Resume

• 2013

  Judge for scientific presentations.

  Howard University

  International Health Consultant

  Executive Board Member and Consultant for Healthy Living and Women Empowerment Initiative with biannual medical mission in Lagos

  Nigeria

  Healthy Living And Women Empowerment Initiative

  Lagos

  Nigeria

  Advice and advocate on behalf of recruited project volunteers.

  NIH DC Cardiovascular Health and Obesity Collaborative

  Consultant and Project Evaluator

  In collaboration with the DC Mayor's Grant since 2015 as NANNNA Research chair

  Consultant and evaluator.

  African Women's Cancer Awareness Association

  Executive Advisory Board

  Advisory Board Member for STEM projects

  Prince George's County Public Schools

• 2012

  April 17

  Howard University Faculty Senate Awards 2012

  2015 mHealth Scholars

  Dr. Okunji Proposal: Diabetes and heart diseases are identified as the commonest medical conditions

  affecting millions of people worldwide. Mobile Health (mHealth) technologies

  such as iPads

  smartphones and tablets are transforming communication related to health information. The research team will initiate and collect data via preliminary survey

  interviews and observation from providers and the patients’ advisory committee at Howard University Hospital.

  Jiaqi Gong | Ph.D. Institution: University of Virginia Position: Research Scientist Research Interest: Body Sensor Networks for Bio-medical Applications

  Healthcare Informatics Research Summary: My research goal is to facilitate scientific exploration by creating advanced model

  framework and infrastructure with modern statistics and probability to fill the gap between computer engineers and other domain experts through leveraging knowledge from experts into data and translating data into knowledge

  and then to deliver beneficial and constructive instruments for people in need.

  CETLA | Center for Excellence in Teaching

  Learning

  & Assessment

  Congratulations to Dr. Priscilla Okunji

  an instructor in the Division of Nursing and winner of CETLA's 2011 Teaching with Technology Award! Judges from the Teaching

  Learning

  and Technology (TLT) Committee recently honored Dr. Okunji for her innovative contributions to teaching and learning on campus and online. (Click here to read Dr. Okunji's winning application.)

  CETLA | Center for Excellence in Teaching

  Learning

  & Assessment

• 2010

  American Heart Association | American Stroke Association

  Student Affairs

  E-Learning

  Higher Education

  Nursing Education

  Program Evaluation

  Hospitals

  Health Education

  Clinical Research

  University Teaching

  Leadership

  Healthcare

  Nursing

  Grant Writing

  Curriculum Design

  Teaching

  Information Technology

  Informatics

  Research

  Program Development

  Public Health

  Okunji

  P.O

  Afghani

  A

  Gomez

  F (2012). Exploring the disparities in health-care outcomes of inpatient diabetic myocardial infarction transfers in non-federal hospitals.

  National League of Nursing

  Sigma Teta Tau

  International

  Ambassador

  Mid-Atlantic Region

  American Heart Association

  English

  Igbo

  French

  Middle (ca.1400-1600)

  Academic and Health Affairs Committee

  Elected

  Faculty Senate

  Increase Diversity in Cardiovascular Health-Related Research

  PRIDE Award (July 2016 - July

  2017)

  NIH_SUNY

  Reviewer: Nurse Educator Today Journal

  NET

  Elsevier Journal

  Alum Recognition

  Trident University

  GHUCCTS Diversity Scholar

  George Town - Howard University Clinical Translational Research

  Advanced Summer Faculty Research Fellowship

  Awarded

  Howard University

  NIH_UCLA Summer mHealth Institute Scholar

  Awarded

  UCLA

  Panelist HU Online: Teaching with Technology Conference

  Howard University

  NIH Diversity Award

  Overcoming challenges in health information technology to enhance research in underserved populations \n

  NIH CTSA (2016-2019)

• 2006

  Doctor of Philosophy - PhD

  International Health Educator

  Trident University International

  HIPAA Competency

  Advanced Blackboard Cert

  Active ANCC Med/Surg Cert

  IHI Competency Cert

  Distance Learning Cert

  CITI IRB Research Cert

  Active DC and MD RN Licenses

  Health Sciences Corporate Cert

• 2001

  BSN (Nursing); MS (Nursing Informatics)

  Nursing; Informatics

  NLN

  HIMSS

  Sigma Theta Tau International

  Beta Chapter

  AHA

  ADA

  PCNA

  NAPW

  University of Maryland Baltimore

• 1984

  BSc (Microbiology)

  PGDE (Education)

  MSc (Medical Microbiology)

  Medical Microbiology and Bacteriology

  Vice President

  Nigerian Microbiology Students Association

  UNN

  Nsukka Campus (1981).\nTreasurer

  Nigerian Microbiology Students Association

  UNN

  Nsukka Campus (1983)

  University of Nigeria

  Nsukka

• 1

  The purpose of the study was to assess whether patient transfer demonstrated health-care disparities in patients with myocardial infarction and type 2 diabetes mellitus who had been admitted to non-federal hospitals in 2006. This was a secondary data analyses. Retrospective data was extracted from the 2006 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS). Data analysis and management were performed using SPSS version 17.0. Of the 2

  774 discharges

  684 (67%) were admitted through the emergency room. The primary insurance was Medicare (1

  200) (43%). Insurance type influenced whether or not a patient was transferred (p < 0.001). There was a significant disparity between gender and patient insurance (p < 0.001). More males (67%) than females (33%) were admitted

  however

  more females died than expected (p < 0.001). These results suggested that patients' age

  gender

  and insurance were the major factors that influenced patient transfer. All patients

  irrespective of age

  gender

  or ethnicity

  should be treated equally upon admission.

  Okunji

  P.O

  Afghani

  A

  Gomez

  F (2012). Exploring the disparities in health-care outcomes of inpatient diabetic myocardial infarction transfers in non-federal hospitals.

  Okunji

  P. O.

  Afghani

  A

  Gomez

  F and Hegamin

  A (2012). Comparative Statistical Analysis of Inpatients with Diabetic Myocardial Infarction: Length of Stay

  A total of 413 soft

  loose or watery stool specimens from patients with acute diarrhoea were screened for presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts. Safranin-methylene blue staining technique was used for detecting Cryptosporidium oocysts in the stool samples. The oocysts were identified in 52 (12.5 per cent) of the samples

  while 69 samples (16.7 per cent) showed mixed infections. Children between the ages of 2 and 15 years were most infected by this parasite while infection occurred more in females than males for all age groups. These findings indicate that Cryptosporidium is an important etiologic agent of diarrhoea. Hence there is need to include its identification in laboratory analysis of diarrhoeal stool samples.

  Okafor J.I.

  Okunji P.O. (1996). Prevalence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in faecal samples of some school children in Enugu State. Journal of Communicable Diseases; 28(1):49-55

  Nkechi Enwerem

  Ph.D

  M.Sc

  RN

  International Journal of Nursing June 2015

  Vol. 2

  No. 1

  pp. 1-9 ISSN 2373-7662 (Print) 2373-7670 (Online)

  To examine the knowledge

  attitudes and awareness of food and drug interactions (FDI) among nurses\nwith different levels of experience in their day to day practices. Background: The 2004 Institute of Medicine report (IOM)

  “Keeping Patients Safe

  ” recognized the nursing profession as playing a critical role in patient safety (Dunton

  2007; McHugh & Lake

  2010). Although new nurses possess a strong theoretical knowledge of nursing

  experience from practice is important in providing a safer level of practice (Hill

  2010).The retention of experienced nurses in practice

  would require a continuous

  career-long learning (Hill

  2010).Medical errors resulting in Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs)

  pose a significant public health problem. Studies on the knowledge

  attitudes and awareness of FDI among nurses with different levels of experience are lacking. Methods: This was a cross sectional study which included a structured questionnaire. The study included a convenience sample of 278 nurses divided into 5 groups with different levels of experience: 0-4 years (66); 5-9 years (75); 10-14 years (45); 15-19 years (41); and ≥20 years. Results: There was statistical difference in knowledge and attitude to FDI among the 5 groups. 72.3 % of nurses had not observed food and drug interaction during their practice. Conclusion: The five groups all scored low in their knowledge of FDI. Most of the participants recommended in-house training on FDI every six (6) months.There is a significant difference in the knowledge of FDI among the five groups with different levels of nursing experience.

  Knowledge

  Attitudes and Awareness of Food and Drug Interactions among Nurses with Different Levels of Experience

  Green

  et al (2013). African American health disparities in lung cancer.

  Smith Joanne

  Ph.D

  Schiavone Debora

  Ph.D

  Guerrier-Adams

  MSN

  Green Pauline

  Ph.D

  Clin J Oncol Nurs. 2013 Apr;17(2):180-6. doi: 10.1188/13.CJON.180-186.

  Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States and globally. African Americans experience significant differences in lung cancer incidence and mortality. Smoking is the single greatest risk for lung cancer

  making smoking cessation programs a potentially fruitful approach for reducing the risk of lung cancer. Despite clinical practice guidelines that prompt nurses to advise patients to quit smoking

  only a small percentage of nurses do so. Minority patients are less likely than Whites to receive smoking cessation advice. This article discusses recent findings on the pathophysiology and risks for lung cancer. The literature on smoking cessation research is examined to determine the features of successful cessation interventions. Recommendations are offered for enhancing tobacco cessation efforts in nursing practice

  education

  and research.

  Green

  et al (2013). African American health disparities in lung cancer.

  A total of 373 stool samples comprising 38 watery stool and 335 normal formed samples

  collected from primary school children in Enugu State

  Nigeria

  were processed for the presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts. The formalin-methylene blue staining techniques were employed for the concentration and identification of the Oocysts in each sample. The results obtained were subjected to cross-tabulation analysis. Cryptosporidium Oocysts were identified in 15 of the 38 watery stool samples and in 81 of the 335 formed stool samples. Analysis of the data obtained showed that there was no significant difference in carrier rate of the parasite between school children from the urban town of Nsukka and those from the rural towns of Ovoko and Obukpa (P = 0.441). However

  the rate of occurrence of the Oocysts was significantly higher in the watery stool than in the formed stool samples (P = < 0.0001).

  Okafor J.I.

  Okunji P.O. (1994). Cryptosporidiosis in patients with diarrhea in five hospitals in Nigeria.

  This paper assesses whether there is a significant difference in socioeconomic condition (income)

  insurance status

  and Length of Stay (LOS) of inpatients diagnosed with diabetic myocardial infarction in teaching vs nonteaching hospitals. A retrospective data analysis of discharges was conducted from the 2008 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project

  Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Sample selection was based on the International Classification of Diseases

  Ninth Revision

  codes with LOS as the outcome variable. Teaching hospitals have longer LOS compared to nonteaching hospitals for patients with incomes below $48

  000 (χ2=16.185

  df=6

  P < 0.013). The duration of hospital LOS is higher in teaching than in nonteaching hospitals for patient insurance (χ2=24.975

  df=6

  P=0.0001). For patients with Medicare

  the hospital stay of 1 day and less is lower in nonteaching hospitals. Teaching hospitals have higher rates of LOS than nonteaching hospitals for the age group

  65-74 (χ2=37.294

  df=6

  P=0.0001). Especially for hospital stays of more than 6 days

  the LOS is higher in teaching hospitals. The difference in LOS in teaching and nonteaching hospitals is statistically significant for males (P=0.009) vs. females (P=0.003). The results of this study indicate that the difference in LOS between teaching and nonteaching hospitals based on patient age

  income

  and insurance is statistically significant. When one controls for the independent variables in this study

  the difference presented is large enough to affect clinical policy. These findings highlight the need for interventions to increase awareness of health care disparities that exist among inpatients with diabetic myocardial infarction

  especially for low-income and older patients who do not qualify for Medicare.

  Okunji PO

  Daniel J

  Wutoh A (2013). Inpatients’ Outcomes Following Diabetic Myocardial Infarction: Income

  Insurance

  and Length of Stay in Teaching vs. Nonteaching Hospitals in the United States.

  Studies were conducted on the antimicrobial activity of four Nigerian plants used in ethnomedicine: Anthocleista djalonsensis (Okpo nkwu)

  Icacina tricantha (Amirami)

  Mitracarpus scaber (Ogwu ugwu) and Newbouldia laevis (Okwu mai)

  all from Ikwuano-Umuahia Local Government of Abia State (Former Imo State). Their leaf extracts were obtained by cold maceration and Soxhlet extraction methods. Using the in vitro cup-plate method of agar diffusion technique

  the activity of the leaf extracts were evaluated against viable pure cultures of staphylococcus aureus

  Streptococcus pyogenes

  Streptococcus pneumoniae

  Neisseria meningtidis

  Pseudomonas aeroginosa

  Microsporium audounii and Candida albicans. The results showed that Soxhlet extraction method was more effective for the extraction of antimicrobial constituents of the medicinal plants. Although all the plant extract showed antimicrobial activity on the test organisms

  Mitracarpus scaber showed the greatest antimicrobial activity on all test organisms suggesting its possible commercial exploitation for future mass therapeutic uses.

  Unaeze N.

  Abarikwu-Okunji P.O. (1986). Antimicrobial activity of certain medicinal plants. Nigerian Journal of Microbiology; 6 (1-2):13-20

  Mary Hill

  Ph.D

  This article presents an exploration of the development

  evaluation and program review of a newly implemented online undergraduate RN (Registered Nurses) to BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) degree program. This process included the incorporation of informatics into the new curriculum

  development of a program brochure and flyers for student recruitment

  course module design

  development of the synchronized and a-synchronized learning platform

  student and faculty need assessment and orientation tools as well as development of data sets and analysis for the program evaluation. A one year academic review indicated that the overall assessment of the program was confirmed and predicted by the faculty characteristics

  students’ professional/personal gain and level of satisfaction. Faculty dedication and students satisfaction of the program were highly significant when compared with overall quality of the program with 99.6% of the predictors explained in this study. Hence

  this study has demonstrated that faculty dedication and student satisfaction are critical variables when planning the integration of online teaching and learning in any institution of higher learning.

  Undergraduate Online Program Development

  Implementation and Evaluation: A Pilot Study

  Objective: To evaluate if patient characteristics would have significant effects on outcomes for inpatients' Myocardial Infarction (MI) with Type 2 diabetes (T2D) admitted to Non-Federal Hospitals. Methods: We used data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project under the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (HCUP_AHRQ

  2006) and data were retrospectively analyzed. This database was the latest HCUP data available in 2008

  when the study was initiated. Results: There were significant results noted in healthcare outcomes between age

  gender

  insurance and patient mortality with gender and patient insurance (p < .001). Male inpatients had more major procedures than their female counterparts (p < .001). Treatment procedure effect on patient mortality was highly significant for age (p < .001) and gender (p < .0001)

  and more females died than expected (p < .001). Conclusions: The implication of this study to practice is that healthcare could be more cost effective if healthcare providers are to screen and treat all patients that present with diabetic mellitus for heart and other related diseases. This venture would help detect and prevent myocardial infarction before it occurs. Discharged patients need to be followed as well to prevent frequent admissions. Prevention is better than cure.

  Okunji PO

  Gomez F (2014). Effects of patients and hospital characteristics on myocardial infarction mortality: health disparity outcomes.

  Daniel Johnnie

  Ph.D

  JD

  About 1.1 million Americans are living with HIV

  and 21% of these persons do not know they are infected. African Americans are 8.6 times more likely to be diagnosed with HIV infection

  as compared to the White population in 2008. Women account for a 25% of all new HIV/AIDS cases

  with approximately 65% having contracted the infection via heterosexual contact. People with mental and behavioral disorders are at increased risk for HIV/AIDS. Tendencies for committing risky behavior that leads to HIV infection is around 50% among people who are mentally ill. Current nation-based statistics of factors that affect the outcomes of inpatients HIV/AIDS admitted to non-federal hospitals is lacking. A retrospective data analysis of discharges was conducted from the 2007 and 2010 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS). Sample selection criteria was done using the International Classification of Diseases

  Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes (HIV/AIDS = 042

  Schizophrenia = 295

  Depression = 296

  Bipolar = 657). Statistical Analysis involved the use of crosstab

  and multiple regression for patient measures (age

  gender

  ethnicity

  income

  insurance

  patients’ co-morbidities

  admission types

  treatment procedures); hospital measures (teaching status

  ownership

  location

  region

  size) and length of stay (LOS). The result of this study has shown that the patient demographics age

  gender

  ethnicity

  insurance

  location and size or region of the hospitals were not the most critical variables that made the patients stay longer on admission to non-federal hospitals. These findings highlight the conversation that sicker patients with more comorbidities are usually admitted to teaching hospitals where more Registered Nurses (RNs) are employed full time for a more positive and satisfactory patient outcomes.

  Hospital stay of inpatients HIV/AIDS with mental and behavioral disorders: 2007 vs 2010 discharges in the United States

  Supplement and DC OAA grant in Progress

  Priscilla

  Howard University

  Howard University

  Washington

  DC

  Teaches Health Assessment

  Nursing Leadership and Interdisciplinary Health Ethics\nLarge Database/Population Base Research\nMinority

  Disparity and mHealth Research\nCardiovascular/Diabetes Preventive Research\nTaught/Teaches Online

  Hybrid and Traditional Courses\nTaught Adult Health II

  Nursing Leadership & Synthesis

  Assistant Professor

  Howard University

  Washington DC

  Associate Professor

  Howard University

  Washington D.C. Metro Area

  Taught Nursing Leadership \nCoordinated Online RN-to-BSN Program\nLarge Database/Population Based Research\nMinority

  Disparity and mHealth Research\nCardiovascular/Diabetes Preventive Research\nTaught/Teaches Online

  Hybrid and Traditional Courses\nDeveloped and Implemented Online RN-to-BSN Program\nTaught Adult Health II

  Nursing Leadership & Synthesis

  Instructor

  Howard University

  Quality Care and Outcomes Research

  American Heart Association

  National Association of Nigerian Nurses in North America

  DMV Chapter

  Preventive Cardiovascular Nursing Association

• PROFILES IN SUCCESS: DR. PRISCILLA OKUNJI

  Meet Trident Dr. Priscilla Okunji

  current professor at Howard University and alumnus of Trident's Ph.D. in Health Sciences program!

  Howard University Faculty Senate Awards 2012