Meredith Kells, PhD, RN, CPNP, FSAHM

(Pronouns: she/her)

Assistant Professor

Education

PhD, 2019. Boston College. Chestnut Hill, MA
Masters of Science, Nursing, 2007. Boston College. Chestnut Hill, MA
Bachelors of Science, Nursing, 2005. Boston College. Chestnut Hill, MA

Bio

Meredith Kells is an assistant professor at the University of Rochester School of Nursing and a pediatric nurse practitioner at Golisano Children's Hospital in the Department of Pediatrics-Division of Adolescent Medicine. A committed researcher and clinician, Kells’ work centers on the care of adolescents and young adults with eating disorders, including management of malnutrition, inpatient hospitalization, and social media use in the maintenance and development of eating disorders. Her current focus is on the care of individuals admitted for inpatient hospitalization, and the reduction of risk of refeeding hypophosphatemia and identification of best practices in goal weight settings for individuals with restrictive eating disorders.

Kells brings more than a decade of experience to her current role, having served individuals with eating disorders in both ambulatory and tertiary care settings. Prior to the University of Rochester, she completed a two-year NIMH-funded postdoctoral fellowship in eating disorders research at the University of Chicago. She also completed the LEAH (Leadership Education in Adolescent Health) interdisciplinary training program — funded by HRSA’s Maternal & Child Health Bureau — and an evidence-based practice fellowship at Boston’s Children Hospital. She is an active member of both the Academy for Eating Disorders (AED) and the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine (SAHM). Kells earned her bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD degree from Boston College’s Connell School of Nursing.

Current Focus

My current focus is on the care of individuals admitted for inpatient hospitalization, and the reduction of risk of refeeding hypophosphatemia and identification of best practices in goal weight settings for individuals with restrictive eating disorders.

Professional Experience

Assistant Professor,: University of Rochester School of Nursing, Rochester, NY. 2022 - Current
Postdoctoral Fellow,: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. 2020 - 2022
Adjunct Faculty,: University of Rhode Island College of Nursing, Providence, RI. 2020 - 2020
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner,: Boston Children's Hospital Level II Division of Adolescent/Young Adult Medicine, Boston, MA. 2014 - 2020
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner,: Boston Children's Hospital Level II, Inpatient Medicine, Boston, MA. 2008 - 2020
Adjunct Faculty,: Endicott College Van Loan School of Graduate and Professional Studies, Beverly, MA. 2014 - 2014
Clinical Instructor in Nursing,: University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA. 2012 - 2013
Nurse Fellow,: Boston Children's Hospital Health Resources and Services Administration/Maternal Child Health Bureau, Boston, MA. 2011 - 2012
Nurse Fellow,: Boston Children's Hospital Medicine Patient Services, Evidence Based Practice, Boston, MA. 2009 - 2010
Staff Nurse,: Boston Children's Hospital Intermediate Care Program, Boston, MA. 2008 - 2010
Staff Nurse I,: Boston Children's Hospital Inpatient Medicine, Boston, MA. 2007 - 2010
Registered Nurse,: Pediatric Health Care Associates, Peadbody, MA. 2006 - 2007

Awards

Commencement Degree Representative for Doctoral Candidates: Boston College, 2019
Early Career Spotlight: Society of Adolescent Health and Medicine, 2016
University Fellow: Boston College, 2016
University Fellow: Boston College, 2015
University Fellow: Boston College, 2014
University Fellow: Boston College, 2013
David R. DeMasso, MD Pediatric Psychiatry Nursing Excellence Award Nominee: Boston Children's Hospital, 2012
Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society of Nursing: Alpha Chi Chapter, 2007

Presentations

Health Literacy and Eating Disorder Pathology in Women with Food Insecurity: International Conference on Eating Disorders, 2022
Web Based Screening and Brief Intervention Increases Self-Reported Motivation to Reduce Binge Eating and Binge Drinking in College Students: International Conference on Eating Disorders, 2022
Associations between Shame, Eating Disorder Symptoms, and Depression in a Preliminary Sample of Women with Food Insecurity: Eating Disorders Research Society Annual Meeting, 2022
Thank you for coming to my tEDTok: The experience of treatment for eating disorders as told on TikToK.: International Conference on Eating Disorders, 2022
Bradycardia in Adolescents and Young Adults with Anorexia Nervosa (AN): International Conference on Eating Disorders, 2021
Management of Eating Disorders in the School Setting: Community Education Initiative, Boston Children's Hospital, 2021; Boston, Massachusetts
Eating Disorders and Adolescents and Young Adults: From Food Talk to Diagnosis: The Sonia Shankman Orthogenic School, 2021; Chicago, Illinois
Influence of COVID-19 on the next generation of nurses: A multi-methods study: American Psychiatric Nurses Association Annual Meeting, 2021; Louisville, Kentucky
Eating Disorders: Multidisciplinary Approach: Adolescent Medicine Course, Boston Children's Hospital, 2020; Boston, Massachusetts
Eating Disorders: Inpatient and Outpatient Management: The Art and Science of Pediatric Nursing Conference-Society of Pediatric Nurses, Massachusetts Chapter, 2020
Eating Disorders: Multidisciplinary Approach: Adolescent Medicine Course, Boston Children's Hospital, 2019; Boston, Massachusetts
Factors Associated with Refeeding Hypophosphatemia (RH) in Hospitalized Adolescents and Young Adults (AYA) with Anorexia Nervosa (AN): Society of Adolescent Health and Medicine Annual Meeting, 2019; Washington, District Of Columbia
Antecedents and Correlates of Nasogastric (NG) Tube Feeding during Medical Hospitalization for Adolescents/Young Adults with Anorexia Nervosa: 25th Annual Eating Disorder Research Society Meeting, 2019; Chicago, Illinois
Identifying/Addressing Eating Disorders in the Office Setting: Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology Course, Boston Children's Hospital, 2019; Boston, Massachusetts
Management of Eating Disorders in the School Setting: Community Education Initiative, Boston Children's Hospital, 2019; Boston, Massachusetts
Motivational Interviewing, Community Education Initiative: Boston Children's Hospital, 2018; Boston, Massachusetts
Disordered Eating: Community Education Initiative, Boston Children's Hospital, 2017; Boston, Massachusetts
Engaging youth in conversations about making changes to their frequent marijuana use: Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET) in primary care: Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine Annual Meeting, 2017; New Orleans, Louisiana
Inpatient Treatment of Eating Disorders: Feeding and Eating Disorders Conference hosted by Medicine Patient Services, Boston Children's Hospital, 2017; Boston, Massachusetts
Nasogastric Tube Feeding for Individuals Diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa: Effective Intervention or Short-Term Fix?: Eastern Nursing Research Society 28th Annual Scientific Session, 2016; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Binge Eating and Weight Perception among College-age Women: Nursing Research Special Interest Group; Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine Annual Meeting, 2015; Los Angeles, California
Characteristics Associated with Trait Mindfulness Among Marijuana-Using Youth: Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance Abuse Annual National Conference, 2015; Washington, District Of Columbia
Young People’s Motivation for Reducing Marijuana Use: Are They Ready, Willing, and Able?: Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance Abuse Annual National Conference, 2015; Washington, District Of Columbia
Disordered Eating: Youth at Risk Conference, Endicott College, 2015; Beverly, Massachusetts
Examining the Use of Meal Supervision in Adolescents and Young Adults with Restrictive Eating Disorders during Medical Hospitalization: Society of Adolescent Health and Medicine Annual Meeting, 2014; Austin, Texas
Smoking Cessation Counseling Intervention for Parents (SCCIP) Study: Improving Children’s Health Through Parents: The Society of Pediatric Nurses 23rd Annual Convention, 2013; Nashville, Tennessee
Eating Disorders: Recognition, Assessment, and Referral in the School Setting: Community Education Initiative, Boston Children's Hospital, 2013; Boston, Massachusetts
Smoking Cessation Counseling Intervention for Parents of Hospitalized Pediatric Patients (SCCIP) Study: Nurses Week, Boston Children's Hospital, 2012; Boston, Massachusetts
Smoking Cessation for the Adolescent Medicine Provider: Division of Adolescent Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, 2012; Boston, Massachusetts
Meet the Professor Breakfast: Smoking Cessation Roundtable Discussion: Harvard Medical School Postgraduate Course in Adolescent Medicine, 2012
Dieting by Drugs: More to Lose Than Just Weight: Division of Adolescent Medicine & Division of Toxicology, Boston Children's Hospital, 2012; Boston, Massachusetts
Supervised Meals: Examining the Benefit for Pediatric Patients with Eating Disorders in a Medical Unit: The Society of Adolescent Health and Medicine Annual Meeting, 2012; New Orleans, Louisiana
Introduction to General Pediatrics, Psychology Intern Orientation: Boston Children’s Hospital, 2011
The Smoking Cessation Counseling Intervention for Parents of Hospitalized Pediatric Patients (SCCIP) Study: Phase I: The Society of Pediatric Nursing 20th Annual Conference, 2010; Orlando, Florida
Introduction to General Pediatrics, Psychology Intern Orientation: Boston Children’s Hospital, 2010; Boston, Massachusetts
The Pediatric Respiratory Assessment: Community Education Initiative, Boston Children's Hospital, 2010; Boston, Massachusetts

Publications

Davis, H., Kells, M., Todorov, S., Kosman, J., & Wildes, J. (2023). Comorbid eating, depressive, and anxiety psychopathology is associated with elevated shame in women with food insecurity. International Journal of Eating Disorders. PMID: 36775981 DOI: 10.1002/eat.23913
Kells, M., Gregas, M., E. Wolfe, B., and K. Garber,A., & Kelly-Weeder, S. (2022). Factors associated with refeeding hypophosphatemia in adolescents and young adults hospitalized with anorexia nervosa. Nutrition in Clinical Practice, 37 (2), 470-478. PMID: 34494697 PMCID: PMC8962676 DOI: 10.1002/ncp.10772
Kells, M., Gregas,M., E. Wolfe, B., K. Garber, A., & Kelly-Weeder,S. (2022). Response to “Refeeding hypophosphatemia in adolescents with anorexia nervosa”. Nutrition in Clinical Practice, 37 (2), 480-481. PMID: 35124844 PMCID: PMC8962675 DOI: 10.1002/ncp.10837
Kells, M., & Jennings Mathis, K. (2022). Influence of COVID‐19 on the next generation of nurses in the United States. Journal of Clinical Nursing. PMID: 35043488 DOI: 10.1111/jocn.16202
Lin, J.A., Hartman-Munick, S.M., Kells, M.R., Milliren, C.E., Forman, S.F., Slater, W.A., Woods, E.R., & Richmond, T.K. (2021). The Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the number of adolescents/young adults seeking eating disorder-related care. Journal of Adolescent Health. PMID: 34266715 PMCID: PMC8415773 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2021.05.019
E. Wildes, J., Bedell, A., Graham, A.K., & Kells, M. (2021). Brain‐gut psychotherapies: Promising tools to address gastrointestinal problems in patients with eating disorders. International Journal of Eating Disorders. PMID: 34013611 PMCID: PMC8962673 DOI: 10.1002/eat.23555
Kells, M., Gregas, M., Wolfe, B.E., Garber, A., & Kelly-Weeder, S. (2021). Factors associated with refeeding hypophosphatemia in adolescents and young adults hospitalized with anorexia nervosa. Nutrition in Clinical Practice. PMID: 34494697 PMCID: PMC8962676 DOI: 10.1002/ncp.10772
Kells, M., Burke, P.J., Parker, S., Jonestrask, C., & Shrier, L.A. (2019). Engaging youth (adolescents and young adults) to change frequent marijuana use: Motivational Enhancement Therapy in primary care. Journal of Pediatric Nursing. PMID: 31473464 DOI: 10.1016/j.pedn.2019.08.011
Kells, M., & Kelly-Weeder, S. (2019). Binge eating behavior among a cohort of normal weight college women. Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. PMID: 31738272 DOI: 10.1097/JXX.0000000000000317
Shrier, L.A., Burke, P.J., Kells, M., Scherer, E.A., Sarda, V., Jonestrask, C., Xuan, Z. & Harris, S.K. (2018). Pilot randomized trial of MOMENT: A motivational counseling-plus-ecological momentary intervention to reduce marijuana use in youth. mHealth. PMID: 30148142 PMCID: PMC6087802 DOI: 10.21037/mhealth.2018.07.04
Kelly-Weeder, S., Kells, M., Jennings, K., Dunne, J., & Wolfe, B. (2018). Procedures and protocols for weight assessment during acute illness in individuals with anorexia nervosa: A national survey. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association. PMID: 28754062 PMCID: PMC5748368 DOI: 10.1177/1078390317717790
Kells, M., Schubert-Bob, P., Nagle, K.; Hitchko, L., O’Neil, K., Forbes, P., & McCabe, M. (2017). Meal supervision during medical hospitalization for eating disorders. Clinical Nursing Research. PMID: 26964805 DOI: 10.1177/1054773816637598
Kells, M., & Kelly-Weeder, S. (2016). Nasogastric tube feeding for individuals with anorexia nervosa: An integrative review. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association. PMID: 27519612 DOI: 10.1177/1078390316657872
Wolfe, B.E., Dunne, J.P., & Kells, M.R. (2016). Nursing care considerations for the hospitalized patient with an eating disorder. Nursing Clinics of North America. PMID: 27229277 DOI: 10.1016/j.cnur.2016.01.006
Kells, M., Dunn, K., Melchiono, M., & Burke, P. (2015). Advance practice nurse fellowships: Creating awareness, creating opportunities. Journal of Pediatric Healthcare. PMID: 25532699 DOI: 10.1016/j.pedhc.2014.10.003
Kells, M., Rogers, J., Oppenheimer, S., Blaine, K., McCabe, M., McGrath, E., Woodring, B., & Geller, A. (2013). The teachable moment captured: A framework for nurse-led smoking cessation interventions for parents of hospitalized children. Journal of Public Health Nursing. PMID: 24000921 DOI: 10.1111/phn.12046
Kells, M., Davidson, K., Hitchko, L., ONeil, K., Schubert-Bob, P., & Mccabe, M. (2013). Examining supervised meals in patients with restrictive eating disorders. Applied Nursing Research. PMID: 23088876 DOI: 10.1016/j.apnr.2012.06.003

Projects

Eating concerns in women with food insecurity
Pilot Funds, University of Chicago
1/1/2020 - Current
Role: Research Assistant
PI: Jennifer Wildes and Heather Davis Borchetta