments

  • 2017 - present - Associate Professor/Tenure Track - UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2013 - 2017 - Assistant Professor/ tenure Track - UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2020 - present - Director Research Fellowship Program - UT Health San Antonio
  • 2018 - 2019 - National Safety Consultant - Philips Healthcare, USA
  • 2013 - present - Informatics Consultant and Safety Coordinator - University Health, San Antonio

• Instruction & Training

  • 2020 - present, NURS 7320: Statistical Methods for Quality Improvement, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2020, NURS 4317 Population Health Theory, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2018 - present, NURS 7374 Nursing: Quantitative Research Methods, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2018, NURS 3402 NURSING RESEARCH & EBP, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2017 , NURS 7314 Nursing & Health Systems Administration, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2017, NURS 3402 NURSING RESEARCH & EBP, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2016, NURS 7215 Application of Research in Nursing, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2016, NURS 5306 Advanced Theory for the Practice of Nursing, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2016, NURS 4320 Leadership and Management, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2016 - present, NURS 5215 Applications of Research Nursing, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2014 - present, NURS 7111 Advanced Nursing Seminar, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2014 - present, NURS 7313 DNP Practice Inquiry: Clinical Application, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2014 - present, NURS 5339 Leadership- Quality, Safety and Policy, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2014 - present, NURS 7312 DNP Practice Inquiry Seminar, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2014 - present, NURS 7511 Advanced Nursing: Clinical Application, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2013 - present, NURS 6315 Informatics and Health Care Technologies, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing

• Research & Grants

  Grants

  Pending Submissions  

  • 2021, Funding Agency: Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation. Dollars: $200,000.00. Title: An interprofessional, patient-partnered, quality improvement curriculum in minority-serving institutions. Role: PI 

  Currently Funded Research Projects  

  • 2020 - 2021, Funding Agency: University Hospital System. Dollars: $80,000.00. Title: Improving the safety of the integrated-solution smart intravenous infusion pumps. Role: PI 
  • 2020 - 2022, Funding Agency: University Hospital System. Dollars: $70,000.00. Title: Barriers to Utilization of GetWell Patient Engagement System. Role: PI 
  • 2020 - 2022, Funding Agency: UT Health, SON. Dollars: $5,000.00. Title: Evaluation of the implementation of an Interactive Patient Engagement System in Ten Acute and Critical Care Units. Role: PI 

  Unfunded Research Projects  

  • 2020, Funding Agency: Shine Academy of Health Science Education, UT System. Dollars: $5,000.00. Title: Capacity Building in Contemporary Quality Improvement Science: A Faculty Development and Student Education Program based on an “Intraprofessional Faculty-Student Collaborative” Model. Role: PI 
  • 2020, Funding Agency: LINC. Dollars: $5,000.00. Title: Transforming siloed nursing and surgery residency programs into IPE through team-based collaborative quality improvement and research projects. Role: PI 
  • 2019, Funding Agency: Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation. Dollars: $200,000.00. Title: Interprofessional education and practice in nursing and medicine residency programs: Towards system thinking in safety, quality, and key performance indicators and system productivity metrics. Role: PI 

  Completed Research Projects   

  • 2018 - 2019, Funding Agency: SALSI. Dollars: $100,000.00. Title: Enhancing Safety and Security of Clinical Alarm Systems: An interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical-Human Analysis. Role: PI 
  • 2018 - 2019, Funding Agency: NAC. Dollars: $7,500.00. Title: Predictors of HCAHPS Scores and Readmissions: A Big Data Collaborative Research Toward Safety, Quality, and Reimbursement in Healthcare. Role: PI 
  • 2018 - 2019, Funding Agency: STTI. Dollars: $1,500.00. Title: Development and Use of Interdisciplinary Multimedia Educational Program- Toward a Successful Care Transition from Acute Care to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Role: PI  
  • 2017 - 2018, Funding Agency: NAC.  Dollars: $7,800.00. Title: Health Insurance Literacy among Arab Americans: A call to eliminate disparities. Role: PI  
  • 2017 - 2019, Funding Agency: UHS Patient Care Services and Center for Excellence. Dollars: $60,300.00.  Title: Improving the safety and electronic documentation of blood transfusion in medical surgical and ICUs. Role: PI 
  • 2016 - 2018, Funding Agency: UHS Patient Care Services and Center for Excellence. Dollars: $10,000.00. Title: Discrepancy in Documenting Pressure Ulcer Stage Using EMR Data. Role: Co-PI 
  • 2016 - 2018, Funding Agency: Sigma Theta Tau International. Dollars: $1,500.00. Title: Understanding the Health Metrics of Arab Americans Using the UT Health Physicians Big Data: An Urgent Call towards Eliminating Disparities. Role: PI  
  • 2016 - 2018, Funding Agency: UHS Patient Care Services and Center for Excellence. Dollars: $50,000.00. Title: Use of Multimedia Applications to Improve the Safety of a PICC Procedure.

• Service

  School

  Student Mentees/ Trainees: 

  Doctor of Nursing Philosophy Dissertations Mentorship:   

  • 2018 – Present Chair: “Factors influencing adult critical care nurses' intention to leave current job in Saudi Arabia” 
  • 2016 – 2018, Member: "Role of Continuous Bedside Pressure Mapping (CBPM) in reducing hospital acquired pressure injuries in the intensive care unit"  

  Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects Mentorship:  

  • 2021 – Present, Chair: Improve utilization of 24-hour service at the VA: A quality improvement project 
  • 2019 – 2020, Chair: Reducing no-show rates in a psychiatric mental health clinic using short message service and live telephone reminder call verifications: A quality improvement project 
  • 2019 – 2020, Chair: "Decrease LOS among patient admitted with chest pain in the emergency observation unit". 
  • 2019 – 2020, Chair: "Managing suicide among high risk for suicide Veterans though IT solutions"  
  • 2019 – 2020, Chair: "Better management for colorectal cancer: A quality improvement project" 
  • 2019 – 2020, Chair: "Role of Burnout, Moral distress, Organizational commitment, and Compassion fatigue in Turnover intension" 

  Institutional

  University Level (UT Health SA, TX)  

  • 2020 – Present, Technology Committee, Member  
  • 2015 - 2016, Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) UT Health at SA, Invited Member  
  • 2015 – Present, Institutional Review Board Board, Member  
  • 2013 - 2016, Computing Resources Committee, Member  
  • 2013 - 2014, Academic Informatics Advisory Committee, Member  
  • 2013 - 2013 Poster Judge, 6th Annual Terry Mikiten Research Forum, Judge 

  School of Nursing Level (UT Health SA)    

  • 2020- Present, Information literacy competency Taskforce, Leader      
  • 2020 – Present, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Council, Member and Chair of Faculty Committee  
  • 2020 – 2020, BSN-DNP QI Project, Taskforce Leader                          
  • 2020 – Present, Faculty Assembly, Chair Elect  
  • 2015 – Present, Reviewer for DNP candidates‘ applications, Reviewer  
  • 2015 – Present, Mentor in Informatics, Mentor  

   

  Service to the Profession

  Professional Affiliations:  

  • 2020 – Present, American Academy of Nursing – Informatics Expert Panel  
  • 2013 – Present, Technology Informatics Guiding Educational Reform (TIGER)  
  • 2013, – Present, American Association of Critical Care Nurses  
  • 2003 – Present, Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS)  
  • 2003 – Present, American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA)  
  • 2003 – Present, Sigma Theta Tau 

  National Service

  • 2021 – 2021, Invited expert reviewer, Promotion packet (UT Health Houston, Dr. Francine Snow)
  • 2020 – 2021, Sponsor, Fellowship in the American Academy of Nursing (Dr. Xu, China)
  • 2020 – Present, Invited Expert Reviewer, PCORI-  PLACER Merit Review panel  Cycle 32020
  • 2020 – Present, Leader, COVID-19 Healthcare Coalition (C19- HCC) Implementation Team 
  • 2020 – Present, Member, AHRQ ACTS-Evidence-based care Transformation Support 
  • 2017 – Present, Editorial Board, Scientific Page in Nursing Journal
  • 2016 – 2016, Reviewer, American Association of Colleges of Nursing (ANCC) Outstanding DNP Project Award
  • 2016 – Present, Editorial Board Annals of Nursing Research and Practice
  • 2015 – 2015, Member, National Forum for Provider Trust Community
  • 2015 – Present, Journal Reviewer, Nursing Outlook 
  • 2015 – Present, Journal Reviewer, Contemporary Nursing. 
  • 2015 – Present, Editorial Board, Archives of Nursing & Care Journal       

  Community Service

  • 2020, University Hospital, SA, TX, Magnet Appraisers Meeting Invited, Participant  
  • 2015, University Hospital, SA TX, Magnet Appraisers Meeting Invited, Participant  
  • 2013 - 2016, University Hospital, Research Committee (SA, TX), Member  
  • 2013 - 2015, University Hospital, IT Roll-out group, SA TX, Consultant  

   

• Publications

  Journal Articles (Peer Reviewed, *indicates data-based)  

  • *Sowan AK, Staggers N, et al. Improving the safety, effectiveness, and efficiency of clinical alarm systems: Simulation-based usability testing of physiologic monitors.  JMIR Nursing 2021;4(1):e20584.   
  • Philips J, Sowan A, Ruppel H, Magness R. Educational program for physiologic monitor use and alarm systems safety: A toolkit. Clinical Nurse Specialists Journal 2020;34(2):50-62. 
  • *Sowan AK. Nurses‘ perceptions of a care plan and documentation IT solution with hundreds of clinical practice guidelines in adult intensive care units. JMIR Human Factors 2019 Feb;12(6):e11846. 
  • *Sowan AK, et al. Transcription errors of blood glucose values and insulin errors in an intensive care unit: Toward electronic medical record-glucometer interoperability. JMIR Medical Informatics Research 2019 Feb;7(1):e11873. 
  • *Sowan AK, Beraya AR, Carrola A, Reed CC, Matthews SV, Moodley T. Developing, implementing, and evaluating a multimedia patient decision aid program to reform the informed consent process of a peripherally inserted central venous catheter procedure: Protocol for quality improvement. JMIR Res Protoc. 2018 Dec;7(12):e10709. 
  • Chen Q, Sowan AK, Xu S. A safety and security architecture for reducing accidents in intelligent transportation systems ICCAD 18 Proceedings of the International Conference on Computer-Aided Design 2018 Nov;(85). 
  • *Sowan AK, Beraya AR, Carrola A, Reed C. Effect of a multimedia patient decision aid to supplement the informed consent process of a peripherally inserted central venous catheter procedure. JMIR Medical Informatics 2018 Oct;6(4):e11056. 
  • Sowan AK, Reed C, Staggers N. Role of large clinical datasets from physiologic monitors in improving the safety of clinical alarm systems and methodological considerations: A case from Philips monitors. JMIR Human Factors 2016 Sep;3(2):e24. 
  • *Sowan AK, Vera A, Fonseca E, Reed C, Tarriela A, Berndt A. Nurse competence on cardiac monitors’ use: Toward eliminating alarm fatigue in intensive care units. Online Journal of Informatics 2016 Aug;11:1-11. 
  • *Sowan AK, Gomez TM, Tarriela AF, Reed CC, Paper BM. Changes in default alarms settings and standard in-service are insufficient to improve alarm fatigue in an intensive care unit: A pilot project. JMIR Human Factors 2016;3(1):e1. 
  • Sowan AK. Applying IT-related business process reengineering in an informatics course for graduate nursing programs. Archives of Nursing Practice and Care 2016;1(1):16-24. 

  Published Abstracts (All Peer Reviewed) 

  • Alvare M, Sowan AK, et al. Effectiveness of simulation-based training on respiratory therapists’ confidence in managing intubated patients undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy and skills’ attainment and retention. CHEST; 2018, Oct. p. 1053A. 
  • Sowan AK, Reed C, Tarriela A, Leibas M. Lee H. Reasons for inappropriate use of a nursing care plan system with 100s practice guidelines in ICUs. Critical Care Medicine; 2018, Feb 46(1) p. 617.  
  • Sowan AK, Staggers N, Reed C, Vera A, Fonseca E. Usability testing of physiologic monitors: Guiding initiatives on improving clinical alarm safety. Critical Care Medicine; 2018, Feb 46(1) p. 576. 
  •  Sowan AK, Vera A, Fonseca E, Paccione C, Payne M, Reed C, Colon-Lugo H. Transcription and documentation errors in blood glucose values in an adult surgical trauma ICU. Critical Care Medicine; 2018, Feb 46(1). p. 616.  
  • Sowan AK, Reed C, Tarriela AF, Gomez TM. Flaws in clinical alarm safety studies: The value of mixed methods and objective alarm data. Critical Care Medicine; 2015, Dec 43(12) p. 206. 

  Book Chapter (Peer-reviewed)  

  • Sowan AK. Teaching Nursing Research In: Nursing Education Encyclopedia. NY: Springer Publishing Company; 2015. Invited Author.  

  Editorial (Peer-reviewed) 

  • Sowan AK, Reed CC. A complex phenomenon in complex adaptive health care systems—Alarm fatigue. JAMA Pediatrics 2016 Dec;171(6):515-516. Invited Author. 

  Work Featured by National Organizations   

  • AHRQ (7/2019). University of Texas Health at San Antonio, University Health System Used AHRQ Tools. https://www.ahrq.gov/news/newsroom/case-studies/201905.html  
  • Healthcare Purchasing News (7/2019). Multimedia tools prove effective in helping patients understand, consent to PICC line procedures. https://www.hpnonline.com/patient-satisfaction/article/21089371/multimedia-tools-prove-effective-in-helping-patients-understand-consent-to-picc-line-procedures  

  Other (Non-peer reviewed publications)  

  • Badgett R,  Sowan AK, Winker M, Alper B. Submitted a Request for Information (RFI): “Strategic Opportunities and Challenges for the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health”. 10/2020.  
  • Sowan AK. Top on patient safety list: Do not turn off that beep. Atlas of Science 2016 Sep. 

  Podium and Poster Presentations:  

  • Fichter-Patrick P, Sowan A. et al. An innovative, parent-centered, multifaceted intervention program to reduce CLABSI in a neonatal intensive care unit. 2019 May. Academy of Neonatal Nursing conference, Palm Springs, CA. Mentor for a DNP student 
  • * Fichter-Patrick P, Sowan A. et al. A Multifaceted interventional program to reduce central line associated bloodstream infections and engage parents in a neonatal Intensive care unit. 2019 October. Annual Quality Congress, Vermont Oxford Network, Chicago, IL. Mentor for a DNP student 
  • Golightly-Jenkins, C. & Sowan, A. Innovative teaching strategies for leadership preparation in nursing. Match 2018. Academic and Business Research Institute International Conference, SA, TX.  
  • Sowan AK, Golightly-Jenkins K, Hong J, Lee S. Innovative teaching strategies for leadership preparation in nursing. Sept 2017. Fall Education Showcase with Academy of Master Teachers Induction Ceremony, SA, TX.  Mentor for master students 
  • Sowan AK. Student-centered group projects: Promoting learning autonomy in higher education. Sept 2017. Fall Education Showcase with Academy of Master Teachers Induction Ceremony, SA, TX  
  • Elledge C, Rush R, Sowan A. A quality improvement initiative to increase pneumococcal vaccination rate following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. May 2017. Oncology Nursing Society 42nd Annual Congress, Denver, CO.  Mentor for a DNP student  
  • Sowan AK. Achieving QSEN’s informatics, quality, safety, and evidence-based competencies in an informatics course for graduate nursing students. May 2016. National Forum QSEN Conference: The New Frontier: Forging Partnerships for Lifelong Learning in Quality and Safety, SA, TX.  
  • Sowan AK. Effectiveness and efficiency in nursing education: Success factors for teaching an informatics course across three graduate programs. May 2016.  QSEN National Forum: The New Frontier: Forging Partnerships for Lifelong Learning in Quality and Safety, SA, TX.  
  • Sowan AK. Nursing informatics: Advances and leadership roles. April 2016. The Philippine Nurses Association of San Antonio (PNASA), SA, TX (Invited Speaker). 
  • Sowan AK, Reed C, Tarriela A, Gomez T. Flaws in clinical alarm safety studies: The value of mixed methods and objective alarm data. Feb 2016.  Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) 45th Critical Care Congress, Orlando, FL.