Emilia Ngozi Iwu

As a passionate caregiver who wants to make a difference in nursing, STTI member Emilia Ngozi Iwu, a faculty member at Rutgers University School of Nursing in Newark, New Jersey, USA, conducted a study about HIV management by nurses in Africa. According to Emilia, “Irrespective of odds faced with work environment, African nurses remain the silent pillars of healthcare in African countries. Our study participants expressed appreciation that ‘someone was interested in their welfare and want to know the results’.”

Conducting global health research presented many barriers to Emilia, including security travel restrictions, a nationwide health worker strike, militant insurgence in Northern Nigeria, and the shear fact that many health centers were in rural, remote locations that are difficult to reach. Thanks to the Global Nurse Research Grant provided by the STTI Foundation for Nursing, Emilia was able to have the financial support to recruit, train, and mobilize local nurses who helped to distribute and retrieve her surveys in these remote areas. Because Emilia says that dissemination in Africa is so critical to facilitate nursing leadership, action, and interest in nurse outcome studies, being able to conduct this important research had a major impact on her study.

“I truly do not think my data would have been as robust without this award,” Emilia says. “I appreciate STTI for helping me overcome many barriers encountered in global health research.”

In addition to presenting her research at STTI’s 27^th International Nursing Research Congress in Cape Town, South Africa, she looks forward to presenting at the Biennial General Meeting of the West Africa College of Nursing as well. Emilia adds, “I look forward to other opportunities to speak, present, and publish in Africa.”

When asked what STTI means to her, Emilia says, “STTI has been a platform that positively influenced me to become a better nurse, educator, leader, mentor, and more.” And it’s no question that through her research and work in healthcare, she’s certainly helping STTI achieve its mission to advance world health.