Lesly Kelly, PhD, RN

Dr. Lesly Kelly joined the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research in 2009 as a post-doctoral fellow after graduating from the University of Arizona. While at CHOPR, Dr. Kelly worked on several projects and manuscripts analyzing nurse outcomes, the impact of California nurse staffing legislation, and the effect of Magnet hospitals on patient outcomes. Dr. Kelly’s research interests include the role of nursing in patient outcomes in acute care, nursing workforce issues, and the influence of system and technology on nursing and patient outcomes. Dr. Kelly is currently an Assistant Professor at Arizona State University and Clinical Research Program Director at Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona. She serves as the Principal investigator of the Margretta M. Styles Scholar/American Nurse Foundation grant funded research project entitled, “Are Patient Outcomes Better in Magnet Hospitals?” In the past two years, Kelly has been awarded grants from the DAISY Foundation for research on compassion in hospital nurses and from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality for research on tele-ICU and healthcare associated infections; her role in both of these projects is as Principal Investigator. Other honors and awards include receipt of the 2015 Arizona Action Coalition Leadership in Action Award, the 2010 Arizona Nurses Association Graduate Recognition Award, the 2008 Arizona Nurses Foundation Award, and the 2005 Mary F. Jefferies Achievement Award.

Selected Publications:

  • Kelly, L.A., Runge, J. & Fosnot, C. (2015). Predictors of Compassion Fatigue in Acute Care Nurses, Journal of Nursing Scholarship, in press.
  • Kelly, L.A., Wicker, T.L. & Gerkin, R. (2014). The Relationship of Training and Education toLeadership Practices in Frontline Nurse Leaders, Journal of Nursing Administration, 44(3), 158-163.
  • Wilson, B., Kelly, L.A., Reifsneider, E., Pipe, T. & Brumfield, V. (2013). Creative Approaches to Increasing Hospital-based Research, Journal of Nursing Administration, 43(2), 80-88.
  • Kelly, L.A., McHugh, M.D. & Aiken, L.A. (2011). Nurse Outcomes in Magnet(r) and Non-Magnet Hospitals. Journal of Nursing Administration, in press.
  • McHugh, M.D., Brooks-Carthon, J., Kelly, L.A., Wu, E., Sloane, D.M. & Aiken, L.H. (2011). Nursing Staff Mandates and the Impact of Safety-Net Hospitals: Lessons from California. Millbank Quarterly, in press.
  • McHugh, M.D., Kelly, L.A., Sloane, D.M. & Aiken, L.H. (2011). Contradicting Fears, California’s Nurse-To-Patient Mandate Did Not Reduce The Skill Level Of The Nursing Workforce In Hospitals. Health Affairs, 30(7), 1299-1306.
  • Kelly, L.A. & Vincent, D. (2010). Nursing surveillance: A multi-dimensional concept analysis. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 67(3), 652-661.

I would not have traded my postdoc fellowship experience for anything and I believe it is what set me up for a successful academic career.