Faculty Sketch
Michael W. Vollman, PhD, RN
Assistant Professormichael.vollman@vanderbilt.edu
Current Research Interests
Dr. Michael Vollman has joint research faculty appointments in Vanderbilt Medical Center's School of Nursing, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, and Department of Psychiatry.
Dr. Vollman's primary research interests target the co-morbid effects of depression and other forms of psychological distress on key health outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF). Specific outcomes of interest include sympathetic nervous system activation, inflammatory cytokine production, self-care, regimen adherence, morbidity, and mortality. Other research interests include the relationship between disturbed sleep and depression, and conducting randomized controlled trials to test depression treatment interventions in community-living patients with HF.
Grants
Principal Investigator. Coping, Depression, and Heart Failure Outcomes. Research Mentored Scientist Award (K01). National Institutes of Health; National Institute of Nursing Research (05K01 NR010137 3) ($260,000) July 2006 – July 2009
Representative Publications
Westlake, C., Dyo, M., Vollman, M.W., & Heywood, J.T. (in press). Spirituality and suffering in patients with heart failure. Progress in Palliative Care.
Vollman, M.W., LaMontagne, L.L., & Wallston, K.A. (in press). Existential well-being predicts perceived control in adult patients with heart failure. Applied Nursing Research.
Vollman, M., LaMontagne, L., & Hepworth, J. (2007). Coping and depressive symptoms in adults living with heart failure. Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. 22, 125-130.
Professional Organizations
Chair, Research Committee, American Association of Heart Failure Nurses, 2006-present
Scientific Review Committee, Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research
Experience as a Pre-, Post, K Award (or like) Mentor
Mentorship: Doctoral Students
Benjamin Smallheer – Cognitive mediators of depression in patients following acute myocardial infarction.
Joshua Squires – Metabolic disturbances in adult patients with heart failure.