University of Rochester School of Nursing Faculty
Bethel Powers, PhD, RN
- Professor
- Director of the Evaluation Office

Contact Information
Education
PhD/MA, 1980. University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, US
MS, 1971. University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, US
BS, 1965. Alderson-Broaddus College, Philippi, WV, US
Experience
Faculty Appointments: 2005 - Current. Professor. University of Rochester School of Nursing. Rochester, NY, US.
Faculty Appointments: 2004 - Current. Director, Evaluation Office. University of Rochester School of Nursing. Rochester, NY, US.
Faculty Appointments: 1999 - Current. Associate Director, Center for Nursing Research on Aging. University of Rochester School of Nursing. Rochester, NY, US.
Faculty Appointments: 1987 - 2005. Associate Professor. University of Rochester School of Nursing. Rochester, NY, US.
Faculty Appointments: 7/1993 - 1995. Interim Chair, Division of Health Restoration. University of Rochester School of Nursing. Rochester, NY, US.
Faculty Appointments: 7/1990 - 1995. Chair, Division of Health Promotion and Maintenance. University of Rochester School of Nursing. Rochester, NY, US.
Faculty Appointments: 1987 - 1995. Associate Professor (Secondary Joint Appointment). Graduate School of Education and Human Development. Rochester, NY, US.
Faculty Appointments: 1989 - 1990. Interim Chair, Division of Health Promotion and Maintenance. University of Rochester School of Nursing. Rochester, NY, US.
Faculty Appointments: 1980 - 1987. Assistant Professor. University of Rochester School of Nursing. Rochester, NY, US.
Fellowship (Pre Doctoral): 1974 - 1980. Doctoral Student/Candidate. University of Rochester (Department of Anthropology). Rochester, NY, US.
Professional Experience: 1967 - 1974. Nursing Supervisor. University of Rochester Medical Center, Strong Memorial Hospital. Rochester, NY, US.
Professional Experience: 1965 - 1967. Head Nurse/Staff Nurse. Montefiore Hospital and Medical Center. Bronx, NY, US.
Research
Palliative Care in the Acute Setting. 6/2005 - Current. NINR, NIH.
Improving Outcomes of Hospitalized Elders and Caregivers. 4/2003 - 12/2008. NINR, NIH.
Palliative Care Needs of Nursing Home Residents with Dementia in the Last Year of Life: Should End-of-Life Care Begin Sooner?. 1/1999 - 12/2000. Department of Health, State of New York, Dementia Grant.
Spiritual Nurturance and Support for Nursing Home Residents with Dementia. 1/1998 - 12/1999. Department of Health, State of New York, Dementia Grant.
Resolving Ethical Issues of Daily Living Affecting Residents with Dementia. 1/1997 - 12/1998. Department of Health, State of New York, Dementia Grant.
Humor Therapy for Nursing Home Residents with Dementia. 1/1995 - 12/1996. Department of Health, State of New York, Dementia Grant.
Rocking Chair Therapy - An Environmental Management for Dementia. 1/1993 - 12/1994. Department of Health, State of New York, Dementia Grant.
Doing Good: Nursing Ethics in Long-Term Care. 7/1991 - 3/1992.
The Social Networks of Elderly Institutionalized People. 7/1984 - 12/1985. Division of Nursing, Health Resources Administration (HRA), United States Public Health Service (USPHS).
Social Support as a Factor in Health Maintenance. 1/1980 - 5/1981. Division of Nursing, Health Resources Administration (HRA), United States Public Health Service (USPHS), Clinical Research Facilitation Grant (CRFG).
Publications
Powers, BA & Watson, NM. (n.d.). Spiritual nurturance and support for nursing home residents with dementia. Dementia: The International Journal of Social Research and Practice.
Grace, JT & Powers, BA. (2009). Claiming our core: Appraising qualitative evidence for nursing questions about human response and meaning. Nursing Outlook, 57, 27-34.
Liebel, DV, Friedman, B, Watson, NM, & Powers, BA. (2009). Review of nurse home visiting interventions for community-dwelling older persons with existing disability. Medical Care Research and Review, 66, 119-146.
Messecar, D, Powers, BA, & Nagel, CL. (2008). How to Try This: The Family Preferences Index. American Journal of Nursing, 108 (9), 52-60.
Powers, BA. (2008). Better palliative care for persons with dementia. New York Nurse, 39 (1), 14.
Powers, BA & Watson, NM. (2008). The meaning and practice of palliative care in nursing homes for residents with dementia at end of life. American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease & Other Dementias, 23, 319-325.
Powers, BA & Knapp TR. (2006). Dictionary of nursing theory and research. (Revised and Expanded Third Edition)..
Powers, B.A.. (2005). Everyday Ethics in Assisted Living Facilities: A Framework for Assessing Resident-Focused Issues. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 31, 31-37.
Powers, BA. (2005). Nursing home ethics inside out. Reflections on Nursing Leadership, 31 (3), 23-25.
Powers, BA. (2005). Critically appraising qualitative evidence (Chapter 6); Generating evidence through qualitative research (Chapter 11); Critically appraising qualitative research (Appendix B); & Looking for best evidence: 'A rose by any other name...' (Appendix F). . In B. M. Melnyk & E. Fineout-Overholt (Eds.), Evidence-based practice in nursing and health: A guide to best practice. , 127-162; 283-298; 491-527; 547-555.
Powers, BA. (2004). Ethical patient care: A casebook for geriatric health teams by Mezey, Casse, Bottrell, Hyer, Howe, & Fulmer. For Journal of Interprofessional Care, 18, 92-94.
Powers, BA. (2003). Nursing home ethics: Everyday issues affecting residents with dementia. (2004 American Journal of Nursing Book of the Year Award)..
Powers, B.A.. (2003). The Significance of Losing Things for Nursing Home Residents with Dementia and Their Families. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 29, 43-52.
Powers, B.A.. (2001). Ethnographic Analysis of Everyday Ethics in the Care of Nursing Home Residents with Dementia: A Taxonomy. Nursing Research, 50, 332-339.
Kitzman, H.J., Powers, B.A., Schmitt, M.H.. (2000). The School of Nursing: Integrating Practice, Research, and Education. J. Cohen (Ed.), Teaching, Discovering, Caring: University of Rochester Medical Center 1925-2000.
Powers, B.A.. (2000). Everyday Ethics of Dementia Care in Nursing Home: A Definition and Taxonomy. American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 15, 143-151.
Powers, B.A.. (1997). Social Support, Social Networks, and the Problem of Loneliness in Elder Care. E.A. Swanson & T. Tripp-Reimer (Eds.) Advances in Gerontological Nursing: Chronic Illness and the Older Adult, 136-158.
Powers, B.A.. (1996). Relationships Among Older Women Living in a Nursing Home. Journal of Women & Aging, 8 (4), 179-198.
Powers, B.A.. (1995). From the Inside Out: The World of the Institutionalized Elderly. J.N. Henderson & M. Vesperi (Eds.), The Culture of Long Term Care: Nursing Home Ethnography, 179-196.
Powers, BA & Knapp, TR. (1995). A dictionary of nursing theory and research. (Revised and Expanded Second Edition)..
Powers, BA. (1993). The ends of time: Life and work in nursing home by Savishinsky. For Medical Anthropology Quarterly, 7 (1), 112-113.
Powers, BA. (1993). Handbook of humanities and aging by Cole, Van Tassel, and Kastenbaum (Eds.). For Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 41, 1378-1379.
Powers, B.A.. (1992). The Roles Staff Play in the Social Networks of Elderly Institutionalized People. Social Science & Medicine, 34, 1335-1343.
Jurgens, J., Powers, B.A.. (1991). An Exploratory Study of Menstrual Euphemisms, Beliefs, and Taboos of Head Start Mothers. D.Taylor & N. Woods (Eds.), Menstruation, Health, Illness, 35-40.
Powers, B.A.. (1991). The Meaning of Nursing Home Friendships. Advances in Nursing Science, 14 (2), 42-58.
Powers, BA. (1991). Cross-cultural nursing: Anthropological approaches to nursing research by Morse (Ed.). For Medical Anthropology Quarterly, 5 (4), 412-413.
Powers, BA. (1991). Aging in a technological society by Lesnoff-Caravaglia (Ed.). For The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 179 (4), 237-238.
Powers, BA & Knapp, TR. (1990). A dictionary of nursing theory and research..
Smith, T., Powers, B.A.. (1990). An Integrative Approach to Quality Assurance. Nursing Management, 21 (6), 28-30.
Powers, B.A.. (1990). Nursing and Aging. R. Rubenstein (Ed.) Anthropology and Aging, 69-105.
Powers, BA. (1990). Nursing research: A quantitative and qualitative approach by Roberts & Burke. For Research in Nursing & Health, 13, 351-352.
Powers, B.A.. (1988). Social Networks, Social Support, and Elderly Institutionalized People. Advances in Nursing Science, 10 (2), 40-58.
Powers, B.A.. (1988). Self-Perceived Health of Elderly Institutionalized People. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 3, 299-321.
Powers, BA. (1988). Social support for elderly people. Nursing Times, 84, 54-55.
Powers, BA. (1987). Special Features Editorial Commentary: Gerontological nursing research and anthropology of aging. Participants: Molly Dougherty (Florida) and Toni Tripp-Reimer (Iowa). Association for Anthropology and Gerontology Newsletter, 8 (3), 3-5.
Powers, B.A.. (1987). Taking Sides: A Response to Goodwin and Goodwin. Nursing Research, 36, 122-126.
Powers, B.A., Smith, T.. (1986). An Approach to Undergraduate Student Investigations in Clinical Settings. Image: The Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 18, 15-17.
Powers, BA. (1985). The social networks of elderly institutionalized people. . Proceedings, Sigma Theta Tau National Conference on Social Support and Health. University of Rochester, School of Nursing and Sigma Theta Tau, Epsilon Xi Chapter..
Powers, B.A.. (1982). The Use of Orthodox and Black American Folk Medicine. Advances in Nursing Science, 4 (3), 35-47.
Presentations
Rules at the border: Passport to institutionalizing palliative care.
Annual Assembly, American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association
Nurse home visiting to older adults with disability: A qualitative study of program implementation.
Annual Scientific Meeting, American Geriatrics Society
Nurse home visiting to older adults with disability: A qualitative study of program implementation.
Annual Scientific Meeting, Gerontological Society of America
A bioethical construct for issues of spirituality and religion.
Spiritual Care Rounds, University of Rochester Medical Center
Nursing Home Ethics.
Ethics Committee Luncheon, St. John's Home
.
5th Annual Evidence-Based Practice Conference, Qualitative Methods Workshop, University of Rochester School of Nursing
Nursing Home Ethics.
Annual Family and Ethics Committee Dinner Meeting, The Friendly Home
Nursing Home Ethics.
Alzheimer's Association Professional Network Series, Monroe Community Hospital
Everyday Decision Making by Residents in Assisted Living.
Gerontological Society of America
Gauging Decline: End of Life Care of Residents with Dementia in Three Nursing Home Settings.
Gerontological Society of America
Spiritual Nurturance and Support for Nursing Home Residents with Dementia.
Gerontological Society of America
At the Crossroads of Nursing Home Reform: Linkages Between Interpersonal and Organizational Ethics.
Gerontological Society of America
Resolving Ethical Issues of Daily Living Affecting Nursing Home Residents with Dementia.
Eastern Nursing Research Society
Ethics in Action: An Appreciation for the Ordinary in Dementia Care.
Society for Applied Anthropology
Naturally Occurring Humor of Nursing Home Staff and Residents with Dementia.
Gerontological Society of America
Relationships Among Older Women Living in a Nursing Home.
Society for Applied Anthropology
New Theory From the Multicultural Study of Aging and Well-Being.
Society for Applied Anthropology
Researching Dilemmas in Long-Term Care.
Induction Ceremony, Sigma Theta Tau, Epsilon Xi Chapter
Everyday Ethics in Health Care.
American Anthropological Association
Researching Dilemmas in Long-Term Care.
Distinguished Nurse Researcher Presentation, Foundation of New York State Nurses
.
Televised Interview on Nursing Home Research, Rainbow's End Talk Show
In the Hands of These Care People: New Grounds for Kinship Allegiances.
American Anthropological Association
Beyond These Walls: Bridging to the Community.
American Anthropological Association
Friendships Among Nursing Home Residents.
Eastern Nursing Research Society
The Meaning of Nursing Home Friendships.
American Anthropological Association
Roles Staff Play in the Social Networks of Elderly Institutionalized People.
Co-Sponsored Session: Aging & Health in Cultural Context, American Anthropological Association
Self Perceived Health of Elderly Institutionalized People.
Co-Sponsored Session: Aging, Culture, and Health, American Anthropological Association
How Has it Been For You Here?...Social Networks of Elderly Institutionalized People.
The Genesee Conference of Senior Citizen Directors, 6th Annual Aging Awareness Day Conference, Roberts Wesleyan College
The World of Elderly Institutionalized People: Making the Connection Between Interactional Patterns and Social Context.
Annual Research Symposium, Sigma Theta Tau, Epsilon Xi Chapter
What Does it Mean to Grow Old?.
Issues 31, Host: Tom Ryan, WUHF-TV
The Social Networks of Elderly Institutionalized People.
Invited Session: Implications of Anthropological Research for Practice, Planning and Policy Making in Gerontology, New York State Association of Gerontological Educators
Awards
Editorial Advisory Board.
Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 2008
Outstanding Faculty Colleague Award.
University of Rochester School of Nursing, 2006
American Journal of Nursing Book of the Year Award.
American Nurses Association, 2005
Journal of Gerontological Nursing Edna Stilwell Writing Award.
SLACK Publishing, 2004
Fellow.
Gerontological Society of America, 2001
Excellence in Nursing Research Award.
Epsilon Xi Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau, 1997
Fellow.
Society for Applied Anthropology, 1995
Distinguished Nurse Researcher Award.
Foundation of New York State Nurses, 1991
Outstanding Faculty Colleague Award.
University of Rochester School of Nursing, 1990
Faculty Bridging Fellowship Award.
University of Rochester, 1985
National Nursing Honor Society.
Sigma Theta Tau International, 1982
Memberships
Sigma Theta Tau International
American Association of University Professors (AAUP), Member
American Nurses Association (ANA), Member
Association for Anthropology and Gerontology (AAGE), Member
Council on Nursing and Anthropology (CONAA), Member
Society for Applied Anthropology (SfAA), Fellow
The Gerontological Society of America (GSA), Fellow
Eastern Nursing Research Society, Member
New York State Nurses Association, Member
Genesee Valley Nurses Association (GVNA), Member
Epsilon Xi Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau International, Member
Community Service
Association for Anthropology and Gerontology, Newsletter Special Features Editor
Association for Anthropology and Gerontology, Teaching Guide Contributor
Association for Anthropology and Gerontology, Annual Meetings Program Chair
Association for Anthropology and Gerontology, AAA Meeting Program Chair
Association for Anthropology and Gerontology, Recording Secretary
Alzheimer's Association, Research Proposal Reviewer
Health Research Board, Research Proposal Reviewer
Gerontological Society of America, Assisted Living Special Interest Group
Eastern Nursing Research Society, Abstract Reviewer
Eastern Nursing Research Society, Abstract Reviewer
Eastern Nursing Research Society, Abstract Reviewer
Foundation of New York State Nurses and New York State Nurses Association Council on Nursing Research, Member, Center for Nursing Research - Setting the Statewide Agenda for Nursing Research in New York State
Anthony L. Jordan Health Center, Workshop Moderator
Kirkhaven Nursing Home, Ethics Committee
Kirkhaven Nursing Home, Board of Directors
Kirkhaven Nursing Home, Resident Life Committee
Kirkhaven Nursing Home, Ethics Committee
Greater Rochester Area Health Survey for Adults with Developmental Disabilities, Consultant
St. John's Home for the Aging and St. John's Nursing Home, Chair
American Association of Spinal Cord Injury Nurses, Research Proposal Reviewer
St. John's Home for the Aging and St. John's Nursing Home, Chair, Education Sub-Committee
DHHA, NIH, Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel, Social Sciences, Nursing, Epidemiology and Methods Initial Review Group, NURS RO1 Study Section
St. John's Home for the Aging and St. John's Nursing Home, Board of Directors
St. John's Home, Human Subjects Committee
St. John's Home, Strategic Planning Committee
Epsilon Xi Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau, Chair, Research Committee
St. John's Home, Pension/Personnel Committee
Rochester Area Pepper Center, Gerontology Seminar Series Steering Committee
Association for Anthropology and Gerontology, Executive Committee
St. John's Home, Health Services and Patient Care Committee
American Association of Spinal Cord Injury Nurses, Research Proposal Reviewer
International Caring Conference, Program Subcommittee
Epsilon Xi Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau, Research Committee
Epsilon Xi Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau, Program Committee
St. John's Nursing Home, Ad Hoc Committee on Education, Research, Library and Archives
American Heart Association, Instructor, Care of Stroke Patients


