Allison P Squires

Faculty

Prof. Allison P Squires headshot

Allison P Squires

FAAN PhD RN

Professor

1 212 992 7074

433 First Ave
New York, NY 10010
United States

Accepting PhD students

Allison P Squires, Ph.D., FAAN, RN, is a professor and the Director of the Global Consortium of Nursing and Midwifery Studies, or GCNMS. The GCNMS is an 82-country research consortium collaborating on research capacity-building projects in nursing and midwifery globally. The consortium's current research study is examining the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the nursing and midwifery workforces globally to understand how to improve global pandemic response implementation protocols for the largest frontline workforce cadre. Domestically, her research focuses on improving immigrant and refugee health outcomes with a special interest in addressing inequities in health outcomes resulting from language discordance during a healthcare encounter. For both, she is an expert in contextual considerations of global health care services implementation.

Prof. Squires has consulted with the Migration Policy Institute and the World Bank on nursing and health workforce issues and produced several major policy analyses with their teams. A prolific writer, Squires has authored over 200 publications, including 140+ in peer-reviewed journals. She serves as an associate editor of the top-ranked International Journal of Nursing Studies since 2012. She was the 2019–2020 Distinguished Nurse Scholar in Residence for the National Academy of Medicine where she worked on the consensus study "Future of Nursing 2020–2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Equity". In 2023, she received the Outstanding Mentor Award from the Interdisciplinary Research Group on Nursing Issues interest group of Academy Health.

Prior to entering academia full-time, Squires worked as a staff nurse in solid organ transplant and as a staff educator for 11 years in the U.S. healthcare system. Her practice has since shifted largely to community-based nursing roles as a volunteer.

Prof. Squires received her Ph.D. at Yale University, MSN at Duquesne University, and BSN with a minor in Latin American Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. She completed a Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Health Outcomes Research at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to her primary appointment at the Rory Meyers College of Nursing at NYU, she holds affiliated faculty appointments/affiliations with the Department of General Internal Medicine at the Grossman School of Medicine, the Center for Latin American Studies, and the Center for Drug Use and HIV Research.

She is currently accepting Ph.D. students and/or post-doctoral fellows/associates with interests in the following areas: 1) global health, 2) migration & immigrant health, and 3) health services and workforce research.

Post-Doctoral Fellowship - University of Pennsylvania
PhD - Yale University
MSN - Duquesne University
BSN - University of Pennsylvania

Global
Immigrants
Gerontology
Health Services Research

Academy Health
American Nurses Association
Consortium of Universities for Global Health
Interdisciplinary Research Group on Nursing Issues (Academy Health)
National Council for Interpreting in Health Care
Sigma Theta Tau International

Chair of the Nursing Section of the New York Academy of Medicine (2022)
Co-Chair, American Academy of Nursing's Global Health Expert Panel (2021)
Chair of the Nursing Section of the New York Academy of Medicine (2021)
Vice-Chair, Global Health and Health Care Interest Group for Academy Health (2020)
Co-Chair, American Academy of Nursing's Global Health Expert Panel (2020)
Chair, Interdisciplinary Research Group on Nursing Issues for Academy Health (2020)
Chair of the Nursing Section of the New York Academy of Medicine (2020)
Distinguished Nurse Scholar in Residence, National Academy of Medicine (2020)
Vice-Chair, Global Health and Health Care Interest Group for Academy Health (2019)
Co-Chair, American Academy of Nursing's Global Health Expert Panel (2019)
Chair, Interdisciplinary Research Group on Nursing Issues for Academy Health (2019)
Chair of the Nursing Section of the New York Academy of Medicine (2019)
Distinguished Nurse Scholar in Residence, National Academy of Medicine (2019)
Chair, Global Health and Health Care Interest Group for Academy Health (2019)
Outstanding Scholarly Contribution to Gerontological Nursing Practice, International Journal for Older People Nursing (2018)
Chair of the Nursing Section of the New York Academy of Medicine (2018)
Chair, Global Health and Health Care Interest Group for Academy Health (2018)
Prose Award, “A New Era in Global Health” (W. Rosa, Ed.) (2018)
Vice Chair, Interdisciplinary Research Group on Nursing Issues for Academy Health (2018)
Fellow Ambassador to the Media, New York Academy of Medicine (2017)
Distinguished Alumna, Duquesne University (2015)
Fellow, American Academy of Nursing (2015)
Fellow, New York Academy of Medicine (2014)
Fellow, Yale World Fellows Program (2003)

Assessing geriatric capacity building needs in public hospitals in Mexico

Squires, A., Caceres, B., Bub, L., & Negrete Redondo, M. I. (2019). International Journal of Older People Nursing, 14(4). 10.1111/opn.12262
Abstract
Abstract
Aims: To conduct a needs assessment of public hospitals in Mexico to determine workforce specific capacity building needs in the care of older people. Background: The older population in Mexico is growing rapidly. The healthcare system and workforce may not be prepared to handle the needs of older people, especially those with chronic illnesses who are also disadvantaged socioeconomically. Determining workforce and system needs is important to strategically develop capacity. Methods: A needs assessment using a pragmatic qualitative approach structured this study. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with healthcare professionals at five public hospitals in Mexico. Directed content analysis techniques analysed the data. Results: Ninety-two healthcare professionals participated in the study. Three themes emerged, including geriatric service delivery, social changes and human resources for health. Participants reported a lack of gerontology knowledge and related clinical skills deficits to provide care for hospitalised elders and expressed emotional distress related to the lack of resources in their institutions. All healthcare professionals expressed strong concern at the social toll the ageing population had on families. The support of government organisations emerged as a facilitator for adoption of geriatric care principles. Conclusions: This qualitative study uncovered important data to inform the implementation of quality improvement and capacity building models for older people care in Mexico. There appears to be strong potential for a culturally appropriate translation of high-income country older people care models within the Mexican healthcare context. Implications for practice: Findings suggests there is a need to increase geriatric capacity building among helathcare professionals in Mexico. This will be an important step in improving care for hospitalised older people.

Content Validation of the Arabic Translation of the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index-Revised

Ambani, Z., Al-Hamdan, Z., Al-Touby, S., Ghanim, A., Al Jarameez, F., & Squires, A. (2019). Journal of Nursing Measurement, 27(2), 234-246. 10.1891/1061-3749.27.2.234
Abstract
Abstract
Background and Purpose: There is no reliable and valid version of the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index-Revised (PES-NWI-R) in Arabic. The purpose of this study was to describe the systematic instrument translation and validation of the PES-NWI-R. Methods: Using the Content Validity Indexing-based approach, 32 expert nurses from four countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (Jordan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates) participated in the validation of this translation. Results: The content validity index score of the overall scale was excellent (0.87 for the relevancy, and 0.95 for the quality of Arabic translation). Conclusion: Our study supported the content validity of the Arabic version of the instrument which provided the first valid Arabic translation of the instrument.

Detecting Disparities in Medication Management Among Limited English Proficient and English Proficient Home Health Patients

Miner, S. M., Squires, A. P., Ma, C., McDonald, M. V., & Jones, S. A. (2019). Home Health Care Management and Practice, 32(1), 28-33. 10.1177/1084822319865546
Abstract
Abstract
According to the U.S. census Bureau, close to 20% of the U.S. population speaks a language other than English at home. Home health care (HHC) patients who speak English less than very well or have limited English proficiency (LEP) are at an increased risk for medication mismanagement and serious health consequences. The purpose of this study was to examine if there were differences in medication management between English-speaking patients and patients with LEP receiving HHC services. Data for this cross-sectional observation study were collected from 2010 to 2014. Medication management was measured by two items in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services–mandated Outcomes Assessment Information Set (OASIS). All patients in the database who were taking medications and had a valid admission and discharge assessment from HHC were included in the analysis. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) with a marginal structural model was used to address potential imbalances in observed patient characteristics when estimating the effect of having LEP or being an English-speaking HHC patient on changes in medication management over the course of a HHC episode. Estimates from marginal structural model with inverse probability weighting indicate that being LEP was associated with less improvement in medication management and increased likelihood of getting worse over the course of a HHC episode. This study is one of the first to demonstrate that patients with LEP experience disparities in medication management when compared to English-speaking patients in HHC.

The Experience of Being Aware of Disease Status in Women with Recurrent Ovarian Cancer: A Phenomenological Study

Finlayson, C. S., Fu, M. R., Squires, A., Applebaum, A., Van Cleave, J., O’Cearbhaill, R., & Derosa, A. P. (2019). Journal of Palliative Medicine, 22(4), 377-384. 10.1089/jpm.2018.0127
Abstract
Abstract
Background: Awareness of disease status has been identified as a factor in the treatment decision-making process. Women with recurrent ovarian cancer are facing the challenge of making treatment decisions throughout the disease trajectory. It is not understood how women with ovarian cancer perceive their disease and subsequently make treatment decisions. Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the lived experience of women with recurrent ovarian cancer, how they understood their disease and made their treatment decisions. Methods: A qualitative design with a descriptive phenomenological method was used to conduct 2 in-depth interviews with 12 women (n = 24 interviews). Each interview was ∼60 minutes and was digitally recorded and professionally transcribed. Data collection focused on patients' understanding of their disease and how patients participated in treatment decisions. A modified version of Colaizzi's method of phenomenological reduction guided data analysis. Results: Three themes emerged to describe the phenomenon of being aware of disease status: (1) perceiving recurrent ovarian cancer as a chronic illness, (2) perceived inability to make treatment decisions, and (3) enduring emotional distress. Conclusions and Implications: This study revealed how 12 women conceptualized recurrent ovarian cancer as a chronic disease and their perceived inability to make treatment decisions because of lack of information and professional qualifications, resulting in enduring emotional distress. Future research should replicate the study to confirm the persistence of the themes for racially, ethnically, and religiously diverse patient samples and to improve understanding of awareness of disease status and decision-making processes of patients.

Exploring patient experiences with and attitudes towards hypertension at a private hospital in Uganda: A qualitative study

Lynch, H. M., Green, A. S., Clarke Nanyonga, R., Gadikota-Klumpers, D. D., Squires, A., Schwartz, J. I., & Heller, D. J. (2019). International Journal for Equity in Health, 18(1). 10.1186/s12939-019-1109-9
Abstract
Abstract
Background: Hypertension is the leading risk factor for mortality worldwide and is more common in sub-Saharan Africa than any other region. Work to date confirms that a lack of human and material resources for healthcare access contributes to this gap. The ways in which patients' knowledge and attitudes toward hypertension determine their engagement with and adherence to available care, however, remains unclear. Methods: We conducted an exploratory, qualitative descriptive study to assess awareness, knowledge, and attitudes towards hypertension and its management at a large private hospital in Kampala. We interviewed 64 participants (29 with hypertension and 34 without, 1 excluded) in English. General thematic analysis using the Integrated Conceptual Health Literacy Model was used to iteratively generate themes and categories. Results: We identified three main themes: Timing of Hypertension Diagnosis, Aiming for Health Literacy, and the Influence of Knowledge on Behavior. Most participants with hypertension learned of their condition incidentally, speaking to the lack of awareness of hypertension as an asymptomatic condition. Drove nearly all participants to desire more information. However, many struggled to translate knowledge into self-management behaviors due to incomplete information and conflicting desires of participants regarding lifestyle and treatment. Conclusions: Internal patient factors had a substantial impact on adherence, calling attention to the need for educational interventions. Systemic barriers such as cost still existed even for those with insurance and need to be recognized by treating providers.

Health translators and interpreters in national healthcare systems

Squires, A. (2019). In Multicultural Health Translation, Interpreting and Communication (1–, pp. 25-36). Taylor and Francis. 10.4324/9781351000390

How language barriers influence provider workload for home health care professionals: A secondary analysis of interview data

Squires, A., Miner, S., Liang, E., Lor, M., Ma, C., & Witkoski Stimpfel, A. (2019). International Journal of Nursing Studies, 99. 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2019.103394
Abstract
Abstract
BackgroundIncreasingly, patients with limited English proficiency are accessing home health care services in the United States. Few studies have examined how language barriers influence provider role implementation or workload in the home health care setting.ObjectivesTo explore home health care professionals’ perspectives about how workload changes from managing language barriers influence quality and safety in home health care.DesignA qualitative secondary data analysis using a summative content analysis approach was used to analyze existing semi-structured interview data.SettingA large urban home health care agency located on the East Coast of the United States.ParticipantsThirty five home health care providers [31 registered nurses, 3 physical therapists, 1 occupational therapist].ResultsA total of 142 discrete incidents emerged from the analysis. Overall, home health care providers experienced distinct shifts in how they implemented their roles that added to their workload and time spent with Limited English Proficiency patients and family members. Providers were concerned about interpretation accuracy and perceived it as potentially posing risks to patient safety. Changes in work patterns, therefore, sought to maximize patient safety.ConclusionsHome health care providers decision-making about how they adapt practice when faced with a language barrier is a sequence of actions based on awareness of the patient’s language preference and if they spoke another language. Subsequent choices showed proactive behaviors to manage increased workload shaped by their perceived risk of the threats posed by the quality of interpreter services. Future research should develop quantitative models examining differences in workload when caring for limited English proficiency versus English speaking patients as well as the relationship between visit length and patient outcomes to determine optimal quality models.

Integrating Health Care Interpreters Into Simulation Education

Latimer, B., Robertiello, G., & Squires, A. (2019). Clinical Simulation in Nursing, 32, 20-26. 10.1016/j.ecns.2019.04.001
Abstract
Abstract
Patients with limited English proficiency skills are accessing health care services more frequently around the world. Language barriers increase patient vulnerability for adverse events, and health care interpreters may mitigate this risk. Nursing education regarding the effective and appropriate use of health care interpreters has been limited. Interpreters are natural partners for nurses as a strategy to bridge language barriers with patients and could be integrated more regularly into nursing education using clinical simulation strategies. This article offers an overview of the different types of interpreters in health care, proposes recommendations for integrating them into simulation education, and provides a case example to illustrate implementation.

The Interdisciplinary Research Group on Nursing Issues: Advancing Health Services Research, Policy, Regulation, and Practice

Squires, A., Germack, H., Muench, U., Stolldorf, D., Witkoski-Stimpfel, A., Yakusheva, O., Brom, H., Harrison, J., Patel, E., Riman, K., & Martsolf, G. (2019). Journal of Nursing Regulation, 10(2), 55-59. 10.1016/S2155-8256(19)30116-4

No One Left Behind: Public health nursing in a time of inclusion, equity, and sustainability

Rosa, W. E., & Squires, A. P. (2019). Public Health Nursing, 36(1), 1-2. 10.1111/phn.12581