Victoria Vaughan Dickson

Faculty

Victoria Vaughan Dickson

Victoria Vaughan Dickson

FAAN FAHA FHFSA PhD RN

Associate Professor
Assistant Dean, Research Innovation
Director, Pless Center for Research

1 212 992 9426

Victoria Vaughan Dickson, PhD, RN, FAHA, FHFSA, FAAN, is an associate professor in the Rory Meyers College of Nursing and director of the NYU Meyers Pless Center for Nursing Research. With extensive clinical and research experience in cardiovascular and occupational health nursing, her research program focuses on investigating the bio-behavioral influences on self-care in patients with cardiovascular disease risk,  coronary heart disease, heart failure and multiple comorbidity. Her work has led to an improved understanding of the sociocultural influences of self-care among vulnerable populations, including ethnic minority groups, women, and older workers; and the development of innovative theory-based interventions. Dr. Dickson is recognized  as an international expert in qualitative research techniques and mixed methods research and has conducted training to interdisciplinary teams locally, nationally, and internationally. 


Dr. Dickson is dedicated to building research capacity across disciplines and advancing nursing science that impacts policy and clinical care Currently, Dr. Dickson serves as PI and program director of the NIOSH-funded doctoral training program in occupational and environmental health nursing, PI of the NHLBI- funded Research Education in Cardiovascular Conditions program , co-PI of the NINR-funded NYU Meyers P20 Exploratory Center for Precision Health in Diverse Populations and  KL2 co-director and co-investigator of the NCATS-funded NYU CTSI. In addition, she is co-investigator on several team science initiatives focused on multiple chronic conditions. 

 

Dr. Dickson’s has been recognized with numerous awards for her research and leadership including the STTI Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame (2019), HFSA Nursing Research Leadership award (2021) and  ENRS Leadership Award (2020). She is a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing (2014), American Heart Association (2011), Heart Failure Society of America (2016), and New York Academy of Medicine (2018). Dr. Dickson is the co-editor of the Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing.  


Dr. Dickson holds a clinical appointment as an advanced practice nurse in the division of cardiology at the NYU Langone Medical Center and the Bellevue Hospital. She earned her PhD and MSN from the University of Pennsylvania and BSN from Temple University.
 

PhD - University of Pennsylvania
MSN - University of Pennsylvania
BSN - Temple University

Non-communicable disease
Cardiology
Gerontology

American Academy of Nurse Practitioners
American Academy of Nursing
American Association of Occupational Health Nurses
American Heart Association
American Nurses Association
Council on the Advancement of Nursing
Eastern Nursing Research Society
European Society of Cardiology
Gerontological Society of America
Heart Failure Society of America
New York Academy of Medicine
New York Nurse Practitioners Association
Sigma Theta Tau, XI Chapter
Sigma Theta Tua International Honor Society

Nursing Research Leadership Award, HFSA (2021)
Leadership Award, ENRS (2021)
Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame, STTI (2019)
President-Elect, Eastern Nursing Research Society (2018)
Associate Editor, Cardiovascular Nursing (2018)
Fellow, New York Academy of Medicine (2018)
President-Elect, Eastern Nursing Research Society (2017)
Spirit of Nursing Award, University of Massachusetts (2017)
Associate Editor to Circulation, Cardiovascular Quality & Outcomes (2016)
Fellow, Heart Failure Society of America (2016)
President-Elect, Eastern Nursing Research Society (2016)
Springer Publishing Company Award (2014)
Fellow, American Academy of Nursing (2014)
PhD Faculty Excellence Award, NYU (2014)
Research Award, ENRS Rising Star (2012)
Fellow, American Heart Association Fuchs-Schoeck Research (2012)
Fellow, American Heart Association (2011)
Minority Aging Research and Community Health Scholar, University of Pennsylvania (2011)
Nursing and Allied Health Professional Award, European Society of Cardiology (2011)
Fellow, Brookdale Foundation Leadership in Aging (2010)
Reviewer of the Year, Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing (2009)
Student Award, University of Pennsylvania (2007)
Nursing Research Award, Heart Failure Society of America (2007)
Martha Hill New Investigator Award, American Heart Association (2007)
Research Award, American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (2006)

Acculturation, Discrimination and 24-h Activity in Asian American Immigrant Women

Park, C., Larsen, B., Kwon, S., Xia, Y., Dickson, V. V., Kim, S. S., Garcia-Dia, M. J., Reynolds, H. R., & Spruill, T. M. (2022). Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health. 10.1007/s10903-022-01361-5
Abstract
Abstract
Asian American immigrant (AAI) women may have suboptimal 24-h activity patterns due to traditional gender role and caregiving responsibilities. However, little is known about their objectively-measured activity. We measured AAI women’s 24-h activity patterns using accelerometry and examined cultural correlates of time in sedentary behavior (SB), light intensity physical activity (LIPA), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sleep. Seventy-five AAI women completed surveys on acculturation (years of U.S. residency and English proficiency), discrimination, and sleep quality, and 7 days of wrist- and hip-accelerometer monitoring. Linear regression was conducted controlling for age, BMI, and education. We also compared activity patterns across Asian subgroups (East, Southeast, South Asians). On average, AAI women had 33 min of MVPA, 6.1 h of LIPA, 10 h of SB, and 5.3 h of sleep per day. South Asian women had the longest SB and the shortest sleep and MVPA hours. English proficiency was negatively related to MVPA (p = 0.03) and LIPA (p < 0.01). Years of U.S. residency was positively related to SB (p = 0.07). Discrimination was related to shorter (p = 0.03) and poorer quality sleep (p = 0.06). Culturally-tailored programs targeting SB and sleep and integrating coping strategies against discrimination could help optimize AAI women’s 24-h activity patterns.

Associations of insomnia symptoms with sociodemographic, clinical, and lifestyle factors in persons with HF: Health and retirement study

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Cardiovascular health in emerging adults with type 1 diabetes

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The Effect of Psychosocial Factors and Functional Independence on Poststroke Depressive Symptoms: A Cross-Sectional Study

Babkair, L. A., Chyun, D., Dickson, V. V., & Almekhlafi, M. A. (2022). The Journal of Nursing Research : JNR, 30(1), E189. 10.1097/JNR.0000000000000464
Abstract
Abstract
Background Stroke is the second leading cause of death and a major cause of serious, long-term disability worldwide. The approximately 15 million people each year who experience stroke are at risk of developing depression. Poststroke depressive symptoms affect one third of survivors of stroke. Patients who develop poststroke depressive symptoms experience decreased functional independence, poor cognitive recovery, decreased quality of life, and increased mortality. Survivors of stroke use social support to deal with stress and defend against the adverse effects of negative stroke outcomes. Purpose This study was designed to examine the influence of perceived social support (emotional and informational, tangible, affectionate, and positive social interaction), stress level, and functional independence on depressive symptoms in survivors of stroke. Methods A cross-sectional observational study design in outpatient settings and rehabilitation centers was conducted. A convenience sample of 135 survivors of stroke completed the psychometrically valid instruments. Results Most of the sample had mild or moderate depressive symptoms (26% and 29%, respectively). The mean score for perceived social support was 77.53 (SD = 21.44) on the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey. A negative association was found between depressive symptoms and the social support total score (r = -.65, p <.01). All of the social support subcategories were negatively associated with depressive symptoms. Hierarchical multiple linear regression showed that social support, stress level, and literacy were associated with depressive symptoms (β = -.31, p <.001; β =.45, p <.001; and β =.16, p =.01, respectively) and partially mediated the association between depressive symptoms and functional independence. Conclusions/Implications for Practice Poststroke depressive symptoms are common among survivors of stroke. Social support may improve health by protecting these individuals from the negative outcomes of stroke and enhance their recovery. Future research is required to examine how related interventions improve social support in caregivers and reduce depressive symptoms in stroke survivors.

Factors Associated With Cognitive Impairment in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction

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Letter to Editor Re: Tulu, Cook, Oman, Meek, and Gudina's article, Chronic disease self-care: A concept analysis (2021)

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Noise Exposure and Quality of Life Among Nurses

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"Now Everybody Is Thinking About Things Like That." Young Adult Cancer Survivors Reimagining Work During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Ghazal, L. V., Santacroce, S. J., Merriman, J. D., & Dickson, V. V. (2022). Nursing Research, 71(2), 153-157. 10.1097/NNR.0000000000000567
Abstract
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Diagnosed between ages 20 and 39 years, young adult (YA) cancer survivors have faced disruption to their lives well before the COVID-19 pandemic. Often seen as an at-risk population within cancer survivors, YAs experience the demands of a serious illness, such as cancer, alongside meeting the typical milestones of young adulthood and often have worse quality of life than their noncancer peers. There is a need to further study the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on specific populations, including YA cancer survivors (YACS), as it relates to work. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to explore working YACS' experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic and identify facets of cancer survivorship that researchers can use to explore COVID-19 survivorship further. METHODS: Secondary thematic analysis of 40 semistructured, qualitative interviews conducted through Zoom audio during the COVID-19 pandemic. YA hematologic cancer survivors were recruited through social media; they were eligible if they had completed active therapy, were within 5 years of their diagnosis, and working at the time of diagnosis. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and subjected to thematic content analysis. RESULTS: Themes surrounded COVID-19's influence on working YACS' experiences, with the overarching theme: "From solo to shared experience: A change in awareness and understanding." A subtheme was "Lesson reaffirmed: Reimagining the work environment." DISCUSSION: The consequences of COVID-19 on the overall quality of life for YACS are multilevel. Establishing the evidence for effective interventions to support YACS in the workplace, whether physical or virtual, is critically needed. Research is needed on YACS' risk and resilience factors that could ultimately impact future health and quality of life.

Original Research: Losing the Art and Failing the Science of Nursing: The Experiences of Nurses Working during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Stimpfel, A. W., Ghazal, L., Goldsamt, L. A., Zhanay, J., & Dickson, V. V. (2022). American Journal of Nursing, 122(4), 22-29. 10.1097/01.NAJ.0000827324.34143.7a
Abstract
Abstract
Purpose:RNs have served as the bedrock of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, working under unprecedented and difficult conditions. In this study, we sought to understand the experiences of nurses working across a range of care settings in the United States during the first six months of the pandemic, and to learn more about barriers to and facilitators of their work.Methods:This is a qualitative descriptive study. We recruited participants online through regional professional nursing membership listservs, program directors of occupational health nursing training programs, and social media. After completing a survey, potential participants were invited to complete an individual semistructured interview via the Zoom platform. From June through August 2020, we conducted 34 interviews. Content analysis was performed using ATLAS.ti software.Results:The overarching theme - "Losing the art and failing the science of nursing" - underscored the barriers nurses faced in the early months of this pandemic. It reflected the deeply painful disruptions in the care nurses were accustomed to providing their patients. Themes that reflected barriers included disrupted nurse-patient connection, lack of personal protective equipment and fear of infection, lack of evidence-based guidance, and understaffing, all of which drastically altered the delivery of nursing care. Themes that reflected facilitators to nurses' work included camaraderie and strength and resourcefulness.Conclusions:The study findings give important direction to nurse leaders, researchers, and organizations concerning potential areas of support that nurses need during and after this pandemic. Future research should investigate the long-term impact of COVID-19 and similar public health crises on nurses, as well as interventions that could support the workforce after an extended crisis.

Perceptions of Treatment Burden Among Caregivers of Elders With Diabetes and Co-morbid Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias: A Qualitative Study

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