Dr. Bruckenthal, PhD, APRN-BC, ANP, FAAN is Associate Dean for Research and Innovations and Professor at Stony Brook University School of Nursing. Her PhD in Nursing was completed at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and her post-doctoral training at the Applied Behavioral Medicine Institute at Stony Brook University, Department of Psychiatry. A nationally and internationally recognized nurse scientist, educator, and clinician; Dr. Bruckenthal has devoted her career to improving the assessment and management of people with chronic pain, improving care of older adults, and behavioral health integration.
Specifically, her focus is on using techniques to engage persons with chronic pain in self-management. As a member of a multi-site, NIH funded research team investigating Nurse Practitioner led Coping Skills Training for Osteoarthritis Patients, she integrated the philosophy and skill of advanced practice nursing in the development of the proposal and in the delivery of the intervention. Part of her role was to conduct nurse practitioner training and supervision for the intervention. The application of this intervention has been expanded by implementing a formal training model for advanced practice nurses and other health professionals. Training health professionals in health behavior change beyond the current pool of mental health providers will increase access to care for pain and other chronic conditions requiring self-management. More recently, as a member of a HRSA funded initiative, Dr. Bruckenthal, trained nurse practitioner and social welfare students in integrated behavioral health screening for substance use and mood disorders, brief interventions and referral to treatment. Currently she is a member of an NSF multidisciplinary research team that is developing and evaluation wireless sensing devices to help older adults age in place.
Pain assessment is challenging, particularly among cognitively impaired elders. To address this issue, Dr. Bruckenthal investigated an instrument to assess pain in cognitively impaired older adults unable to communicate information about their pain. As co-investigator of this multi-site study, she developed the psychometric assessment plan for the instrument and provided education to the nursing staffs in skilled nursing facilities on the use of this instrument. She also developed the Achieving Effective & Safe Opioid Prescribing – Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (AESOP-APRN) Survey and participated in the development and testing of Post-Acute Care Pain Assessment Instrument.
In addition, Dr. Bruckenthal was integrally involved in the development of in inter-professional educational and care delivery model to deliver preventative health screening and health promotion to older adults and vulnerable populations. The Partnership for Advancing Collaborative Education (PACE) center evolved from a partnership with Stony Brook Dental Medicine Center and has expanded to outreach community senior centers and transitional housing centers. More recently the SON opened a PACE Center on the SBU campus to provide preventative health screening and referral services to the young adult population. These clinics functions as a faculty practice sites, a training site for nurse practitioner, social work, and dental medicine students, and as a site for nurse faculty led research.
After serving as Chair of Graduate Studies in Advanced Practice Nursing for six years, Dr. Bruckenthal accepted the position of Associate Dean for Research and Innovations. In this role, her goal is to foster excellence in faculty and student research largely informed by practice. She envisions several strategies to facilitate this plan. Faculty and students have the opportunity to self-declare research interests and faculty scholarship development needs. Together they mutually construct a plan to meet these needs and align them with the mission of the School of Nursing and foster collaborations with researchers and expert clinicians both within Stony Brook University and outside the campus walls. Resources to facilitate this process through expanding connections with multidisciplinary departments, including but not limited to, specific clinical departments, population health, biomedical informatics, computational science, and engineering have been identified.
Her strong clinical background in pain management has provided her with the opportunity to become an expert in pain management education in the school of nursing, and to the larger community both regionally, nationally, and internationally. Regardless of the venue, she incorporates her teaching philosophy, based on experiential learning. Dr. Bruckenthal develops assignments that allow students to acquire knowledge and skills and apply these in relevant settings. Students are asked to reflect on direct encounters with patients (or phenomena under study) to enhance learning needs as appropriate. This cyclical process fosters students to build on prior experiences and apply new learning to subsequent experiences. Discourse through case presentations is an essential part of this process. Her clinical practice for over 25 years enriches understanding of phenomena under discussion in many instances. As science and its application is often an active dialogue between investigators and clinicians, using discourse as a teaching strategy sets the stage for lifelong learning that is integral to a profession such as nursing.
Dr. Bruckenthal sat on several advisory committees with the goal of improving outcomes for people with chronic pain including the Pain Action Alliance to Implement the National Pain Strategy of the Center for Practical Bioethics, and the States Pain and Policy Action Alliance. She has served as an advisor for multiple doctoral projects on pain management. She is recognized nationally as an expert in pain management and has been asked to develop and advise on pain management curricula for the Medical Society for the State of New York, development a post-acute care cross-setting standardized assessment instrument in conjunction with the RAND corporation for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, and a member of the Collaborative Education in Substance use advisory council for Harvard Medical School/Department of Global and Continuing Education. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and Advanced Diplomat American Academy for Integrative Pain Management, has served as the President of the American Society for Pain Management Nursing and is an Associate Editor for Pain Management Nursing.
Credentials
Patricia Bruckenthal, PhD, APRN-BC, FAAN
Education
BS, Nursing, Stony Brook University School of Nursing, 1981
MS, Nursing, Stony Brook University School of Nursing, 1987
PhD, Nursing, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 2004
Post-Doctorate, Applied Behavioral Medicine Research Institute, Stony Brook University, 2006
Clinical Specialties
Pain Management
Care of Older Adults
Self- Management Support
Integrated Behavioral Health
Primary Teaching Areas
PhD in Nursing Dissertation Seminar Series
Doctorate of Nursing Practice Synthesis Courses
Big Data and Population Health
Research and Academic Interests
Pain Coping Skills
Motivational Interviewing
Health Promotion and Health Prevention Screening
Improving outcomes for older adults
Research (selected)
Promoting Provider Resilience via Communication, Self-Care, and Organizational Training Programs HRSA $2,280,633. Co-I
SCC-IRG Track 1: Smart Aging: Connecting Communities Using Low-Cost and Secure Sensing Technologies. (NSF) $1,700,126 Co-PI
NIH/NINR: R01 Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): Activity patterns and autonomic dysfunction. Project Director, $1,460,00 2016-2020
Publications (selected)
Monihan, K., Bruckenthal, P. Truhlar, M., Marino, M, Canella, D., Schoenfeld, E. (2022) Health and Wellness Screening for Older Adults: Social Work Students’ Experiences in the Partnership to Advance Collaborative Education (PACE) Program. Best Practices in Mental Health. (Accepted)
Friedberg, F., Adamowicz, J. L., Bruckenthal, P., Milazzo, M., Ramjan, S., & Quintana, D. (2022). Nonimprovement in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Relation to Activity Patterns, Uplifts and Hassles, and Autonomic Dysfunction. Psychosomatic medicine, 84(6), 669–678.
Shier, V., Edelen, M. O., McMullen, T. L., Dunbar, M. S., Bruckenthal, P., Ahluwalia, S. C., Chen, E. K., Dalton, S. E., Paddock, S., Rodriguez, A., Mandl, S., Mota, T., & Saliba, D. (2022). Standardized assessment of cognitive function, mood, and pain among patients who are unable to communicate. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 10.1111/jgs.17647
O’Neill,C., Maran, E., Emma, E., Copenhaver, A., Bruckenthal, P. (2022). Promoting Patient and Staff Resiliency During COVID-19, MEDSURG Nursing Jan/Feb
Bruckenthal, P. (2020) Celebrating Pain Management Nursing: Looking Back, Forging Ahead. Pain Management Nursing. 21:477, DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmn.2020.10.00
Bruckenthal, P., Gilson, A. (2019). Development and validation of the Achieving Effective & Safe Opioid Prescribing – Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (AESOP-APRN) Survey: A Pilot Study. Pain Management Nursing. Jun;20(3):214-221.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.pmn.2019.02.013. Epub 2019 May 14.PMID: 31101559
Brathwaite, B., Marino, M., Bruckenthal, P. (2018). Nurse Practitioner Confidence and Attitudes towards Brief Motivational Interventions to Improve Compliance with Health and Wellness Recommendations. JCommPublicHealthNursing. 4:212. DOI: 10.4172/2471-9846.1000212
Presentations (selected)
Bruckenthal, P. (2016) Best Practice Approaches for Complementary, Alternative and Integrative, Non-Pharmacological Management of Pain. Pain and Palliative Care Webinar Series. National Hartford Center for Genrological Nursing Excellences. Supported by the MayDay Fund. Available at https://hign.org/nca/contact.html
Bruckenthal, P. (2016) Motivational Interviewing in Managing Pain. Providers’ Clinical Support System for Opioid Therapies Training (PCSS-O). Available at http://pcss-o.org/education-training
Morgan, C., Bruckenthal, P. (2016). Revisiting the Role of Opioid Analgesics for Simple and Complex Patients with Chronic Pain. Sponsored by the Medical Society of the State of New York and The New York State Office for Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services.
International
Marino, M.A., Cannella, D., Schoenfeld, E.R., Bruckenthal, P., Monahan, K., Snelling, L., Brathwaite, B., Hou, W., Truhlar, M. (2017). The PACE Center: Improving Access to Clinical Preventive Services. Paper accepted for presentation at the International Association of Dental Research 95th General Session and Exhibition, San Francisco, CA
Bruckenthal, P. (2012) Irish Pain Society Annual Scientific Sessions, Global Year against Headache. Galway, Ireland. October 20, 2012, Invited
Bruckenthal, P.,St. Marie, B. (2012) Legal Pain Cases: Lessons Learned. Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland. October, 19, 2012, Invited
National
Bruckenthal, P. (2022). Celebrating Pain Management Nursing: Reflect, Re-imagine, Reach Beyond. American Society for Pain Management Nurses Annual Conference, September 15, 2022. Indian Wells, CA. Invited
Bruckenthal, P. (2022). Motivational Interviewing: A Communication Technique to Enhance Patient Self-Management for Pain. American Society for Pain Management Nurses Annual Conference, September 16, 2022. Indian Wells, CA
Bruckenthal, P., Saltz, M. (2021). Leveraging Resources for Achieving “Integrating Big Data to Evaluate Population Health” PhD Student Learning Outcomes. AACN Virtual Doctoral Education Conference.January 20, 2021
Bruckenthal, P., Miller, E., (2020). Become a Journal Reviewer, Benefits and Guidelines. American Society for Pain Management Nurses Annual Conference, Virtual, October 20, 2020
Schoenfeld E, Ye F, Zhou B, Xie Z, Zadok E, Cheng X, Mondros J, Bruckenthal P, Patel J. Smart Aging: Utilizing Low-Cost, Non-wearable and Secure Sensing Technologies to Support the Health and Wellbeing of Community Dwelling Older Adults. HIMSS 20 Preconference Session on Aging and Tech Forum: Addressing the Silver Tsunami, Orlando Florida, March 9, 2020. Accepted
Bruckenthal, P. (2019) SBIRT and MI - Integrated Treatment in Clinical Settings. American Society for Pain Management Nurses. Annual Meeting. September 18, 2019. Portland, Oregon
Miller, E., Bruckenthal, P. (2019) Become Published: Consult with the Pain Management Nursing Editorial Board. American Society for Pain Management Nurses. Annual Meeting. September 20, 2019. Portland, Oregon
Bruckenthal, P. (2019). How to become a published author. National Nurse-Led Consortium. American Association of Nurse Practitioners. Webinar (350 attendees). January 23, 2019
Monahan, K., Marino, M.A., Cannella, D., Schoenfeld, E.R., Bruckenthal, P., Snelling, L., Brathwaite, B., Hou, W., Truhlar, M. (2018). The PACE Center: A Collaborative Model Addressing Utilization of Preventive Health Services" An oral presentation at the Council of Social Work Education (CSWE), Annual Program Meeting (APM) in Orlando Florida, November 9-11, 2018.
Cannella, D.T., Marino, M., Bruckenthal, P., Schoenfeld, E.R., Monahan, K., Hou, W., Truhlar, M.R. Implementing an Interprofessional Model of Clinical Prevention Services. AADR/CADR Annual Meeting, Fort Lauderdale, FL. March 21-24, 2018.
Regional
Bruckenthal, P. (2019). A Taste of MI: Motivational Interviewing and Brief Action Planning for Pain Management. Pain Management in 2019: Issues, Challenges, & Treatments Course on October 18, 2019 at Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY
Bruckenthal, P. (2019). SBIRT Screening for alcohol, drug misuse, and cannabis in primary care: Results from an intra-professional training model. The Art and Science of Pain Management: A Clinical Research Update. Albany Medical College Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics. Saratoga Springs, NY October 5, 2019.
Bruckenthal, P. (2019). Implementation Science: Translating Research into Practice. American Association of Critical Care Nurses, Long Island Chapter Annual Meeting. June 5, 2019. Stonebridge Country Club, Smithtown, NY.
Bruckenthal, P. (2019). Behavioral Health Screening for Pain Patients. Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions: Emerging from the Opioid Crisis: Advances in Multimodal Care. May 17-19, 2019. The Renaissance Westchester Hotel, West Harrison, NY
Bruckenthal, P. (2018) Pain Management Amidst an Opioid Crisis. Thomas Jefferson College of Nursing. November 29, 2018. Visiting Scholar Lecture
Bruckenthal, P. (2018) Addressing the Opioid Crisis and Pain Management. At Nursing Research Day-Implementation Science-Reaching Communities. The Mount Sinai Hospital Department of Nursing Center for Nursing Research and Innovation. November 16, 2018. Keynote Speaker
Bruckenthal, P. (2018) Art and Science of Pain Management through Patient Engagement in Pain Coping Skills. At The Art and Science of Pain Management: A Clinical and Research Update. Albany Medical Center. October 13, 2018
Bruckenthal, P., (2018) Brief Intervention for Moving Patients Towards Self-Care. New York State Pain Society Annual Meeting, April 27-29, 2018. The Renaissance Westchester Hotel, West Harrison, NY
Bruckenthal, P (2018) Pain Coping Skills: an effective strategy for comprehensive pain management across settings. The Opioid Tsunami: Prevention, Partnerships in Opioid Management and Current Trends in Research. 55th Annual Isabel Maitland Stewart Conference on Research in Nursing, May, 4, 2018, Teachers College, Columbia University.
Major Accomplishments / Honors
Advanced Diplomat American Academy for Integrative Pain Management (2016)
Inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing (2014)
Past President of the American Society for Pain Management Nursing (2013-2014)
ASPMN Leadership Excellence Award, American Society for Pain Management Nursing (2014)
Excellence in Research Award, Sigma Theta Tau, Kappa Gamma Chapter (2010)
ASPMN National Nurse Exemplar Award in Pain Management of the Older Adult (2008)
