Vicki Burns

Dr. Vicki Ellison Burns holds a PhD in Nursing from the University of Missouri-Columbia and is an ANCC-certified Family Nurse Practitioner. She has been teaching for over 30 years, and her practice background is primarily in community health, working with the indigent, the homeless, teenage mothers, and many other vulnerable populations. She has had a robust research career as well, most recently having completed an NIH-funded R21 grant entitled Inflammatory Conditions in Women Who Have Been Victims of Intimate Partner Violence. She has numerous national and international publications and presentations, and she currently practices as an FNP in a consulting role for patients seeking alternative treatment for digestive and behavioral health issues. Her previous clinical experience as an FNP includes primary care, forensic medicine, alternative/complementary medicine, and case management for immigrant survivors of primary or secondary torture in their home countries. She lives in Kentucky and is the mother of an adult son and daughter and three wonderful grandchildren.
 

Education

Area of Expertise

Alternative/Complementary Medicine, Community Health, Immigrant Health, Research Methods, Health Promotion.

Licenses and Certifications

• Registered Nurse, State of Kentucky, License # 1107615
• Registered Nurse, State of Missouri, License # 085675
• Registered Nurse, State of Indiana, License # 28167780A
• Certified Family Nurse Practitioner, ANCC, State of Kentucky, License #3004633
• Certified SAFE care provider, State of Missouri
• Certified Medicaid Provider, State of Missouri
• Certified Medicaid Provider, State of Kentucky
• Loomis Digestive Health Specialist
• Certified Nurse Educator

Professional Memberships

• Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society
• Midwest Nursing Research Society
• ANCC
• Kentucky Coalition of Nurse Practitioners and Nurse Midwives
• KNA
• ANA
• PhD Representative to the Dean’s Advisory Council, University of Missouri-Columbia 1998-2003
• Kentucky Holistic Nurses Association
• American Holistic Nurses Association
• SAFE-CARE Advisory Council for the state of Missouri

Courses

• NURP 535 Clinical Decision Making I
• NURP 536 Clinical Decision Making II
• NURS 640 Advanced Research Methods

Community Professional Service

• Women of St. Agnes Parish, Springfield, MO 1996-2005
• Bridges to the Future Outreach for Youth and Adolescents, Springfield, MO 1998-2005
• Rural Missouri Food Drive, Springfield, MO 1995-2005
• Gospel in Action, Springfield, MO 1995-2005
• Teenage Mothers Advocacy and Support Coalition of Missouri 1996-2005
• Parish Nursing Program, St. Agnes Parish, Springfield, MO 1996-2005
• Victim Advocacy Center: New Beginnings, Springfield, MO 1992-2005
• Health Care Ministry, St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Louisville, KY 1994-present

Research Grants

• Co-PIs: Newton, T. L., Burns, V. E., Fernandez-Botran, R., & Miller, J. Title: Intimate partner violence and inflammatory processes. National Institute of Health R-21 Grant. Amount: $450,000. NIH: NIA R21 AG0249002-02. Intimate partner violence and inflammatory processes. Dates: 9/15/06 – 8/31/10 (includes 2-year no-cost extension).
• NIH: NIA R21 AG0249002-0 Dates: 9/15/06 – 8/31/10 (2-year no-cost extension) Direct Costs: $225,500 (See above).
• Co-PIs: Newton, T. L., Burns, V. E., Fernandez-Botran, R., & Miller, J. J. Title: Mind-Body mechanisms connecting stress and health. Source: American Psychological Foundation Visionary Fund Granted: Dates: 8/01/12 – 4/30/14 (includes 9-month no-cost extension) Direct Costs: $19,558.00
• P.I.: Burns, V. E. School of Nursing Internal Research Grant, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY. Amount: $5,000. Funding Period: 2005-2007. Title: The Experience of Spiritual Connectedness for Adolescent Mothers. Role: Principal Investigator.
• PI: Chlebowy, D. Co-PIs: Burns, V. E., El-Mallakh, P., Topp, R., Wall, M, P. iHOP Grant, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY. Amount: $50,000. Funding Period: 2009-2011. Title: The effects of motivational interviewing on the development and implementation of an action plan for Type II diabetes.

Publications

Book Chapters 

• Burns, V. E. [Book Chapter]. Sexual abuse and assault. In Goolsby, M.J. (Ed.), Nurse Practitioner Secrets. Hanley & Belfus: Augusta, GA. (Refereed). (2003)

Articles in Refereed Journals

• Burns, V. E. Shame as a precursor to physical illness among victims of intimate partner violence. Invited submission, Biology and Psychology. Under review. (2023)
• Burns, V. E. Phenomenological inquiry in the study of inflammatory conditions in women who have been victims of intimate partner violence: A qualitative reflection. Biology and Psychology, 43(7), 116-124. (2019)
• Newton, T. L., Burns, V. E., Miller, J. J., & Fernandez-Botran, R. (2015). Subjective sleep quality in women with divorce histories: The role of intimate partner victimization. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 17, 94-105. (2015)
• Newton, T. L., Fernandez-Botran, R., Burns, V. E., & Miller, J. J. Interleukin-6 and soluble interleukin-6 receptor levels in posttraumatic stress disorder: Associations with lifetime diagnostic status and psychological context. Biological Psychology, 99, 150-159. (2014)
• Newton, T. L., Fernandez-Botran, R. F., Burns, V. E., Miller, J. J. & Allison, K. E. (2013). Post-traumatic stress symptom severity and inflammatory processes in mid-life women. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 5, 439-447. (2013)
• Fleming, K. N., Newton, T. L., Fernandez-Botran, R., Burns, V. E., & Miller, J. J. Intimate partner stalking victimization and posttraumatic stress symptoms in post-abuse community women. Violence Against Women, 18, 1368-1389. (2012)
• Burns, V. E. The Orem self-care model as a foundation for care of adolescent mothers. Presentation published on the International Orem Symposium website, June, 2012.
• Newton, T. L., Fernandez-Botran, R., Miller, J. J., Lorenz, D. J., Burns, V. E., & Fleming, K. N. Markers of inflammation in midlife women. Journal of Women’s Health, 20, 1871-1880. (2011)
• Fernandez-Botran, R., Miller, J., J., Burns, V. E., & Newton, T. L. Correlations among inflammatory markers in plasma, saliva and oral mucosal transudate in post-menopausal women with past intimate partner violence. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 25, 314-321. (2011)
• Burns, V. E. Living without a strong father figure: A contextual feature of the experience of having become sexually active for adolescent mothers. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, Spring 2008, 147-161. (2008)
• Burns, V. E. The experience of having become sexually active for adolescent mothers. Journal of Community Health Nursing, 24, 215-236. (2007)
• Burns, V. E. Factors which influenced teenage mothers’ participation in unprotected sex at the time of conception. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 28(5), 493-500. (1999)

Presentations

• Burns, V. E. The synergistic effect of shame and inflammation among victims of domestic violence. Podium presentation at the International Conference on Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, and Reimagining Justice, San Francisco. CA, April 2022.
• Burns, V. E. Physical manifestations of PTSS in victims of sexual assault and domestic violence: The perspective of an alternative medicine practitioner. Podium presentation at the International Conference on Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, and Reimagining Justice, San Francisco. CA, April 19-22, 2022.
• Burns, V. E. The experience of shame among victims of domestic violence and its implications for health and wellness. Podium presentation accepted for the International Conference on Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, and Violence Across the Lifespan. Washington, DC, April 14-16, 2020.
• Burns, V. E., & Asti, B. Cultural humility as a foundational building block for graduate curricula. Podium presentation at the Sigma Theta Tau Research in Education Conference, Washington, D. C., March 28-31, 2020.
• Burns, V. E., & Weiss, S. Social justice as a foundational building block for graduate curricula. Poster session presented at NONPF Annual Conference, Chicago, IL, April 20-22, 2020.
• Burns, V. E. Advocating for women who have been victims of intimate partner violence: A provider’s perspective. Invited presentation: 2019 International Conference on Sexual Assault, Intimate Partner Violence, and Increasing Access, San Diego, CA.
• Warnecke, A.J., Szabo, Y.Z., Burns, V. E., Fernandez-Botran, R., Miller, J., & Newton, T.L. (Abstract Accepted). Sheltering for safety in community women with divorce histories. To be presented as a poster presentation at the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, New Orleans, LA, November 2015.
• Szabo, Y. Z., Fernandez-Botran, R., Miller, J. J., Burns, V. E., and Newton, T. L. (November, 2013). Chronically traumatized midlife women resistant to PTSD or recovered from PTSD have similar health-related quality of life. Poster presented at the meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Philadelphia, PA. Invited presentation.
• Fleming, K. N., Knight, H. M., Newton, Burns, V. E., T. L., Fernandez-Botran, R., Miller, J. J., Title: Past Emotional/Verbal Abuse Predicts Current Depression Symptom Clusters in Post-Abuse Community-Dwelling Women. Poster accepted for presentation at the ISTSS 29th Annual Meeting to be held November 7–9, with Pre-Meeting Institutes and the Opening Keynote on November 6, 2013, in Philadelphia, PA, USA.
• Fleming, K. N., Knight, H. M., Newton, Burns, V. E., T. L., Fernandez-Botran, R., Miller, J. J., Title: Chronically Traumatized Midlife Women Resistant to PTSD or Recovered from PTSD have Similar Health-Related Quality of Life. Poster accepted for presentation at the ISTSS 29th Annual Meeting November 7 - 9, with Pre-Meeting Institutes and the Opening Keynote on November 6, 2013, in Philadelphia, PA, USA. Invited presentation.
• Burns, V. E. The Orem self-care model as a foundation for care of adolescent mothers. Paper presented at the International Orem Symposium, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg, May, 2012. Invited presentation.
• Fleming, K. N., Knight, H. M., Newton, T. L., Fernandez-Botran, R., Miller, J. J., Burns, V. E., Emotional/verbal abuse predicts severity of posttraumatic stress and depression symptoms in previously abused women. Paper presented at Women's Health 2012: The 20th Annual Congress, Washington, D.C., March, 2012.
• Knight, H. M., Fleming, K. N., Burns, V. E., Newton, T. L., Fernandez-Botran, R., & Miller, J. J. Inflammatory responses while anticipating recall of a potentially traumatic memory. Paper presented at Women's Health 2012: The 20th Annual Congress, Washington, D.C., March, 2012.
• Newton, T. L., Miller, J. J., Fernandez-Botran, R., Fleming, K. N., & Burns, V. E. Remitted Intimate Partner Violence and Hematologic Measures in Midlife Women. Paper presented at the National Conference on Health and Domestic Violence, San Francisco, CA. (March, 2012)
• Fleming, K. N., Newton, T. L., Fernandez-Botran, R., Miller, J. J., & Burns, V. E. Histories of Intimate Partner Stalking and Intimate Partner Violence in Post-Abuse Women: Associations with Current Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms. Poster presented at the National Conference on Health and Domestic Violence, San Francisco, CA. (March, 2012). 
• Newton, T. L., Fernandez-Botran, R., Miller, J. J., Cambon, A. C., Burns, V. E., Allison, K. E. Plasma interleukin-6 levels and PTSD history in midlife women. Paper presented at the 11th International Congress of Behavioral Medicine, Washington, D.C. (August, 2010). 
• Allison, K. E., Fleming, K. N., Burns, V. E., Newton, T. L., Fernandez-Botran, R., & Miller, J. J. Current PTSD symptoms moderate associations between past intimate partner violence and physical health status in postmenopausal women. Poster presented at the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies Annual Scientific Meeting, Atlanta, GA. (November, 2009)
• Newton, T. L., Fernandez-Botran, R., Miller, J. J., and Burns, V. E. Inflammation levels of midlife women with histories of relationship stress. Paper presented at the American Psychosomatic Society Annual Scientific Meeting, Chicago, IL. (March, 2009)
• Fernandez, A. C., Fernandez-Botran, R., Miller, J. J., Burns, V. E., & Newton, T. L. Measurement of IL-6 levels in saliva and oral-mucosal transudate (OMT) and their relationship to systemic (plasma) IL-6 levels in a psychological stress study population. Presented at Research Louisville, Louisville, KY. (September, 2008)
• Burns, V.E. Contextual features of the experience of spiritual connectedness for adolescent mothers. Paper presented at Midwest Nursing Research Society’s Annual national convention, Minneapolis, MN, March 2009.
• Burns, V. E. The context for the experience of spiritual connectedness among adolescent mothers. Paper presented at Sigma Theta Tau International conference held in Cancun, Mexico, July, 2009.
• Burns, V. E. The experience of spiritual connectedness for adolescent mothers. Paper presented at Midwest Nursing Research Society’s Annual national convention held in Indianapolis, IN March 2008
• Burns, V. E. Living without a strong father figure: A contextual feature of the experience of having become sexually active for adolescent mothers. Paper presented at the Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Society Annual Congress held in Vienna, Austria July 11-14, 2007.
• Burns, V. E. Living without a strong father figure as context for the experience of having become sexually active for adolescent mothers. Paper presented at Midwest Nursing Research Society’s Annual national convention held in Omaha, NE March 28-April 1, 2007.
• Burns, V. E. Contextual features of the experience of having become sexually active for adolescent mothers. Paper presented at the Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science annual international convention held in Washington, D. C. October 11-16, 2006.
• Burns, V. E. The experience of having become sexually active for adolescent mothers. Paper presented at the Midwest Nursing Research Society’s annual national convention held in Milwaukee, WI March 23-27, 2006.
• Burns, V. E. The experience of having become sexually active for adolescent mothers. Poster presented at Research Louisville, Louisville, KY, November 15, 2005.
• Burns, V. E. Burns rewards-based practice model for postponing sexual involvement in adolescents. Accepted for poster session and short paper presentation at the International Self-Care Deficit Nursing Conference held in Bangkok, Thailand. (2000, February).
• Burns, V. E. Teenage pregnancy: Why no birth control? Paper session presented at the Midwest Nursing Research Society Annual Conference, Indianapolis, IN. (1999, March)
• Burns, V. E. Reflections of teenage mothers who participated in unprotected sex at the time of conception. Accepted for poster session at the national conference Perinatal Education: Best Practice, Best Outcomes, Madison, WI. (1998, October)

Awards

Honors, Awards and Honor Society Memberships

• Outstanding Graduate Master’s Thesis, Missouri State University (1998)
• Outstanding Service Award, Bridges to the Future Outreach for Youth and Adolescents, Springfield, MO (2000)
• Distinguished Service Award, Teenage Mothers Advocacy and Support Coalition of MO (2002)
• Excellence in Research Award, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY (2004)
• Distinguished Service Award, Partners in Contemplative Prayer, Louisville, KY (2006)
• Excellence in Oral Presentation, International Nursing Society Annual Conference, Vienna, Austria (2007)
• Distinguished Service Award, Presbyterian Community Center Freedom School Outreach Program, Louisville, KY (2009)
• Outstanding Poster Presentation, International Orem Society Annual Conference, Bangkok, Thailand (2010)
• Outstanding Oral Presentation, International Orem Society Annual Conference, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg (2012)
• Outstanding Poster Presentation, International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Annual Conference, Philadelphia, PA (2013)
• Honorable Mention Poster Presentation, International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA (2015)