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Susan Blaakman, PhD, RN, PMHNP-BC, FNAP, FAAN

Susan Blaakman, PhD, RN, PMHNP-BC, FNAP, FAAN

(Pronouns: she/her/hers)
  • Specialty Director, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program
  • Professor of Clinical Nursing

Education

  • PhD in Health Practice Research, 2011. University of Rochester School of Nursing. Rochester, NY
  • Post-Master's Certificate in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, 2000. University of Rochester. Rochester, NY
  • Masters in Nursing, 1996. University of Rochester School of Nursing. Rochester, NY
  • BS in Nursing, 1993. University of Rochester School of Nursing. Rochester, NY
  • BA in Honors Psychology, 1988. SUNY Oswego. Oswego, NY

Bio

Susan Blaakman has been a member of the psychiatric nursing faculty at the University of Rochester School of Nursing since 1999. She has taught and advised students at the baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral level, and has been specialty director of the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program since completing her doctorate in health practice research in 2011. A founding member of the School of Nursing’s Wellness Task Force, she co-directs the wellness goal in the school’s strategic plan, is the co-director of clinical scholarship, and the program director of a federally-funded education project addressing childhood trauma.

As a nationally-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, she has acquired vast clinical expertise in psychiatric assessment and diagnosis, crisis intervention, tobacco dependence intervention, high-risk youth behaviors, research with vulnerable populations, motivational interviewing, and health behavior change across the lifespan. She also serves as a project nurse, senior leader, and co-investigator in general pediatrics at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

Blaakman has co-authored many publications and was honored with the 2013 Rochester Academy of Medicine Nursing Award for her clinical research. She was inducted as a Fellow of the National Academies of Practice in 2020 and of the American Academy of Nursing in 2022. Blaakman’s active professional memberships include Sigma Theta Tau, the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties, the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers, and the American Psychiatric Nurses Association for whom she is a founding member of the Motivational Interviewing Task Force, former co-chair of the Tobacco Dependence Council, and expert consultant for a national project aimed to reduce vaccine hesitancy in vulnerable populations in conjunction with the CDC and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. She earned a bachelor's degree from the Honors College at SUNY Oswego and bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees from the University of Rochester School of Nursing.


Professor of Clinical Nursing, University of Rochester School of Nursing, Rochester, NY. 2020 - Current

Research Project Nurse, URMC General Pediatrics (Pediatric Asthma/Health Behavior), Rochester, NY, US. 8/2006 - Current

Nurse Practitioner TAR, URMC/Community (Psychiatric Mental Health), Rochester, NY, US. 6/2000 - Current

Associate Professor of Clinical Nursing, URSON (Specialty Director Family PMHNP Program), Rochester, NY, US. 2011 - 2020

National Research Service Award, URSON (Self Determination Theory and Caregive Smoking Bans for Asthmatic Children), Rochester, NY, US. 4/2009 - 4/2011

Loretta C. Ford Pre-doctoral Fellow, URSON (Health Practice Research), Rochester, NY, US. 9/2006 - 9/2008
Selected Fellow
American Academy of Nursing, 2022

Dr. Jeremy A. Klainer & Pamela York Klainer Endowed Dean’s Discretionary Award in Nursing
for the Wellness Task Force (Chair), University of Rochester School of Nursing, 2021

Outstanding Scholarly Practitioner Faculty Award
University of Rochester School of Nursing, 2020

Elected Distinguished Fellow in Nursing
The National Academies of Practice, 2019

Writing for Publication Fellowship Award
University of Rochester School of Nursing, 2019

Selected Commencement Faculty Marshall
University of Rochester School of Nursing, 2019

Public Service Fund Award
Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers, 2017

Benjamin Franklin Fire Writer's Award, First Place
National Fire Heritage Center, 2016

Nursing Award
Rochester Academy of Medicine, 2013

Eight & Forty Respiratory Nurses Scholarship
American Legion, 2010

Janssen Student Scholar
American Psychiatric Nurses Association, 2009

American Nurses Foundation Presidential Scholar Award
American Nurses Association, 2009
Minding the gaps: Faculty strategies to enhance writing competencies for diverse students in NP distance education.
Posey, K., Prol, L., Taylor, L., Cranwell-Bruce, L., Berg, S., Thanavaro, J., Lawrence, M., & Fagan, K.
National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties, 48th Annual Conference, NONPF, 2022

Motivational interviewing for the athletic staff.
Training series, SUNY Geneseo Athletics Department, 2022

Mitigating secondary trauma: Cultivating wellness and compassion for clinical supervisors and faculty.
Gallegos, A., Mitchell, J.
Coming Together for Transition Age Youth: 1st Annual Interprofessional Forum for HRSA-Funded Grantees, Students, and Affiliated Community Partners (Virtual)., HRSA, 2022

Be a wellness warrior or your own health hero (no capes required).
Volunteers in Partnership leadership conference., University of Rochester, 2022

Road to joy: How do we get there in advanced nursing practice?
New York State Regional Conference, The Nurse Practitioner Association, 2022

Motivational interviewing for the behavioral health provider.
Virtual professional development., URMC Pediatric Behavioral Health and Wellness, Child and Adolescent Partial Hospitalization Program, 2021

Motivational interviewing for campus residential life staff.
Training series, SUNY Geneseo Office of Residential Life, 2021

Self-determination theory and asthma medication adherence for urban adolescents.
PAS 2021 Virtual, E-PAS2021, Pediatric Academic Societies, 2021

Motivational interviewing for providers of sexual assault victims’ services
Virtual Workshop Series provided by MINT panel, King County Sexual Assault Resource Center, Seattle, WA., 2021

The road to joy: How do we get there in healthcare?
Virtual fall induction ceremony, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, Epsilon Xi., 2021

Motivational interviewing for the behavioral/health provider.
Training series, SUNY Geneseo Student Health and Counseling Interns, 2021

The ‘Compassionomics’ of motivational interviewing: Skills to decrease the costs of caring
American Psychiatric Nurses Association 34th Annual Conference [delayed by COVID-19], APNA, 2020

Be a wellness warrior: Prepare mentally & stay healthy during a crisis.
Experience Rochester Virtual Lecture Series, University of Rochester, 2020

Community health worker perspectives on breastfeeding influences: An evolving resource for underserved mothers.
PAS 2020, Pediatric Academic Societies, 2020

Motivational interviewing for the behavioral/health provider.
Training series, SUNY Geneseo Student Health and Counseling Interns, 2020

Motivational interviewing for the behavioral/health provider.
Training series, SUNY Geneseo Student Health and Counseling Staff, 2020

The ‘Compassionomics’ of motivational interviewing: Decreasing the costs of caring [unable to present due to COVID-19].
The Nurse Practitioner Association of New York State 36th Annual Conference, The Nurse Practitioner Association, 2020

Motivational interviewing for the athletic staff.
Training series, SUNY Geneseo Athletics Department, 2020

The ‘Compassionomics’ of motivational interviewing: Decreasing the costs of caring [unable to present due to COVID-19].
Annual Master’s Program Preceptor Workshop and Recognition Day., University of Rochester School of Nursing, 2020

Still up the behavior change river without any OARS?: Advancing your motivational interviewing skills for challenging clinical problems
American Psychiatric Nurses Association Annual Conference, APNA, 2019

Parents’ experiences of providing nutrition to children receiving palliative care.
Annual Assembly of Hospice and Palliative Care, 2019

Parents’ experiences of providing nutrition to children receiving palliative care.
Dysphagia Research Society Annual Society, 2019

Motivational interviewing for the faith-based health liaison.
Training series, University of Rochester School of Nursing, 2019

Motivational interviewing for the case manager.
Training series, Cayuga County Community Mental Health Center, 2019

Depressive symptoms among urban teens with asthma: A focus for providers.
PAS 2018, Pediatric Academic Societies, 2018

Educational updates
Annual Master’s Program Preceptor Workshop and Recognition Day., University of Rochester School of Nursing, 2018

Professional boundaries in care management: Why (and how) we care.
Care Management Summit, Accountable Health Partners/URMC, 2018

Up the behavior change river without any OARS?: Applying the spirit of motivational interviewing and listening skills for challenging clinical problems.
American Psychiatric Nurses Association Annual Conference, APNA, 2018

Designing and delivering quality distance education: Challenges and opportunities to teach the next generation of PMHNPs.
American Psychiatric Nurses Association Annual Conference, APNA, 2017

Motivational interviewing skills for the psychiatric mental health nurse.
American Psychiatric Nurses Association Annual Conference, APNA, 2017

Motivational interviewing for preceptors: What’s your next step?
Annual Master’s Program Preceptor Workshop and Recognition Day., University of Rochester School of Nursing, 2016

Motivational interviewing and medication adherence among urban teens with asthma: Early experiences in the school-based asthma care for teens (SB-ACT) program.
PAS 2016, Pediatric Academic Societies, 2016

Motivational interviewing skills for the psychiatric mental health nurse across settings: So tired of wrestling, so ready to dance.
American Psychiatric Nurses Association Annual Conference, APNA, 2016

Firsthand experiences with online learning at the University of Rochester.
University of Rochester Online Learning Symposium, University of Rochester, 2016

Motivational interviewing in NP practice: Where does that leave you?
The Nurse Practitioner Association of New York State Annual Conference, The Nurse Practitioner Association, 2015

Standardized patients in PMHNP education: Opportunities for developing intra- and inter-professional competencies.
American Psychiatric Nurses Association Annual Conference, APNA, 2015

Interprofessional approaches for pediatric depression.
Pediatric Nursing Workshop, Golisano Children’s Hospital at Strong, 2013

Tobacco Dependence Council Interactive Panel.
American Psychiatric Nurses Association Annual Conference, APNA, 2013

Needs assessment: Tobacco dependence education in graduate psychiatric nursing and pharmacy schools,
Webinar, Smoking Cessation Leadership Center, 2013

Embracing change: Using the theory of structural empowerment to develop a family psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner curriculum
American Psychiatric Nurses Association Annual Conference, APNA, 2012
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Motivating health behavior change in the school health office
Rochester City School District, 2012
Rochester, New York

Tobacco Dependence Council Interactive Panel
APNA, 2012
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Building skills: A workshop designed to help you intervene effectively with your patients who smoke
APNA, 2012
Louisville, Kentucky

Asthma medication adherence among urban teens: Barriers, facilitators, and experiences with school-based care
Strong Children's Research Center, 2012
Rochester, New York

Occupy Well Street: A call for interprofessional action for kids diagnosed with depression
Regional Conference, Sigma Theta Tau Epsilon Xi Chapter, 2012
Rochester, New York

How to go smoke-free
Behavioral Health Teleconference, Smoking Cessation Leadership Center/St. Francis Medical Center, 2012
Lynwood, California

Self-determination theory and caregiver smoking bans for asthmatic
Scientific Symposium, NINR, 2011
Washington, District Of Columbia

Preliminary results of an asthma education and secondhand smoke reduction program to prevent respiratory illness among premature infants
Pediatric Academic Societies, 2011
Denver, Colorado

A pilot study to enhance preventive asthma care among urban adolescents with asthma
Pediatric Academic Societies, 2011
Denver, Colorado

Caregiver characteristics and smoking bans for asthmatic children
State of the Science Congress on Nursing Research, 2010
Washington, District Of Columbia

Self-determination theory and caregiver smoking bans for asthmatic children
Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science, 2009
Washington, District Of Columbia
National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (2022). Guidelines for Distance Education & Enhanced Technologies in Nurse Practitioner Programs.. NONPF.

Blaakman, S.W., Fagnano, M., Borrelli, B., Riekert, K.A.., & Halterman, J.S. (2022). Self-determination theory and asthma medication adherence: Motivational considerations for historically marginalized adolescents.. Journal of Pediatric Health Care. PMID: 35788313 DOI: 10.1016/j.pedhc.2022.06.001

Blaakman, S., Fagnano, M., Borrelli, B., Riekert, K.A., & Halterman, J.S. (2022). Self-Determination Theory and Preventive Medication Adherence: Motivational Considerations to Support Historically Marginalized Adolescents with Asthma. Journal of Pediatric Health Care. PMID: 35788313 DOI: 10.1016/j.pedhc.2022.06.001

Halterman, J.S., Riekert, K.A., Fagnano, M., Tremblay, P.J., Blaakman, S.W., Tajon, R., Wang, H., & Borrelli, B. (2021). Effect of the school-based asthma care for teens (SB-ACT) program on asthma morbidity: A 3-arm randomized controlled trial.. Journal of Asthma. PMID: 33307900 DOI: 10.1080/02770903.2020.1856869

Shankar, M., Fagnano, M., Blaakman, S. W., Rhee, H., & Halterman, J. S. (2019). Depressive symptoms among urban adolescents with asthma: A focus for providers. Academic Pediatrics. PMID: 30578922 PMCID: PMC6586550 DOI: 10.1016/j.acap.2018.12.004

Blaakman, S.W., Borrelli, B., Weisenthal, E.N., Fagnano, M., Tremblay, P.J., Stevens, T.P., & Halterman, J.S. (2015). Secondhand smoke exposure reduction after NICU discharge: Results of a Randomized Trial.. Academic Pediatrics. PMID: 26210908 DOI: 10.1016/j.acap.2015.05.001

Blaakman, S.W., Cohen, A.R., Fagnano, M., & Halterman, J.S. (2014). Asthma medication adherence among urban teens: Barriers, facilitators, and experiences with school-based care.. Journal of Asthma. PMID: 24494626 DOI: 10.3109/02770903.2014.885041

Blaakman, S.B., Tremblay, P.J., Halterman, J.S., Fagnano, M., & Borrelli, B. (2013). Implementation of a community-based secondhand smoke reduction intervention for caregivers of urban children with asthma: Process evaluation, successes and challenges.. Health Education Research, 28, 141-152. PMID: 22717938 PMCID: PMC3549585 DOI: 10.1093/her/cys070

Halterman, J.S., Riekert, K., Bayer, A., Fagnano, M., Tremblay, P., Blaakman, S., & Borrelli, B. (2011). A pilot study to enhance preventive asthma care among urban adolescents with asthma.. Journal of Asthma. PMID: 21599562 PMCID: PMC3279119 DOI: 10.3109/02770903.2011.576741

Sharp, D.L. & Blaakman, S.W. (2010). The significance of tobacco dependence in persons with mental illness. In N. Monson (Ed.), Treating Tobacco Dependence in Persons with Mental Illness: Breaking Barriers and Implementing Changes.. American Psychiatric Nurses Association Counseling Points..

Halterman, J.S., Borrelli, B., Conn, K.M., Tremblay, P., & Blaakman, S. (2010). Motivation to quit smoking among parents of urban children with asthma.. Patient Education and Counseling. PMID: 19796913 PMCID: PMC2856779 DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2009.09.004

Sharp, D. L., & Blaakman, S. W. (2009). Report from the APNA Tobacco Dependence Council. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association. PMID: 21659256 DOI: 10.1177/1078390309353068

Sharp, D. L., Cole, R. E., Kourofsky, C. E., & Blaakman, S. W. (2009). Intervening with youth who engage in fire-setting. In K. Geldard (Ed.). Practical Interventions for Young People at Risk, 102-112.

Sharp, D., Bellush, N., Evinger, J., Blaakman, S., & Williams, G. (2009). Intensive tobacco dependence intervention with persons challenged by mental illness: Manual for nurses. American Psychiatric Nurses Association Tobacco Dependence Resource Center.

Sharp, D.L., & Blaakman, S. W. (2009). A review of research by nurses regarding tobacco dependence and mental health. In L. Sarna & S. Bialous (Eds.). Annual Review of Nursing Research, 27, 297-318.

Sharp, D. L., Blaakman, S.W., Cole, R. E., & Evinger, J. (2009). Report from a national tobacco dependence survey of psychiatric nurses. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association. PMID: 21665804 DOI: 10.1177/1078390309336746

Sharp, D. L., Blaakman, S.W., Cole, R. E., & Cole, E. C. (2006). Evidence-based multidisciplinary strategies for working with children who set fires. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nursing Association, 11, 329-337.

Cole, R., Crandall, R., Kourofsky, C. E., Sharp, D., Blaakman, S.W., & Cole, E. (2006). Juvenile Firesetting: A Community Guide to Prevention and Intervention. .