Enhancing Child Life and Psychosocial Strategies for Excellence (ECLIPSE) Research Lab
Welcome to the Enhancing Child Life and Psychosocial Strategies for Excellence (ECLIPSE) Research Lab! The ECLIPSE lab examines child development and issues related to children and families experiencing healthcare events. Undergraduate and graduate students work alongside Dr. Burns-Nader to gain research experience and opportunities for presenting at local, state, and national conferences and publishing in peer-reviewed journals. Examples of research topics include the daily experiences child life students and child life professionals, how the appearance of toys influence children’s play, and the benefits of tablet distraction provided by a child life specialist. The lab collaborates with researchers at different children’s hospitals, universities across the Southeast, the University Medical Center Pediatric Department, and the Department of Human Development and Family Studies. To learn more about this lab, review the web page and/or email Dr. Burns-Nader below.
News for the CLCD Lab
Dr. Burns-Nader recieved the 2024 National Alumni Association Outstanding Commitment to Teaching Award.
Dr. Burns-Nader received the 2024 Association of Child Life Professionals’ Professional Research of the Year Award.
CLCD lab member, Ellie Chidley had a project completed during her graduate internship accepted for publication in Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care.
Several articles with Dr. Burns-Nader as one of the lead contributors and supported by members of the CLCD lab have been published in the Journal of Child Life.
Recent alums of the lab, Amber Wesoloski, Gracie Avery, Anna Schmitz, and Emily Goldstein, had their research published in Children’s Health Care.
Anna Schmitz (alum of the CLCD lab), Dr. Burns-Nader, Dr. Blake Berryhill (HDFS faculty member), and Dr. Julie Parker received the 2022 Association of Child Life Professionals’ Professional Research of the Year Award.
Emily Goldstein (alum of the CLCD lab) received the 2022 Association of Child Life Professionals’ Student Research of the Year Award.
Dr. Burns-Nader received the 2021 URCA Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award
Recent graduate of the CLCD lab, Anna Schmitz, had a paper summarizing her thesis published in the Journal of Child Life.
Undergraduate (Shannon Anderson, Amber Wesoloski) and graduate (Emily Goldstein) students in the lab published a recent study in JOSHUA.
External Collaborators
Dr. Jessika Boles, PhD, CCLS- Assistant Professor of Practice at Vanderbilt University
Dr. Sarah Daniels, PhD, CCLS- Child Life Research Specialist at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Current Research Projects
The role of simulation-based interprofessional education (Sim-IPE) in building competency in nursing and child life students In this study, Dr. Burns-Nader and collaborators in the Capstone College of Nursing (Drs. Janet Brown, Heather Cole, and Jessica Johnson) are examining the longitudinal outcomes of Sim-IPE for nursing and child life students, as well as the outcomes of the active observer role in Sim-IPE using a mixed-methods approach.
A mixed-methods study exploring directors experiences with advocating for salaries in the child life profession In this study, Drs. Burns-Nader, Boles, and Daniels are exploring the experiences of child life directors or similar leaders in advocating for the salaries of child life professions.
Exploring children’s thoughts on healthcare workers through a card sorting activity In this study, doctoral student, Briana Keller, uses a card sorting activity to see how children in middle childhood describe healthcare workers.
Recent Thesis Projects
Handling facility dogs with pediatric patients: An exploration from a child life perspective Emily Goldstein
In this case study, Emily explores the use of child life specialist as facility dog handlers and their perceived benefits and difficulties of serving as a handler.
Pictures from the Lab
Students, Mary Gibbons, Ella, and Kendall at the 2024 URCA presentationECLIPSE members and collaborators networking at the 2024 ACLP ConferenceMembers of the 2024 lab (after its renaming to ECLIPSE lab)Dr. Burns-Nader and colleagues at the 2024 National Alumni Outstanding Commitment to Teaching Award CeremonyOLIS 2024 Presentation2024 ACLP Research Award RecipientsStudents participating in the Sim-IPE studyLab members, Maggie Chavez and Adrienne Hays, participating in the Undergraduate Research ConferenceDr. Burns-Nader and CLCD lab alum, Maggie Chavez, at graduation.Dr. Burns-Nader providing tablet distraction by a CCLS during a recent study.Dr. Burns-Nader and colleagues, Lindsay Joe and Kelly Pinion, presenting at the 2016 Annual Child Life Conference in Orlando, FL.Poster presented at 2016 SRCD Special Topics Meetings Conference in Irvine, CA2016 SRCD Special Topics Meetings Conference in Irvine, CADr. Burns-Nader eating lunch with the UCLA-Irvine anteater mascot at the 2016 SRCD Special Topics Meeting in Irvine, CAUndergraduate students, Natalie Valentine and Emily Goldstein, presenting at the Undergraduate Research Conference at UA.Students and Dr. Burns-Nader with the Child Life Tree at the 2016 Tinsel TrailCLCD alum, Caroline Jones, and CLCD friend, Grace Meyer, celebrating Honors Day.Dr. Burns-Nader and other child life professionals across Alabama, Tennessee, and Mississippi, attending the Southeast Think Tank in Huntsville, AL.Kelly Pinion, Lindsay Joe, Sherwood Burns-Nader, and Amanda Petryszak standing outside their presentation at the 2017 Annual Child Life Conference in Las Vegas.Former members of the CLCD Lab reuniting at the 2017 Child Life Annual Conference in Las VegasDr. Scofield interacting with a participant in the Examining the Flexibility of Objects in Young Children’s Object Substitutions studyDr. Jason Scofield and Dr. Sherwood Burns-NaderExamining the Flexibility of Objects in Young Children’s Object Substitutions studyDr. Burns-Nader interacting with a participant in the Examining the Flexibility of Objects in Young Children’s Object Substitutions studyHDFS faculty and visiting professors from Shanghai UniversityDr. Burns-Nader and UA alums at the 2018 Association of Child Life Professionals’ Annual ConferenceDr. Burns-Nader meeting Doc McStuffins at the 2018 Association of Child Life Professionals’ Annual ConferenceEmily Goldstein and Amber Wesoloski of the CLCD lab one first place for CHES at the 2018 Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities Conference!Members of the 2017-2018 CLCD LabDr. Burns-Nader, 2017 receipient of the Joseph Rowland Teaching Excellence Award from the College of Human Environmental SciencesDr. Burns-Nader and co-presenters Donna Blackmon and Alison Sizemore at the 2018 SECA conferenceTori Hinton and Dr. Burns-Nader with their poster presented at the 2018 SEACLP Conference.Dr. Burns-Nader received the 2018 Professional Research Award by the Association of Child Life Professionals.Dr. Burns-Nader and Mrs. Leslie Dollar with students at the 2018 SEACLP conference in Huntsville, AL.Alum, Tori Hinton, presenting her thesis at the 2019 ACLP conferenceAlumni attending the 2019 ACLP conferenceUndergraduate CLCD lab members presenting at the National Undergraduate Research ConferenceURCA 2019URCA 2019URCA 2019Members of the CLCD lab for the 2018-2019 yearDr. Burns-Nader, Dr. Julie Parker, and alum Emily Goldstein, MS- recipients of the 2022 ACLP Outstanding Research – ProfessionalAnna Schmitz, MS, CLCD alum- recipient of the 2022 ACLP Outstanding Research Award- StudentDr. Burns-Nader with collaborators- Dr. Jessika Boles (Vanderbilt) and Dr. Sarah Daniels (St Jude)Emily Goldstein, MS, CLCD alum- recipient of the 2022 ACLP Outstanding Research Award- Professional
