Susan M. Kennerly PhD, RN, CNE, WCC, FAAN

Dr. Susan Kennerly is Professor at the UNCC School of Nursing, and Gerontology graduate program affiliate faculty. Dr. Kennerly’s scholarship is distinguished for its focus on enhancing nursing care delivery and the nursing practice environment. Through nursing research, she successfully augmented science supporting pressure ulcer prevention for frail elderly residing in nursing homes by being one of few researchers testing systematic interventions.

Dr. Kennerly led entrepreneurial practice activities that enhanced nursing care delivery and outcomes and informed the science behind nursing practice environments by creating the Nursing Culture Assessment Tool, the first of its kind, now used nationally and internationally to evaluate and shape nursing culture. As a member of the “Older adults” working group, she helped set standards for the International Clinical Practice Guideline for Pressure Ulcer Prevention and Treatment. Additionally, she applied her knowledge of educational and healthcare systems to nursing science by mentoring colleagues and building high functioning partnerships that have facilitated strong scientific research using nurse-led interventions, such as Turn Everyone And Move (TEAM).