Bio Sketch

Dr. Nantais-Smith has extensive experience as a neonatal nurse practitioner and has focused her research on the identification of noninvasive biomarkers of necrotizing enterocolitis in extremely preterm infants. She has served as a member of the National Association of Neonatal Nurse Practitioners Task Force for the 2008 and 2014 published national Education Standards and Curriculum Guidelines for NNP Education. She has also co-authored articles on NNP workforce shortage issues, NICU case reports and case-based education, a continuing education NICU module, and parent decision-making with extremely preterm infants. She is currently a member of the National Association of Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Council (NANNP) and a NANNP liaison to the LACE Network.

Education

• PhD, Wayne State University
• MSN, Wayne State University
• BSN, Michigan State University

Research Interests

• Noninvasive NEC biomarkers

DNP project planning:

• Experienced DNP project chair
• Project proposal development

Project types:

• Quality improvement
• Program evaluation

Theoretical frameworks:

• Health Literate Care Model
• Kolkcaba Theory of Comfort
• Watson's Caring Theory

Methodologies:

• PDSA
• PDCA
• Lewin's Change Model
• Logic Model
• Health Literate Care Model

Metrics:

• SMART Objectives

Writing/editing/manuscript preparation:

• Experienced chair and reader

Clinical Area(s) of Expertise

• Development of NNP education standards and curriculum guidelines
• NNP clinical specialty education
• NNP physiology and pathophysiology
• Scope of practice
• LACE

Selected publications

Publications (*data based; †with student)

Chapter:

• Nantais-Smith, L.M. & Herrington, C.J. (2016). Chapter 4: "Assessing Growth Parameters in the Newborn: Identifying Abnormal Findings." In Neonatal Advanced Practice Nursing: A Case-Based Learning Approach. Springer Publishing Company: New York

Journal articles:

• Herrington, C.J. & Nantais-Smith, L.M. (2016).  "Noninvasive ventilation in the preterm infant." CNE Now! National Association of Neonatal Nurses. Chicago, IL.

Data based:

• Nantais-Smith, L. & Kadrofske, M. (2015). "Non-Invasive Biomarkers of NEC." Journal of Perinatal and Neonatal Nursing, 29(1), January-March.
• Freed, G.L., Dunham, K.M., Martyn, K., Nantais-Smith, L., Moran, L.M., & Spera, L. (2015). "Capacity of, and Demand for, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Educational Programs: A missing piece of the workforce puzzle." Journal of Professional Nursing, 31(4), July-August.
• Kavanaugh, K., Nantais-Smith, L., Savage, T., Schim, S.M., & Natarajan, G. (2014). "Extended Family Support for Parents Faced with Life Support Decisions for Extremely Premature Infants." Neonatal Network, 33(5), September/October 2014. Springer Publishing Company,
  Task Force. Contributing Author. (2014, February). Education Standards and Curriculum Guidelines. National Association of Nurses (NANN); Glenview, Illinois.
• Freed, G.L., Dunham, K.M., Martyn, K., Nantais-Smith, L., Moran, L.M., & Spera, L. (2013). "Neonatal Nurse Practitioners: Influence on Career Choice." Journal of Nurse Practitioners, 9(2), 82-86.
• Ennis, B. & Nantais-Smith, L. (2010). "Visual Diagnosis: Lower Lumbosacral Cutaneous Lesion in a Newborn." NeoReviews, January 2010; 11:e44.

Articles in collaboration with students:

• Ohns M.J., Oliver-McNeil, S., Nantais-Smith, L. M., & George, N. (2015). "Nonurgent use of the emergency department by pediatric patients: A theory-guided approach for primary and acute care pediatric nurse practitioners." Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 30(4), 339-346. 

Honors and Awards

• 2022-2023 Harriet H. Werley Faculty Research Award: "Urine Intestinal Fatty Acid Binding Protein as a Noninvasive Biomarker to Diagnose and Determine Recovery from Necrotizing Enterocolitis."
• Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 2022
• 2012-2015 Ada Jacox Research Award and College of Nursing Dean’s Research Award: "Noninvasive Biomarkers of Necrotizing Enterocolitis: A Pilot Study."
• WSU President's Award for Excellence in Teaching, 2012

Current Research

• Noninvasive NEC biomarkers (diagnosis and recovery)

Courses taught by Leanne Nantais-Smith, PhD, RN, NNP-BC, FAANP

Fall Term 2024 (current)

• NUR7444 - Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan for APRNs

Fall Term 2023

• NUR7444 - Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan for APRNs

Fall Term 2022

• NUR7444 - Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan for APRNs

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