Sandra M. Branson
PhD, MSN, RN, CNE
Associate Professor
Department of Undergraduate Studies
Dr. "Sandy" Branson holds the academic rank of associate professor of clinical nursing in the Department of Undergraduate Studies of Cizik School of Nursing. Branson has a BS in Psychology from the University of Houston, BSN from Texas Woman's University, and MSN in Leadership and Administration, post master's certificate in Education, and PhD as the Hamill Foundation Scholar in the Accelerated Ph.D. Program, the latter three from UTHealth Cizik School of Nursing. Branson’s clinical background is in acute care, community health, clinical education, and healthcare leadership and administration. She maintains a faculty practice as an Operations Administrator in a hospital setting. She teaches a variety of leadership/management and quality improvement/evidence-based practice courses online and is a community clinical instructor. Branson is the author of several peer-reviewed publications. Branson's primary research is in human-animal interaction that investigates the contribution of animals in peoples' lives and in the treatment and recovery process, but she also conducts research in other areas including vaccine hesitancy and mental health in nurses, and workforce support. She has a long history being part of organizational teams that plan, implement, and evaluate quality improvement and evidence-based practices in the hospital and community settings. She has been honored by receiving academic scholarships, service awards, abstract awards, and received the Outstanding Houston Nurse award from Texas Nurses Association District 9.
Education
Cizik School of Nursing at The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas
Post Master’s Certificate - Nursing Education
2014
Cizik School of Nursing at The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas
Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing
2013
Cizik School of Nursing at The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas
Master of Science in Nursing - Leadership & Administration
2009
Texas Woman’s University; Houston, Texas
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
1996
University of Houston, Houston, Texas
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
1993
Clinical/Research Focus
Branson's primary research is in human-animal interaction, but she also conducts research in other areas. Branson maintains a faculty practice as an Operations Administrator in a community hospital in Houston, TX where she works with several previous nursing students which is the highlight of her career. She is enthusiastic about teaching the community about emergency response as a first responder and disaster management. She serves as a local member of a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). As a TeamSTEPPS® Master Trainer and American Hospital Association Faculty trainer, she trains interdisciplinary team members in 'Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety'.
Publications
- Aging and Burnout for Nurses in an Acute Care Setting: The First Wave of COVID-19
- Nurse Adaptability and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Effects of Family and Perceived Organizational Support
- Undergraduate nursing students' COVID-19 vaccine intentions: A national survey
- Undergraduate nursing students' perceptions on nursing education during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic: A national sample
- Animal-Assisted Activity in Critically Ill Older Adults: A Randomized Pilot and Feasibility Trial
- Effects of Animal-assisted Activities on Biobehavioral Stress Responses in Hospitalized Children: A Randomized Controlled Study
- Spiritual Pain in Meals on Wheels' Clients
- Loneliness and cognitive function in the older adult: a systematic review