Gina Clarkson, PhD, MSN, BS, APRN, NNP-BC

• Father involvement in the NICU
• Neonatal and perinatal outcomes for families, including grief and substance use disorder

Profile

Dr. Gina Clarkson is an Associate Professor in the School of Nursing at Idaho State University with academic leadership experience. She is a proud veteran of the U.S Air Force and continues to practice in a clinical setting as a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner. Her research centers on father involvement in the NICU and neonatal family outcomes, including substance use disorder. She has led multiple funded projects, mentored doctoral students, and published in leading nursing and healthcare journals. With a strong background in curriculum development, accreditation experience, and academic leadership, Dr. Clarkson is dedicated to advancing nursing education and supporting faculty and student success.

Featured Scholarship and Publications

Selected Publications:

• Clarkson, G., Sheikh, N., Johnson, L.A. (2024). Grieving the Loss of a Child and the Use of Online Social Support: An Exploratory Survey Study. J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv, 62(8):47-55.
• Gondor, K., Clarkson, G. (2024). Exploring chronic congenital heart disease using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA): A methodological insight. Int J Qualitative Methods, 23:1-8.
• Anderson, M., Clarkson, G. (2023). Nurse Practitioner Student Education: Survey of Substance Use Disorder Competency. The Journal of Nurse Practitioners.
• Walker, H., Clarkson, G., Allston, H., & Chan, B. (2022). “All I Can Say is Thank You”: A Qualitative Study of Gratitude in the NICU before and during COVID-19. The Journal of Perinatal and Neonatal Nursing, 37(3), 223-231.
• Clarkson, G., & Hearn, G. (2021). Former neonatal intensive care unit fathers’ involvement 4 years later: A qualitative study. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 60, 31–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2021.02.004
• Hearn, Gesine, Clarkson, Gina, & Day, Matthew (2020). The Role of the NICU in Father Involvement, Beliefs, and Confidence, Advances in Neonatal Care: February - Volume 20 - Issue 1 - p 80-89 doi: 10.1097/ANC.0000000000000665
• Clarkson, G., Dietrich, M., McBride, B.A., Moore, E., & Gilmer, M.J. (2019). Cross-sectional Survey of factors associated with parental involvement in the neonatal intensive care unit. J Clin Nurs. Nov; 28(21-22):3977-3990. DOI: 10.1111/jocn.14981. Epub 2019 Jul 14.
• Clarkson, G. & Gilmer, M.J. (2019). Factors Affecting Time NICU Nurses Spend with Fathers: Results from a Larger Study. Advances in Neonatal Care. 2019 Oct; 19(5):E16-E25. DOI: 10.1097/ANC.0000000000000646.
• Johnson LA, Dias N, Clarkson G, Schreier A.M. (2019). Social media as a recruitment method to reach a diverse sample of bereaved parents. Applied Nursing Research. 2019 Dec. doi: 10.1016/j.apnr.2019.151201. Epub 2019 Oct 20. PMID: 31677928.

Selected Grants:

• SUD DNP/IPE Education, SAMHSA Grant, Co-Investigator & Evaluation Coordinator (2024–present)
• Idaho AHEC Program Office, Evaluation Director, HRSA Grant (2023–present)
• Father Involvement in the NICU; A Pilot Study, FAM-NET NIH sub-award, Principal Investigator (2023–2024)