Master of Arts in Arts in Medicine Alum, Helen Currier, has recently published the recent publication, "Use of creative writing to illustrate lived experiences in hemodialysis-dependent children with chronic kidney failure." in the Nephrology Nursing Journal. Her research looked at poems written by pediatric dialysis patients ages 5-25 to better understand the lived experiences of this population.
Helen Currier is the director of Renal & Pheresis Services at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, Texas. She is involved in clinical research on national and local levels. As a graduate of the nursing research scholar’s program at Texas Children’s Hospital, her research interests include pediatric renal replacement therapies, issues facing chronically ill children, quality of life for pediatric ESRD patients, health care environmental design and arts in health.
She is a frequent presenter in national and international forums. Her publications include seven chapters on pediatric nephrology nursing. Currier is a pre-eminent nursing figure in national professional groups and currently serves as the past president of the National Renal Administrators’ Association. Helen acknowledges the importance of the environment in healing and is an enthusiast for The Art of Texas Children’s Hospital. Her varied nursing experiences have brought her to the realization that the arts in health are an important supplement to drug or technology-based treatment. Helen also believes in the benefits of exercise and has led transplant recipient participation in Transplant Games domestically and abroad since 2011.
You can learn more about the online Center for Arts in Medicine graduate program by visiting arts.ufl.edu/camgrad, which prepares students for arts in health practice, research, and administration.
Access to the aforementioned article and continuing education credits are available through the American Nephrology Nurses Association: https://library.annanurse.org/anna/articles/2322/view
Currier, H., & Taylor Zimmerman, C. {2019). Use of creative writing to illustrate lived experiences in hemodialysis-dependent children with chronic kidney failure. Nephrology Nursing Journal, 46{3), 293-298, 336.
