Victoria Vaughan Dickson

Faculty

Victoria Vaughan Dickson

Victoria Vaughan Dickson

FAAN FAHA FHFSA PhD RN

Dr. John W. Rowe Professor in Successful Aging
Assistant Dean, Research Innovation
Director, Pless Center for Research

1 215 704 7223

433 FIRST AVENUE
NEW YORK, NY 10010
United States

Victoria Vaughan Dickson, PhD, RN, FAHA, FHFSA, FAAN, is the John W. Rowe Professor in Successful Aging, Assistant Dean, Research Innovation, and Director of the Pless Center for Nursing Research at Rory Meyers College of Nursing. 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 comorbidities. 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. Dickson is recognized as an international expert in qualitative research techniques, mixed methods research, and has conducted training for interdisciplinary teams locally, nationally, and internationally. 

Prof. Dickson is dedicated to building research capacity across disciplines and advancing nursing science that impacts policy and clinical care. Currently, 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 a co-investigator on numerous team science initiatives focused on multiple chronic conditions.  

Prof. Dickson 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). Dickson is the editor of the Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing.  

Prof. Dickson holds a clinical appointment as an advanced practice nurse in the division of cardiology at NYU Langone Health and 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)
Associate Editor, Cardiovascular Nursing (2018)
Fellow, New York Academy of Medicine (2018)
President-Elect, Eastern Nursing Research Society (2018)
Spirit of Nursing Award, University of Massachusetts (2017)
President-Elect, Eastern Nursing Research Society (2017)
President-Elect, Eastern Nursing Research Society (2016)
Associate Editor to Circulation, Cardiovascular Quality & Outcomes (2016)
Fellow, Heart Failure Society of America (2016)
PhD Faculty Excellence Award, NYU (2014)
Fellow, American Academy of Nursing (2014)
Springer Publishing Company Award (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)
Nursing Research Award, Heart Failure Society of America (2007)
Martha Hill New Investigator Award, American Heart Association (2007)
Student Award, University of Pennsylvania (2007)
Research Award, American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (2006)

The Situation-Specific Theory of Heart Failure Self-care : An Update on the Problem, Person, and Environmental Factors Influencing Heart Failure Self-care

Vaughan Dickson, V., Riegel, B., Dickson, V. V., & Vellone, E. (2022). In The Journal of cardiovascular nursing (Vols. 37, Issues 6, pp. 515-529). 10.1097/JCN.0000000000000919
Abstract
Abstract
Many studies of heart failure (HF) self-care have been conducted since the last update of the situation-specific theory of HF self-care. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe the manner in which characteristics of the problem, person, and environment interact to influence decisions about self-care made by adults with chronic HF. METHODS: This study is a theoretical update. Literature on the influence of the problem, person, and environment on HF self-care is summarized. RESULTS: Consistent with naturalistic decision making, the interaction of the problem, person, and environment creates a situation in which a self-care decision is needed. Problem factors influencing decisions about HF self-care include specific conditions such as cognitive impairment, diabetes mellitus, sleep disorders, depression, and symptoms. Comorbid conditions make HF self-care difficult for a variety of reasons. Person factors influencing HF self-care include age, knowledge, skill, health literacy, attitudes, perceived control, values, social norms, cultural beliefs, habits, motivation, activation, self-efficacy, and coping. Environmental factors include weather, crime, violence, access to the Internet, the built environment, social support, and public policy. CONCLUSIONS: A robust body of knowledge has accumulated on the person-related factors influencing HF self-care. More research on the contribution of problem-related factors to HF self-care is needed because very few people have only HF and no other chronic conditions. The research on environment-related factors is particularly sparse. Seven new propositions are included in this update. We strongly encourage investigators to consider the interactions of problem, person, and environmental factors affecting self-care decisions in future studies.

Achieving Global Targets to Reduce Hypertension : The Importance of Hypertension Self-care Measurement

Vaughan Dickson, V., & Dickson, V. V. (2021). In Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing (Vols. 36, Issues 5, pp. 409-410). 10.1097/JCN.0000000000000851
Abstract
Abstract
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Associations of Insomnia Symptoms With Cognition in Persons With Heart Failure

Vaughan Dickson, V., Gharzeddine, R., Yu, G., McCarthy, M. M., & Dickson, V. V. (2021). In Western Journal of Nursing Research (Vols. 43, Issues 12, pp. 1105-1117). 10.1177/0193945920988840
Abstract
Abstract
Although cognitive impairment is common among persons with heart failure and negatively impacts self-care, hospitalization, and mortality, the associations between cognitive impairment and insomnia symptoms are not clearly understood. The purpose of this study was to explore these associations and examine if they are maintained after adjusting for relevant sociodemographic, clinical, and lifestyle factors. Guided by the Neurocognitive model of insomnia and sleep and the self-care conceptual model, a cross-sectional data analysis using parametric testing was conducted on the Health and Retirement Study wave 2016. Difficulty initiating sleep and early morning awakening, but not difficulty maintaining sleep were significantly associated with poorer cognitive performance in the bivariate and multivariate analysis. Our results are suggestive of different phenotypes of insomnia symptoms that may have different associations with cognition in persons with heart failure. Further research using objective measurements of insomnia symptoms and detailed neuropsychiatric testing of cognition is needed to confirm this conclusion.

Disease expression and outcomes in black and white adults with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Vaughan Dickson, V., Arabadjian, M. E., Yu, G., Sherrid, M. V., & Dickson, V. V. (2021). In Journal of the American Heart Association (Vols. 10, Issues 17). 10.1161/JAHA.120.019978
Abstract
Abstract
BACKGROUND: There is limited research on hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), which is the most common inherited cardiac disorder, in diverse populations, including Black individuals. Current literature lacks comprehensive data on HCM disease expression, comorbidities, and outcomes in this historically disadvantaged group. The purpose of this study was to examine structural HCM characteristics, comorbidities, and outcomes in a Black and White cohort with HCM. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study was a subgroup analysis from a longitudinal, prospective study on HCM, with supplemental chart review. The sample included adults (≥18 years) with a clinical diagnosis of HCM, who self-identified as Black/African American or White. The study sample comprised 434 individuals; 57 (13.1%) were Black, and 180 (41.5%) were women. Black patients were younger than White patients, 54.6 (13.4) versus 62.5 (14.8) years, P=0.001. Black patients were more likely to have sub-basal and diffuse hypertrophy, 22 (38.6%) versus 56 (14.9%), P

Factors associated with work ability in adults with diabetes

Vaughan Dickson, V., McCarthy, M., Yan, J., & Dickson, V. V. (2021). In Applied Nursing Research (Vols. 61). 10.1016/j.apnr.2021.151478
Abstract
Abstract
Aims: The aims of this study were to explore associations between clinical and diabetes-related factors with work ability in a sample of working adults with diabetes. Background: Adults with diabetes may face challenges in the workplace, including managing their diabetes and overall physical and mental health. Methods: This was a cross-sectional design with a sample of 101 working adults. Subjects completed valid and reliable surveys assessing depressive symptoms, diabetes self-care, fear of hypoglycemia, diabetes distress, cardiovascular health using American Heart Association's Life's Simple 7 (range 0–7) and work ability. Factors significantly associated with work ability at bivariate level were included in linear and logistic regression. Results: The majority of the sample was female (65%) (mean age 54.1 ± 10.5), White (74%), non-Hispanic (93%), worked full-time (65%) and had type 2 diabetes (87%) (mean duration 12.4 ± 9.5 years). The majority (55%) had low diabetes distress, but 24% had high distress and 28% had depressive symptoms. The sample achieved 2.5 ± 1.4 ideal AHA heart health indices and 33% rated their work ability as excellent. In linear regression higher depressive scores were associated with lower work ability scores (b = −0.45, p = .002). In logistic regression, scores on heart health (OR = 1.4; 95%CI:1.0–1.9, p = .03) and diabetes distress (OR = 0.6, 95%CI:0.4–0.9, p = .048) were significantly associated with work ability at its best. Conclusion: Both cardiovascular and psychological health may impact work ability in adults with diabetes. Routinely screening for diabetes distress and depression while also promoting ideal cardiovascular health may improve overall health and work ability in this population.

The HEAR-VA Pilot Study : Hearing Assistance Provided to Older Adults in the Emergency Department

Vaughan Dickson, V., Chodosh, J., Goldfeld, K., Weinstein, B. E., Radcliffe, K., Burlingame, M., Dickson, V., Grudzen, C., Sherman, S., Smilowitz, J., & Blustein, J. (2021). In Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (Vols. 69, Issues 4, pp. 1071-1078). 10.1111/jgs.17037
Abstract
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Poor communication is a barrier to care for people with hearing loss. We assessed the feasibility and potential benefit of providing a simple hearing assistance device during an emergency department (ED) visit, for people who reported difficulty hearing. DESIGN: Randomized controlled pilot study. SETTING: The ED of New York Harbor Manhattan Veterans Administration Medical Center. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and thirty-three Veterans aged 60 and older, presenting to the ED, likely to be discharged to home, who either (1) said that they had difficulty hearing, or (2) scored 10 or greater (range 0–40) on the Hearing Handicap Inventory-Survey (HHI-S). INTERVENTION: Subjects were randomized (1:1), and intervention subjects received a personal amplifier (PA; Williams Sound Pocketalker 2.0) for use during their ED visit. MEASUREMENTS: Three survey instruments: (1) six-item Hearing and Understanding Questionnaire (HUQ); (2) three-item Care Transitions Measure; and (3) three-item Patient Understanding of Discharge Information. Post-ED visit phone calls to assess ED returns. RESULTS: Of the 133 subjects, 98.3% were male; mean age was 76.4 years (standard deviation (SD) = 9.2). Mean HHI-S score was 19.2 (SD = 8.3). Across all HUQ items, intervention subjects reported better in-ED experience than controls. Seventy-five percent of intervention subjects agreed or strongly agreed that ability to understand what was said was without effort versus 56% for controls. Seventy-five percent of intervention subjects versus 36% of controls said clinicians provided them with an explanation about presenting problems. Three percent of intervention subjects had an ED revisit within 3 days compared with 9.0% controls. CONCLUSION: Veterans with hearing difficulties reported improved in-ED experiences with use of PAs, and were less likely to return to the ED within 3 days. PAs may be an important adjunct to older patient ED care but require validation in a larger more definitive randomized controlled trial.

How clinicians manage routinely low supplies of personal protective equipment

Vaughan Dickson, V., Ridge, L. J., Stimpfel, A. W., Dickson, V. V., Klar, R. T., & Squires, A. P. (2021). In American Journal of Infection Control (Vols. 49, Issues 12, pp. 1488-1492). 10.1016/j.ajic.2021.08.012
Abstract
Abstract
Background: Recommended personal protective equipment (PPE) is routinely limited or unavailable in low-income countries, but there is limited research as to how clinicians adapt to that scarcity, despite the implications for patients and workers. Methods: This is a qualitative secondary analysis of case study data collected in Liberia in 2019. Data from the parent study were included in this analysis if it addressed availability and use of PPE in the clinical setting. Conventional content analysis was used on data including: field notes documenting nurse practice, semi-structured interview transcripts, and photographs. Results: Data from the majority of participants (32/37) and all facilities (12/12) in the parent studies were included. Eighty-three percent of facilities reported limited PPE. Five management strategies for coping with limited PPE supplies were observed, reported, or both: rationing PPE, self-purchasing PPE, asking patients to purchase PPE, substituting PPE, and working without PPE. Approaches to rationing PPE included using PPE only for symptomatic patients or not performing physical exams. Substitutions for PPE were based on supply availability. Conclusions: Strategies developed by clinicians to manage low PPE likely have negative consequences for both workers and patients; further research into the topic is important, as is better PPE provision in low-income countries.

Infection Prevention and Control in Liberia 5 Years After Ebola : A Case Study

Vaughan Dickson, V., Ridge, L. J., Stimpfel, A. W., Klar, R. T., Dickson, V. V., & Squires, A. P. (2021). In Workplace Health and Safety (Vols. 69, Issues 6, pp. 242-251). 10.1177/2165079921998076
Abstract
Abstract
Background: Effective management of health emergencies is an important strategy to improve health worldwide. One way to manage health emergencies is to build and sustain national capacities. The Ebola epidemic of 2014 to 2015 resulted in greater infection prevention and control (IPC) capacity in Liberia, but few studies have investigated if and how that capacity was sustained. The purpose of this study was to examine the maintenance of IPC capacity in Liberia after Ebola. Methods: For this case study, data were collected via direct observation of nurse practice, semistructured interviews, and document collection. Data were collected in two counties in Liberia. Data were analyzed using directed content and general thematic analysis using codes generated from the safety capital theoretical framework, which describes an organization’s intangible occupational health resources. Findings: Thirty-seven nurses from 12 facilities participated. Ebola was a seminal event in the development of safety capital in Liberia, particularly regarding nurse knowledge of IPC and facilities’ investments in safety. The safety capital developed during Ebola is still being applied at the individual and organizational levels. Tangible resources, including personal protective equipment, however, have been depleted. Conclusions/Application to Practice: IPC capacity in Liberia had been sustained since Ebola but was threatened by under-investments in physical resources. Donor countries should prioritize sustained support, both financial and technical, in partnership with Liberian leaders. Occupational health nurses participating in disaster response should advocate for long-term investment by donor countries in personal protective equipment, access to water, and clinician training.

Insomnia and Insomnia Symptoms in Persons with Heart Failure : An Integrative Review

Gharzeddine, R., McCarthy, M. M., Yu, G., & Vaughan Dickson, V. (2021). In Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing (Vols. 36, Issues 4, pp. 374-384). 10.1097/JCN.0000000000000719
Abstract
Abstract
Background/Objective Insomnia and insomnia symptoms are highly prevalent in persons with heart failure (HF), and they are associated with several untoward outcomes. The purpose of this integrative review is to describe the correlates, predictors, and outcomes of insomnia and insomnia symptoms in persons with HF. Methods Using integrative review methods, an extensive electronic search of 5 databases was conducted for the period of 2000-2019. Sixteen studies were identified that met the inclusion criteria for review and investigated insomnia or insomnia symptoms in HF. Results Various sociodemographic factors, chronic comorbidities, clinical factors, and cognitive-behavioral factors are correlates and predictors of insomnia and insomnia symptoms in persons with HF. Depression, fatigue, daytime sleepiness, poor self-reported physical functioning, decreased exercise capacity, cardiac events, and poor health-related quality of life are significant outcomes of insomnia and insomnia symptoms in persons with HF. The associations of insomnia and insomnia symptoms with age, sex, sleep-disordered breathing, and cognition were not consistent across all studies. Conclusion Larger studies with diverse age and race groups as well as longitudinal studies and designs that test mediation effects are needed to disentangle complex relationships between insomnia and insomnia symptoms and several of their potential predictors and correlates in HF.

An Integrated Review of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in Black Populations Underrecognized and Understudied

Vaughan Dickson, V., Arabadjian, M., McCarthy, M., & Dickson, V. V. (2021). In Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing (Vols. 36, Issues 2, pp. 104-115). 10.1097/JCN.0000000000000718
Abstract
Abstract
Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common inherited cardiac disorder globally, affecting 0.2% to 0.5% of individuals. Existing clinical HCM guidelines do not address diverse populations, specifically minority groups who often experience health disparities. Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the state of the science of HCM in black populations. Methods: This integrated review guided by Whittemore and Knafl's methodology included literature search of multiple databases, data evaluation, and analysis. Publications between 2000 and 2020 were included if they addressed HCM cardiac anatomic manifestations, disease course, symptoms, quality of life, or outcomes in black populations. Results: Six articles met the inclusion criteria. Overall, blacks are underrepresented in HCM research. Certain HCM structural phenotypes are more commonly exhibited in blacks, and physiology drives HCM treatment. Sudden death events and all-cause mortality do not differ between blacks and whites with HCM. Fewer blacks with HCM undergo genetic testing than whites with HCM. The lack of diversity in general genomic databases has resulted in reclassification of several genetic variants identified as more common in blacks. Conclusions: Blacks are underrepresented in HCM research, even those focused on elucidating HCM manifestations, disease course, and outcomes in black populations. This may be due in part to HCM research that is largely generated from specialty centers that can require patients to navigate complex healthcare systems to reach expert HCM care. Longitudinal studies with large samples of blacks with HCM are necessary to elucidate how HCM affects this population.