Hi! I’m Nakia C. Best, PhD, RN
I’ve been a registered for 20+ years, and an Alumna of Winston-Salem State University, UNC Greensboro, Johns Hopkins, and UNC Chapel Hill. I am currently an assistant professor at University of California, Irvine.
I’m fascinated by God’s miracles, satiated by delicious vegan eats, freed by neo soul and hip hop, transformed by joyful movement, and intrigued by stimulating conversation.
I seek to inspire future nurses, leverage data to tell stories, and be of service to others.
Say hi on Twitter @nakiabestphd
I leverage data to advocate for children and adolescents to have equitable, daily access to a full-time certified/credentialed school nurse. My current research includes collaborations with North Carolina DHHS Children and Youth Branch (funded by National Association of School Nurses) and School Nurses of California Foundation (funded by UCI ICTS).
Recent Pubs
McCabe, E., & Best, N. C. (2022). The significance of social development support in schools: The critical role of school nurses. NASN School Nurse.
doi: 10.1177/1942602X221128227
Best, N. C., Nichols, A.O., Pierre-Louis, B., & Hernandez, J.** (2022). Exploration of factors associated with reported medication administration errors in North Carolina public
school districts. Journal of School Nursing Online First doi: 10.1177/10598405221127453
Best, N. C., Nichols, A.O., Waller, A.E., Zomorodi, M., Pierre-Louis, B., Oppewal, S., & Travers D. (2021). Impact of school nurse ratios and health services on selected student health and education outcomes: North Carolina, 2011-2016. Journal of School Health. doi: 10.1111/josh.13025
Hamilton, J. B., Best, N. C., Barney, T. A., Worthy, V. C., & Phillips, N. R. (2021). Using spirituality to cope with COVID-19: The experiences of African American breast cancer survivors. Journal of Cancer Education. Epub ahead of print. doi: 10.1007/s13187-021-01974-8
Best, N. C., Nichols, A.O., Oppewal, S., Pierre-Louis, B., Waller, A.E., Zomorodi, M., & Travers D. (2020). An Appraisal of School Nurse Health Services and Programs in North Carolina Public Schools, 2006-2016. (2020). Journal of School Nursing. Epub ahead of print. doi: 10.1177/1059840519899439
Miller, T. N., Matthie, N., Best, N. C., Price, M. A. & Hamilton, J. B. (2020). Intergenerational Influences on faith-based strategies used in response to racial discrimination among young African American adults. Journal of the National Medical Association. Epub ahead of print. doi: 10.1016/j.jnma.2020.02.005
Presentations
UCI Research Associates Madeline Martin Swinden Lecture Series October 2022: Improving health equity: The important role of school nurses
American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference October 2022: Impact of COVID-19 on school nurses
National Association of School Nurses Annual Conference July 2022: Practice and academic partnerships: A win for nurses
California School Nurses Organization Conference February 2022: The impact of Covid-19 on school nurses and school health services
American Public Health Association Conference October 2021: The impact of Covid-19 on school nurses
American School Health Association Conference 2020: Health benefits associated with school nursing services in North Carolina Schools
American Medical Informatics Association Educators Forum 2018: Building information literacy in a baccalaureate nursing informatics course
Musings
Spirituality and the Nursing Profession by Jill B. Hamilton and Nakia C. Best, February 17, 2020
Media
OC schools are starting up again: Are they prepared for COVID and monkeypox?, August 2022; quoted in Voice of OC
‘If kids aren’t healthy, they can’t learn‘, April 2022; interview by Leonie Gombrich
Orange county students can ditch masks after March 11th, February 2022; quoted in Voice of OC
School nurse, moral injury studies receive UCI ICTS grants, March 2021
Nakia Best, PhD: Telling the story with data, September 2020
School nurses: addressing the shortage in OC, September 2020
Exploring school nurse interventions and student health and education outcomes: An integrative review (podcast), 2018