REUNION ISSUE A Publication of The Frances Payne Bolton School ...

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Award for Excellence
Constance G. Visovsky, Phd ’02, rn, aPrn-nP
The Award for Excellence recognizes an alumna/us who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and
achievement in nursing, and has made significant contributions in nursing or related areas of healthcare.
Dr. Constance Visovsky is an associate professor of nursing
and director of the Master’s Program at the University of
Nebraska Medical Center, College of Nursing.
She received her BSN in 1994 and her MSN as an acute
care nurse practitioner in oncology in 1995 at the
University of Rochester School of Nursing in New York.
Shortly after graduation with her master’s degree, a job
change for her husband brought her to Cleveland, Ohio,
where she became a clinical instructor at the Frances Payne
Bolton School of Nursing. During her time at FPB, she was
influenced by a cadre of strong nursing leaders and
mentors. She recalls that Dr. Linda Workman provided her
with a solid foundation as a nurse educator as she strove to
become an expert teacher and clinician. Dr. Workman also
encouraged her to enter the doctoral program and assisted
her in securing a prestigious scholarship from the American
Cancer Society.
During her PhD coursework, Dr. Visovsky was exposed to
an enormous amount of nursing research being done at
FPB. The strong mentoring she received during her
doctoral studies helped shape her as a nurse scientist.
Dr. Visovsky learned research firsthand as the project
director for Dr. Shirley Moore and Dr. Patricia Brennan on
their study “HeartCare”, which implemented a program of
internet-derived recovery information for patients who had
undergone coronary artery bypass surgery. She feels she was
privileged to learn research from talented senior researchers
who willingly shared their time and insights. Dr. Visovsky
credits these experiences and close working relationships
with Dr. Workman and Dr. Moore for the success she has
been able to achieve in her academic career.
Dr. Visovsky continued to work as a
nurse practitioner throughout her
studies, and her patient experiences
helped her to define the challenges
faced by patients as they undergo
treatment for cancer. Her research
interest in chemotherapy-induced
peripheral neuropathy grew out of
her experience as a nurse
practitioner. She continues to
practice and is caring for women
with breast cancer at the University
of Nebraska Medical Center.
Her career progression included
postdoctoral study supported by the
Translational Research Oncology
Grant at Case Western Reserve
University, which culminated in
securing funding for her first
research project, “Strength Training
for Biotherapy-induced Muscle
Weakness”, from the National Cancer Institute. Currently,
she is PI of a Dean’s Cancer Initiative Pilot Study titled,
“Heading Off Peripheral Neuropathy with Exercise
(HOPE).” The study is testing a home-based aerobic and
strength training exercise program both during and after
taxane-based chemotherapy in women with breast cancer to
prevent or modify chemotherapy-induced peripheral
neuropathy. Dr. Visovsky has been appointed to a National
Cancer Institute grant review panel and is recognized by
the National Cancer Institute as a leader in the area of
chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy and cancer
symptom management.
The Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing Case Western Reserve University 17