Denice Sheehan, Ph.D., RN, FPCN

Biography

Dr. Denice Sheehan is a Professor of Nursing at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. She directed the development of the first graduate nursing program in palliative care in the United States in 1998 at Ursuline College in Pepper Pike, Ohio.

Dr. Sheehan’s program of research focuses on adolescents with a parent in hospice. She has been funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research as a Principal Investigator to study the strategies adolescents use to cope with the changes in their lives during the final months of a parent’s illness. Her current study focuses on how hospice volunteers, as members of the hospice care team, may assist adolescents with more effective communication to address the informational, emotional and support needs of teens with a parent in hospice.

Spring 2024 Courses

NURS 70742 - Advanced Qualitative Methods for Health Science
NURS 60101 - Theoretical Basis for Nursing Practice
NURS 30070 - Health Care Policy

Education

Ph.D., University of Akron/Kent State University, 2007
MSN, University of Akron, 1990
BSN, University of South Florida, 1982

Expertise

Adolescence
End-of-Life Care
Parentally-Bereaved Adolescents
Cancer
Hospice
Nursing
family impact

Publications

Stephenson, P., Sheehan, D., Petrinec, A., Hansen, D., & Mayo, M. (2023). Measuring spiritual uncertainty for hospice and palliative care providers. International Journal of Palliative Nursing, 29(4), 180-186. https://doi.org/10.12968/ijpn.2023.24.4.180
McPoland, P., Grossoehme, D. H., Sheehan, D., Stephenson, P., Downing, J., Deshommes, T., Gassant, P. Y. H., & Friebert, S. (2023). Children’s understanding of dying and death: A multi-national grounded theory. Palliative and Supportive Care, 1-8. doi:10.
Stephenson, P. Sheehan, D., & Hansen, D. (2022). The State of Spirituality Scale as a screening tool for spiritual distress. Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, 26(6), 593-596. doi: 10.1188/22.CJON.593-596
Marshall, S., Stephenson, P., & Sheehan, D. (2022). Strategies for recruiting the dependent children of patients with a life-limiting illness as research participants. Palliative Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1177/02692163221122302
Taber, J., Stacey, C. & Sheehan, D. (2020). Understanding hospice patients’ beliefs about their life expectancy: A qualitative interview study. American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. doi: 10.1177/1049909120948486
Hansen, D., Petrinec, A. Hebeshy, M., Sheehan, D. & Drew, B. (2019). Advancing the science of recruitment for family caregivers: Focus group and Delphi methods. Journal of Medical Internet Research Nursing, 2(1): e13862. doi:10.2196/13862.
Sheehan, D., Hansen, D., Stephenson, P. S., Mayo, M.M, Albataineh, R. & Anaba, E. (2019). Telling adolescents that a parent has died. Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing, 21(2), 152-159. doi: 10.1097/NJH.0000000000000506
Sheehan, D, Hansen, D. Mayo, M. Snyder- Cowan, D. & Stephenson, P. (2019). Supporting adolescents with a parent in hospice. In B. R. Ferrell & J. Paice (Eds.), Textbook of palliative nursing (5th ed., pp.783-790). New York: Oxford University Press.
Stephenson, P. S., Sheehan, D, Hansen, D., & Mayo, M.M, (2019). Spiritual uncertainty among hospice providers: “There were tensions.” Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing, 21(1), 90 95. doi:10.1097/NJH.0000000000000485.
Stephenson, P. S., Sheehan, D, Hansen, D. & Mayo, M.M. (2017). The spiritual nature of uncertainty among hospice patients. Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing, 19(5), 480-486. doi:10.1097/NJH.0000000000000376.
Hansen, D.M., Sheehan, D. & Stephenson, P. (2017) Family caregiver recruitment via social media: Challenges, opportunities and lessons. International Journal of Palliative Nursing, 23(2), 84-87. doi: 10.12968/ijpn.2017.23.2.84.
Stephenson, P. S., Sheehan, D. & Shahrour, G. (2016). Support for using five spiritual attributes to describe spirituality among families with a parent in hospice. Palliative & Supportive Care, 1-8. doi:10.1017/S1478951516000778
Hansen, D.M., Sheehan, D. & Stephenson, P. (2016). The caregivers' experience with an illness blog: A pilot study. Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing, 18(5), 464-469. DOI: 10.1097/NJH.0000000000000276
Mayo, M.M., Sheehan, D.K., Hansen, D.M., Stephenson, P., Christ, G.H., Heim, K., Shahrour, G., & Draucker, C.B.. (2016). An examination of interactions between health care providers and adolescents with a parent in hospice. Journal of Hospice and Palliati
Sheehan, D.K., Mayo, M.M., Christ, G.H., Heim, K., Parish, S., Shahrour, G., & Draucker, C.B. (2016). Two worlds: Adolescents’ strategies for managing life with a parent in hospice. Palliative and Supportive Care, 15, 177-186. doi:10.1017/S147895151500073
Stephenson, P. S., Sheehan, D., Hansen, D. & Mayo, M. M. (2015). Uncertainties experienced by family members when one parent is dying. International Journal of Palliative Nursing, 21(10):488-494. doi:10.12968/ijpn.201521.10.488.
Hansen, D.M., Sheehan, D.K., Stephenson, P.S. & Mayo, M. (2015). Parental relationships beyond the grave: Adolescents description of continued bonds. Palliative and Supportive Care, 14(4), 358-363. doi:10.1017/S1478951515001078

Affiliations

Sigma Theta Tau International

Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association

Midwest Nursing Research Society

Awards/Achievements

2017, Fellow in Palliative Care Nursing, Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association
2015, June Scholar of the Month, Kent State University
2010, Research Scholar, Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association
2009, Leading the Way Award, Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association
2000-2003, Sigma Theta Tau International Distinguished Lecturer
2001, Distinguished Woman in Healthcare in End-of-Life/Hospice, Visiting Nurse Association Healthcare Partners of Ohio

Research Institutes and Initiatives

Healthy Communities Research Initiative