Susan G. Williams, PhD, RN

Assistant Professor

Community/Mental Health

Education

PhD, University of Alabama at Birmingham (Nursing), 2015
MSN, University of South Alabama (Nursing), 1991
BSN, University of South Alabama (Nursing), 1986

Research Interests

Nursing college student wellness and obesity prevention
Adolescent Mental Health
Bullying
Stress
Depression
Biobehavioral research methods

Completed Research Support

Hauff, C. R. (Supporting), Fruh, S. M. (Co-Principal), Sittig, S. M. (Co-Principal), Campbell, S. M. (Supporting), Graves, R. J. (Supporting), Hall, H. R. (Supporting), Hudson, G. (Supporting), McDermott, R. C. (Supporting), Selwyn, C. N. (Supporting), Williams, S. G. (Supporting), "Healthy Student, Happy Nurse: A Longitudinal Investigation of Nursing Students' Health-Related Behaviors to Promote Professional Well-being," Sponsored by Office of Research and Economic Development, Internal Funding Programs, Internal to the University, $22,794.00. (April 1, 2019 - March 31, 2020).
Role: Investigator
Sigma Theta Tau- Zeta Gamma Chapter, University of South Alabama
2014-2015.
The goal of this dissertation study was to examine depressive symptoms in 9th graders as well as bullying, stress and physiological contributor.
Role: PI
Louder Family Dissertation Scholarship
2014-2015
The goal of this dissertation study was to examine depressive symptoms in 9th graders as well as bullying, stress and physiological contributor.
Role: PI
Alabama State Nurses Association
2014-2015
The goal of this dissertation study was to examine depressive symptoms in 9th graders as well as bullying, stress and physiological contributor.
Role: PI

Sigma Theta Tau- Zeta Gamma Chapter, University of South Alabama
2013-2014
The goal of this pilot study was to examine stress, bullying, and depressive symptoms in 9th grade adolescents.
Role: PI

Selected Publications

Fruh, S. M., Taylor, S., Graves, R. J., Hayes, K., McDermott, R., Hauff, C., Williams, S. G., Sittig, S., Campbell, M., Hudson, G., Hall, H. R., Melnyk, B. M., & Barinas, J. L. (accepted). Relationships among hope, body satisfaction, wellness habits, and stress in nursing students. Journal of Professional Nursing Accepted December 2020
Fruh, S., Williams, S., Hayes, K., Hauff, C., Hudson, G. M., Sittig, S., Graves, R. J., Hall, H., & Barinas, J. (in press). A practical approach to obesity prevention: Healthy home habits. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.Accepted November 2020
Fruh, S. M., Williams, S. G., Hayes, K. N., Hauff, C., Hudson, G. M., Sittig, S., Graves, R. J., Hall, H. R., & Barinas, J. L. (in press). A practical approach to obesity prevention: Healthy home habits. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. Accepted November 2020
Graves, R. J., Hauff, C., Williams, S. G., Fruh, S. M., Sims, B., Hudson, G. M., McDermott, R. C., Sittig, S., Shaw, T., & Hall, H. R. (10-18-2020- Accepted). Self-care behaviors of undergraduate versus graduate nursing students: A descriptive comparison of health and well-being. Journal of American College Health. https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/vach20/current
McDermott, R., Fruh, S., Williams, S. G., Hauff, C., Graves, R., & Melnyk, B. (2020) Nursing students’ resilience, depression, well-being, and academic distress: Testing a moderated mediation model. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 1-13. DOI: 10.1111/jan.14531, PMID: 33009859
Hauff, C., Fruh, S.M., Sims, B.M., Williams, S. G., Herf, C., Golden, A., Graves, R. J., Minchew, L.A., & Hall, H. R. (2020). Nurse practitioner students’ observations of preceptor engagement in obesity management and bias: A mixed methods approach. Journal of the American Association for Nurse Practitioners, 37(7), 520- 529. DOI:10.1097/JXX.0000000000000440, PMID: 32590444
Bydalek, K., Williams, S. G., Sims, B. M., Fruh, S., McCardle, J., Minchew, L. A., Graves, R. J., Elkins, J. C., Jones, L.,Sittig, S. (2020), Food insecurity among nursing students: A mixed methods study. Nursing Forum, doi: 10.1111/nuf.12460. Published May 23, 2020 PMID: 32446290
Williams, S. G., & Borgongna, N. C. (2020). Screening for stressful life events, cortisol, and perceived stress in a school setting. Annals of Pediatrics, 3(1), 1021- 1028. http://meddocsonline.org
Hayes, K., Fruh, S., Williams, S. G, Graves, R., Minchew, L., & Hall, H. (2020). Sleep, screen time, and family meal frequency in preschool children: A pilot study. The Nurse Practitioner, 45(8), 35-41. doi: 10.1097/01.NPR.0000681788.13417.56. PMID: 32701879.
Williams, S. G., Davis, S., Soistmann, H. C. (2020). Collecting bio-behavioral samples and survey data on sensitive topics in a public school. Sage Research Methods Cases Medicine and Health. doi: 10.4135/9781529709483.
Sittig S., Hauff C, Graves R. J., Williams, S. G., McDermott, R. C., Fruh, S., Hall H., Campbell, M., Swanzy, D., Wright T., & Hudson G. M. (2020). Characteristics of and factors influencing college nursing students' willingness to utilize mHealth for health promotion. Computer Informatics in Nursing, 38(5), 246-255.PMID: 32032084doi: 10.1097/CIN.0000000000000600. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7211113
Jones, L., Williams, S., Fruh, S., Elkins, C., & Bydalek, K. (2019). African American women’s perceptions of cardiovascular disease after a myocardial infarction: A phenomenological inquiry. Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 34(5), 503-510.doi: 10.1097/JCN000000000000614, PMID: 31498163
McDermott, R.., Fruh, S., Williams, S., Graves, R., Hauff, C. (2019). Characteristics of negative and positive mental health among nursing students in the United States. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, 1-10. doi: 10.1177/1078390319865322
Fruh S., Golden, A., Graves, R., Hall, H., Minchew, L., & Williams, S. (2019). Advanced practice nursing student knowledge in obesity management: A mixed methods research study. Nurse Education Today, 77, 59-64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2019.03.006

Hauff, C., Fruh, S., Graves, R., Sims, B., Williams, S. G., Minchew, L.,….
Barclay, M. (2019). NP student encounters with obesity bias in clinical practice. The Nurse Practitioner Journal, 44(6), 41-46. Doi: 10.1097/01.NPR.0000558157.76596..c7
Fruh, S. M., Golden, A., Minchew, L. A., Platt, T. H., Hall, H. R., Graves, R. J., Williams, S. G., Mehari, K., Sims, B. M., Hauff, C., & Cheese, C. (2019). Competency in obesity management: An educational intervention study with nurse practitioner students. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners,31(12), 734-740. Doi: 10.1097/Jxx.0000000000218 PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7094771.

Williams, S. G., McDermott, R., Fruh, S., Graves, R., Hall, H., Wright, T., Swanzy, D., & Carter, C. (in press) Nursing students’ satisfaction with daily life: A holistic approach. Journal of Nursing Education. Retrieved from https://www.healio.com/nursing/journals/jne
Williams, S., Schneider, M., Wornell, C., & Langhinrichsen-Rohling, J. (2018). Student’s perceptions of school safety: It is not just about being bullied. The Journal of School Nursing, 34(4), 319-330. https://doi.org/10.1177/1059840518761792
Williams, S. G., Langhinrichsen, Rohling, J., Wornell, C., & Finnegan, H. (2017). Adolescents transitioning to high school: Sex differences in bullying victimization associated with depressive symptoms, suicide ideation, and suicide attempts. The Journal of School Nursing, 1-13, DOI: 101177/1059840516686840
Williams, S. G., Turner-Henson, A., Langhinrichsen-Rohling, J., Azuero, A. (2017). Depressive symptoms in 9th graders: Stress and physiological contributors. Applied Nursing Research, 34, 24-28. DOI: 10.1016/j.apnr.2017.01.001
Williams, S. G. (2017). Mental health issues related to sexual orientation in a high school setting. The Journal of School Nursing, 1-10. DOI: 10.1177/1059840516686841
Williams, S.G., Turner-Henson, A., Davis, S., Soistmann, H.C. (2017).

Relationships among perceived stress, bullying, cortisol, and depressive symptoms in ninth-grade adolescents: A pilot study. Biological Research for Nursing,19(1),65-70. DOI: 10.1177/1099800416656396
Rice, M., Turner-Henson, A., Park, N., Azuero A., Amiri, A., Feeley, C., Johnson, A., Lam, T., Huntington-Moskos, L., Rodriguez, J., & Williams, S. (2016). Child and maternal factors that influence child blood pressure in preschool children: An exploratory study. Applied Nursing
Research, 31, 117-120 doi: 10.1016/j.apnr.2016.01.008.

Rodriguez, J., Huntington-Moskos, L., Johnson, A., Williams, S., Gulledge, E., Feeley, C., & Rice, M. (2016). Collecting biological measures for research with children and adolescents. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 30, 279-283. doi:10.1016/j.pedhc.2015.12.007
Williams, S. G. & Bihan, S. (2012). Application of an innovative, autonomous, creative teaching modality through service-learning in a community-health nursing

course. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 3(5), 116-127.doi: 10.5430/jnep.v3n5p116
Williams, S. G. (June 2012). The ethics of internet research. Online Journal of Nursing Informatics (OJNI), 16 (2), Available at http://ojni.org/issues/?p=1708
Williams, S. & Godfrey, A. (2011). What is cyberbullying and how can psychiatric-mental health nurses recognize it? Journal of Psychosocial Nursing, 49(10), 36-43.

Teaching

Dr. Williams teaches in the RN to BSN/MSN program the following courses:

NU 450 – Leadership and Management for Professional Nurses
NU 452 – Clinical Prevention and Population Health

Honors and Awards

Finalist for The Journal of School Nursing Sage Scholarly Writing Award 2019
1st Place Award for presentation, Alabama State Nurses CEU workshop, 2016
Nursing Research Award, Sigma Theta Tau – Zeta Gamma Chapter, 2014
Journal of School Nursing – Editorial Panel 2019- current
Southern Nurses Research Society - State Membership Representative, 2017- current
Sigma Theta Tau, Zeta Gamma Chapter, Research Award, Mobile, AL- 2013, 2014
Academic Honor Society: Delta Epsilon Iota - 2013
Maternal Child Health Traineeship/Fellow at the University of Alabama in Birmingham- Leadership and Education in Child Health Nursing- 2010-2012
Mobile County Nurses Association -Research Nurse Award – 1990