Velda Gonzalez

Faculty

Velda J. González Mercado Headshot

Velda Gonzalez

PhD MSN RN

Assistant Professor

1 212 998 5392

433 FIRST AVENUE
NEW YORK, NY 10010
United States

Velda J. González-Mercado, Ph.D, MSN, RN, is an Assistant Professor at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing. Her research focuses on symptom science and symptom management, particularly in relation to addressing the needs of the GI/GU cancer population. Her research uses innovative patient-centered phenotyping and “omic” approaches (such as microbiomics, metabolomics, and genomics) to understand the bio-behavioral underpinnings of cancer-related symptoms experienced by GI/GU cancer patients. Her research also examines the patient-reported outcomes experience among her fellow islander Puerto Rican population with chronic conditions focused on symptom expression, functional status, and overall well-being with the goal of developing interventions to improve treatment outcomes for both patients and caregivers.

Prof. González-Mercado recently completed an NIH National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) K23 (K23NR020039) that resulted in the initial evidence that the differential expression of mTOR pathway and activity-related genes are associated with fatigue intensity which led to her current focus on the significance of the interplay of social determinants of health risk factors and biological factors in understanding cancer-related symptoms among diverse urban cancer populations. Her post-doctorate was supported by an NINR F32 (F32NR016618; Dr. Wendy Henderson, PhD, MSN, CRNP, FAAN, consultant) and the American Nurses Foundation, to gather evidence of the relationship among chemo-radiation, dysbiosis, and fatigue in the rectal cancer population. Her dissertation, “Gene Expression and Fatigue in Puerto Rican Men Receiving Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer,” was supported by the Oncology Nursing Society and conducted intramurally at the NINR, Division of Intramural Research, under the mentorship of Leorey Saligan, PhD, RN, CRNP, FAAN.

Prior to joining NYU, González-Mercado was a postdoctoral scholar at the University of South Florida College of Nursing. She also worked as a nursing instructor at the University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus School of Nursing; a research coordinator at the University of Puerto Rico Cancer Center; and a heart transplant coordinator at the Cardiovascular Center of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.

PhD in Nursing, University of Kansas
MS in Nursing, University of Florida
BS in Nursing, University of Puerto Rico

Adult Health
Chronic disease

American Nurses Association
National Association of Hispanic Nurses
International Society of Nurses in Genetics
Midwest Nursing Research Society
College of Nursing Professionals of Puerto Rico
Oncology Nursing Society
Sigma Theta Tau International

Goddard Fellowship Award, New York University Meyers College of Nursing (2023)
Sousa Award of Excellence, University of Kansas, School of Nursing (2015)
Ruth O. McKibben Alumni Research Award, University of Kansas, School of Nursing (2014)
Crighton Award, University of Kansas, School of Nursing (2014)
Manuel A. Pérez Award, Commonwealth Government of Puerto Rico (2002)
Paulina R. Dávila Award, College of Nursing Professionals of Puerto Rico (2001)
International inductee, Sigma Theta Tau (1992)

Optimism among cancer patients : The oncology nursing perspective

Gonzalez, V. (2012). (Vols. 22, Issue 1, pp. 18-39).
Abstract
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Purpose/Objectives: To provide a comprehensive overview of knowledge needed to recognize and to promote optimism and its implications for nursing practice and research. Data Sources: Online searches including dictionaries, web sites, and published articles from 2000-2010; classic research from 1980s-1990s were included. PubMed and CINHAL ® were searched for the terms optimism and oncology nursing. Data Synthesis: Recognizing aspects that can favor or affect a patient's optimistic personality trait includes grieving process, health care information, spirituality, cultural beliefs, support systems, past experiences, and coping, will help nurses to understand the patient's and family's optimistic attitudes, decision processes, and communication of symptoms and fears. Optimism may provide patients and caregivers with positive resources, such as problem solving, coping mechanisms, and social support integration. Conclusions: Cancer has psychological as well as physiological manifestations in which optimism can influence positively or negatively. Optimistic patients expect good outcomes and set goals for the future. With this knowledge, nurses can recognize and promote optimism and integrate it as part of oncology nursing care. Implications for Nursing: Optimism in cancer nursing includes realistic as well as unrealistic optimism, caregiver optimism, optimism/pessimism, dispositional optimism, and interventions to bolster optimism. Promoting optimism will require that oncology nurses assess their own beliefs and attitudes towards optimism and cancer care, develop skills of listening, observing, communicating, develop cultural competence, and provide culturally sensitive care. Oncology nurses could benefit by assessing, at different intervals of nursing encounters with patients if optimism, rather than pessimism, is present. Implementing innovative interventions that bolster optimism should continue to be a goal in oncology nursing practice.

Analysis of heart failure management at the heart failure and transplantation clinics of the cardiovascular center of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean

Gonzalez, V., Banchs-Pieretti, H. L., Franqui-Rivera, H., Segarra-Alonso, O., González-Mercado, V. J., Altieri-Nieto, P. I., Calderón-Rodríguez, R., & Vélez-Crespo, M. (2008). (Vols. 27, Issues 4, pp. 363-367).
Abstract
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Background:Disease management programs (DMP) have been shown to be effective in management of patients with heart failure (HF). Objective: To describe the experience at the Heart Failure and Transplantation Clinic of the Cardiovascular Center of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean (HFTC-CCPRC) implementing a model of DMP to a Hispanic population afflicted by HF. Methods:A retrospective study was performed. Medical records from patients referred to the HFTC-CCPRC from 1999 to 2005 were selected for review. Information regarding drug regimen, New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) determinations by echocardiography or scintigraphic ventriculography, left ventricular dimensions measurements, maximal oxygen consumption (MVO2 max) determination, hospitalizations, and death cases were obtained from the initial evaluation and at 3, 6, and 12 months post-intervention at the HFTC-CCPRC. Results: A total of 633 records were screened, from which 244 had complete information for analysis. After 12 months of treatment at the HFTC-CCPRC, NYHA functional class had decreased from 2.70 + 0.59 to 2.13 + 0.53 (p < 0.01). LVEF had also increased from 21.0 + 8.2% to 39.9 + 14.6% (p < 0.01). Hospitalization rate was reduced from 62.7% within the year prior to initial evaluation to 7.2% at the end of the 12-month period (p < 0.01). Conclusions: In our patient population, we found significant improvement in several parameters, including NYHA functional class, LVEF, and hospitalization rate after intervention at the HFTC-CCPRC. These findings are most likely related to improved guideline adherence, and are consistent with published data regarding the value of DMP's.

Basiliximab and heart transplantation in Hispanics : the experience in Puerto Rico.

Gonzalez, V., Banchs, H. L., Carro Jiménez, E. J., González, V., González Cancel, I. F., Quintana, C., Calderón, R., Altieri, P. I., & Rivera, C. (2007). (Vols. 99, Issues 3, pp. 191-196).
Abstract
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BACKGROUND: Induction immunotherapy in addition to standard triple therapy at the time of cardiac transplantation with cytolytic antibodies has been used in recipients with pre transplant renal impairment, and to prevent rejection. Recently, anti-interlukin-2 receptor monoclonal antibodies have been used for these purposes. A retrospective study of 58 heart transplant recipients was conducted to assess the effect of basiliximab, a chimeric anti-interlukin-2 receptor monoclonal antibody on biopsy proven acute rejection, serum creatinine, creatinine clearance, hospitalizations due to infection and mortality one year after transplantation. METHODS: A total of 58 heart transplant patient's charts were reviewed. All patients received triple immunosuppressive therapy with cyclosporine or tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil and prednisone post transplant. Basiliximab 20 mg on day 0 and day 4 was administered as induction therapy in a subgroup of patients. Both groups had similar pre transplant characteristics. Analysis was performed at intervals of 0-17 weeks, 18-34 weeks, 35-52 weeks, and one year overall. The incidence of acute rejection episodes, post-transplant renal function, patient survival and hospitalizations due to infection was analyzed. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients received induction therapy with basiliximab and 31 patients did not. Basiliximab induction helped reduce acute rejection overall during the first year, with 22 episodes of rejection in the induction group, and 67 episodes in the no induction group. In the 0-17 weeks following transplantation there were 20 reported rejection episodes in the induction group versus 58 rejection episodes in the no-induction group, demonstrating also reduction of rejection by induction in this group. Basiliximab induction group had preserved renal function, with higher creatinine clearance at 1 year when compared to the no induction group. There were no differences between groups in terms of hospitalizations due to infections or mortality. CONCLUSION: Induction therapy with basiliximab significantly reduced the number of acute rejection within the first year after heart transplantation, without a negative impact on patient's renal function, risk of infection or mortality.

Heart transplantation in females : the experience in Puerto Rico.

Gonzalez, V., Banchs, H. L., González, V., González Cancel, I., Quintana, C., Calderón, R., & Altieri, P. I. (2005). (Vols. 97, Issues 4, pp. 248-256).
Abstract
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Heart transplantation is the procedure of choice for a selected group of patients with end stage heart disease. Gender related differences have been observed in the heart transplant field: less women than men are recipients of heart transplants, more risk of rejection in female recipients, and a perception toward reduced survival in women. We report our experience of heart transplantation in females in Puerto Rico. METHODS: We studied the data bank of 69 heart transplant recipients in the Puerto Rico Heart Transplant Program from June 1999 to June 2005. Gender related differences in the number of recipients: males or females, incidence of rejection, survival, and other outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: 69 patients received an orthotopic heart transplant from June 1999 to June 2005, in a single center in Puerto Rico. The mean age of the patients was 47 (11-62) years. Fifty patients (72%) were men, and 19 patients (28%), were women. Survival in the female group at 3 months, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years was 100%, 100%, 100%, 100%, 90%, and 90% respectively. The survival in the male group at 3 months, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 years was 97%, 97%, 97%, 94%, 86 and 79% respectively. There was an early, higher incidence of rejection in women during the first three months post transplant; 1.5 vs. 0.75, (P=0.04) episodes per patient in the female, and male group respectively. After the third month post transplant there was no significant difference in rejection incidence. The incidence of infectious episodes was significantly more frequent in female than in male recipients, 2.8 vs. 1 (P=0.02) per patient respectively. CONCLUSIONS: There were more male than female heart transplant recipients at a ratio of 3:1, without a significant gender difference in survival. The risk of rejection was higher in females in the early period post transplantation, but thereafter this risk showed no signinificant statistical difference. The incidence of infection was more frequent in female than in male recipients.

Insights into food intake, overall diet quality, and stool short chain fatty acids during neoadjuvant concomitant chemotherapy and radiation therapy for rectal cancer; A Pilot Study

Gonzalez, V., Aouizerat, B. E., & Yu, G.
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Presenter at Promoting Health Equity through Nursing Science: Pathways and Partnerships Conference in Howard University. "Differences in Cancer-Related Symptoms and Gut Microbiome Composition between Non-Hispanic Blacks and Non-Hispanic Whites Men with Prostate Cancer; proof-of-concept study"

Gonzalez, V.
Abstract
Abstract
Title: Differences in Cancer-Related Symptoms and Gut Microbiome Composition between Non-Hispanic Blacks and Non-Hispanic Whites Men with Prostate Cancer; proof-of-concept study Mireille Chehade, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BC, Vianca Martinez, NS, Liam T. Higgins, NS, Anna Y. Sun, NS, Sharon Tao, NS, and Velda J. Gonzalez-Mercado, PhD, MSN, RN Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York University, New York, NY, United States Background/Purpose: Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT-5 treatments) is becoming the standard of care for localized prostate cancer (PC). Yet, limited research has explored the prevalence of cancer-related symptoms during SBRT and if there are any differences in the perception of cancer-related symptoms between ethnic groups, specifically in non-Hispanic Blacks (NHB). We examined differences in changes in fatigue, sleep disturbance, and emotional distress scores from pre, end, and 1 month after SBRT in an ethnically diverse sample of men with PC. In a subgroup of participants (n=28), we investigated differences in symptom severity and stool bacterial composition between non-Hispanic Whites (NHW) and NHB before SBRT. Methods: Descriptive statistics, Wilcoxon, and Mann-Whitney statistical tests were computed as appropriate. PC patients (14 NHB and 14 NHW) provided stool samples for 16S rRNA gene sequencing, analyzed using QIIME2. Results: In 31 males [mean age 71,+7.3], fatigue was found to be significantly higher (Z=-2.2,p=03) while sleep disturbance was significantly lower (Z=-2.4,p=.02) at the end of SBRT compared to baseline. Before treatment, fatigue scores were higher for NHB (Mdn=15.5) compared to NHW (Mdn=10.5), U=15.5,p

Prevalence of unmet needs, the psychosocial impact of COVID-19, and ways of coping while undergoing radiation therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic: A Brief Report

Gonzalez, V., Aouizerat, B. E., & Yu, G.
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Sleep Disturbance in Rectal Cancer Patients: A Proof of Concept Study Exploring Stool Microbiota Composition and Function with Shotgun Metagenomics Sequencing

Gonzalez, V., & Aouizerat, B. E.
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