Monday, June 13, 2016
Pittsburgh Nurse Receives Kimberly-Clark Nursing Research Award
— Dr. Jill Demirci Accepts the AWHONN Kimberly-Clark Grant —
Washington, D.C., June 13, 2016 – The Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) presented the Kimberly-Clark Nursing Research Award to Jill Demirci, PhD, RN, IBCLC, for her work entitled, “Feasibility and Acceptability of Maternal Antenatal Breast Milk Expression for Surgical Infants.” The award is supported through an educational grant from Kimberly-Clark and was presented at the AWHONN national Convention in Grapevine, Texas.
The Kimberly-Clark Nursing Research Award is granted to a researcher whose proposal investigates variables relevant to women’s health, obstetric and neonatal nursing. Dr. Demirci’s receipt of this award marks the second year that the Kimberly-Clark Nursing Research Award has been presented by AWHONN.
Dr. Demirci is a postdoctoral associate at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics. In September 2016, she will transition to a tenure-stream faculty position as an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh, School of Nursing. Her larger program of research focuses on a number of topics related to clinical breastfeeding support. These topics include barriers to extended, exclusive breastfeeding; breastfeeding messaging and the impact of clinician communication on infant feeding decisions; breastfeeding management in vulnerable populations; and etiology and management of perceived insufficient breast milk supply.
“Nurses play a crucial role in supporting and educating women about breastfeeding,” said AWHONN’s Chief Executive Officer, Lynn Erdman, MN, RN, FAAN. “Dr. Demirci’s research will enhance best practices for nurses and optimal mother-infant care.”
An AWHONN member, Dr. Demirici earned her Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD in nursing from the University of Pittsburgh. She worked clinically as a staff nurse on a mother-baby unit for seven years and is a board-certified lactation consultant.
“Kimberly-Clark and Huggies brand are proud to partner with AWHONN to recognize excellence in nursing research,” said Aric Melzl, general manager, Huggies Healthcare, Kimberly-Clark. “We applaud Dr. Demirci’s dedication to finding new solutions to help nurses, babies and families.”
For media interviews, contact:
Kelly Mack for AWHONN
202-296-2002
kmack@awhonn.org
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About AWHONN
Since 1969, the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) has been the foremost authority promoting the health of women and newborns and strengthening the nursing profession through the delivery of superior advocacy, research, education, and other professional and clinical resources. AWHONN represents the interests of 350,000 registered nurses working in women’s health, obstetric, and neonatal nursing across the United States. Learn more about AWHONN at www.awhonn.org.
About Kimberly-Clark
Kimberly-Clark and its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries. Every day, nearly a quarter of the world’s population trust K-C’s brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and well-being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds the No. 1 or No. 2 share position in more than 80 countries. To keep up with the latest K-C news and to learn more about the company’s 143-year history of innovation, visit www.kimberly-clark.com or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.
