Nursing Annual Report 2022

Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham have been awarded an $8 million R01 grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to better understand the long-term health of children exposed to metformin during pregnancy. Metformin is a medication used to treat Type 2 diabetes during pregnancy. 

Congratulations to the most recent winner, Chelsey Tucker, RN. Below is a summary of multiple nominations sharing why Chelsey is worthy of a DAISY Award.

Urinary incontinence is a condition that impacts both men and women. Defined by the involuntary leakage of urine, UI more commonly impacts women than men. Since incontinence is classified as a non-life-threatening condition, many women find themselves suffering in silence, dealing with the symptoms and residual impacts in secret.

Pain in the knee and ankle are common experiences of human mobility. Joint and muscle experts from the UAB offer insight into what pain in the knee and ankle may mean and offer methods to take care of these essential parts of the musculoskeletal system.

Summer brings warmth and vitality, creating many opportunities for fun outdoor recreation and leisure. However, ticks are more active during the summer and can make enjoying the outdoors challenging. 

Regular exposure to salt water or chlorine in water can take a toll on skin and hair if not managed properly. Swimmers in oceans or chlorinated pools are exposed to environmental factors that can disrupt the body’s natural barriers. Rachel Falkner, M.D., an assistant professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Department of Dermatology, provides practical strategies to maintain healthier skin and hair without sacrificing time spent in the water. 

The UAB Department of Surgery is proud to announce that Saulat Sheikh, M.D., will serve as the surgical director of the UAB Comprehensive Transplant Institute’s Liver Transplantation Program, effective Wednesday, July 1, 2026.

The annual UAB Medicine Service Awards were created to honor employees for years of faithful service and acknowledge their special contributions to our organization. As part of the 2025 Service Awards recognition, Mary Duncan, RN – a clinical care coordinator with the UAB Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery – reflected on her years at UAB Medicine.

For Chloe Yeager, MSN, RN (MSN 2025), a recent graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing’s Accelerated Master’s in Nursing Pathway, nursing wasn’t just a career change; it was a calling discovered in one of life’s most defining moments. Now working as a registered nurse in the Emergency Department at UAB Hospital, Yeager represents the thousands of UAB graduates who choose to remain in Alabama and those who remain within the UAB Health System.

When parents welcome a new child, eye color is often one of the first physical characteristics they notice. Parents may wonder whether this trait has any implications for their child’s health and development.

At its annual conference in April, the Alabama Emergency Nurses Association (AENA) honored three emergency caregivers at UAB Hospital and UAB St. Vincent’s East with AENA Excellence Awards for 2025. These awards recognize nurses and advanced practice providers who demonstrate outstanding leadership, clinical expertise, and commitment to emergency care.

Each year, UAB Spain Rehabilitation Center (SRC) selects a patient, former patient, or a patient’s family member for its Ambassador of Hope Award, which recognizes courage and determination that inspire others facing the challenges of a disability. The recipient for 2025 is Sean Torbert of Phenix City, Ala.