Connect

When Tracye Proffitt, PhD, RN, stepped into her new role as Senior Director, Nurse Scientist in August 2025, she brought with her a clear goal: helping nurses transform their ideas into meaningful improvements in patient care. With a professional background spanning acute and critical care, education, and research — Proffitt leads efforts to support nursing research and evidence-based practice (EBP) across UVA Health.

In this Q&A with Connect, Proffitt shares what excites her most about this role, why nurses’ voices matter in shaping patient outcomes, and how the Office of Nursing Research is working to build confidence around research and EBP.

What drew you to nursing science?
Early in my career, when I had an associate’s degree, I was fortunate to work at an academic medical center where nurse scientists were leading research on my unit. I interacted with them through committee work and was inspired. Later, after being an educator for several years, I went back for my PhD and again, it was my nurse scientist colleagues who inspired me. 

I also had mentors along the way who empowered me and helped me realize that I could do this kind of work and lead projects that have impact. One early mentor encouraged me to either think about something I was passionate about — or something that really bothered me. I chose the latter. I saw patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) struggling with delirium, which can increase the risk of serious outcomes that persist well beyond the hospital stay. In my dissertation work, I looked at cognitive Impairment, physical impairment, and psychological symptoms in ICU survivors.

What have you been doing in your first few months at UVA Health?
I’ve been focused on learning about the medical center and meeting with staff nurses, advanced practice providers, and clinical nurse leaders to learn about their experience with research and evidence-based practice and to think about how our office can facilitate that work. Our small but mighty nursing research team and UVA Health University Medical Center Associate Chief Nursing Officer Karin Skeen, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, who I report to, have been wonderful to work with. And I’ve been very impressed with all the resources we have here at UVA Health to support nursing research and evidence-based practice.

What excites you most about this role?
I'm most excited about helping nurses turn their ideas into real impact. Nurses learn about research and evidence-based practice in their undergraduate program, but they may lack practical experience. Our office can teach them how to use the Iowa Model for evidence-based practice and provide them the right tools and support to develop and lead research projects. My goal is for nurses to feel empowered and know that their voice is important in shaping the future of patient care. I also want nursing science to be visibly connected to improving patient outcomes and the patient experience — for that link to be very apparent.

If a nurse has an idea but doesn’t know how to get started, how can your office help?
First, I want nurses to know that research and evidence-based practice are meant to be done as part of a team, and that we are here to support them. We have many ways we can help. We’re always available for one-on-one consultations to help nurses think through an idea, submit an abstract for a professional conference, or write a journal article. 

We also lead the 15-week EBP Academy, where we guide nurses and new clinical nurse leaders through developing an evidence-based practice project. And finally, we have several educational initiatives that start as early as central orientation and include our EBP Boot Camp. However a nurse comes to us, we always start by asking how their clinical question ties into the nursing strategic plan. That’s usually first and foremost to make sure that we’re aligned.

Why is it important for nurses to be involved in evidence-based practice and research?
Nurses are at the front line of healthcare, so they see things that people who are in more academic roles don’t see. Because of their unique perspective, they often have ideas and questions that can really have a big impact on patient outcomes. Their voice is so important in shaping patient care and patient outcomes. Without their involvement, patient outcomes will suffer. We need nurses to be involved in this work.