Heather Smith
Papers
1
Total Citations
2
H-Index
1
About
Dr. Heather Smith is a distinguished neonatal nurse researcher whose work centers on optimizing nutritional care for the most vulnerable infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Her primary research areas include human milk access protocols, neonatal nursing best practices, and the clinical translation of evidence-based feeding guidelines. Dr. Smith’s major contribution is the development of a structured algorithm for human milk access, designed to standardize decision-making when providing mother’s own milk or donor breast milk to preterm and critically ill newborns. This work addresses a critical gap in NICU care, where inconsistent policies can impact infant health outcomes. Her most cited paper, “Noteworthy Professional News” (2019), which details this algorithm, has garnered 2 citations and serves as a practical resource for clinicians. Beyond her published work, Dr. Smith is recognized for her leadership as a PhD-prepared nurse, a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP-BC), and a Clinical Nurse Specialist, roles that underscore her commitment to bridging research and bedside practice. Her algorithm empowers NICUs to deliver equitable, evidence-based feeding support, directly improving the health trajectories of the infants she serves.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Noteworthy Professional News2 citations · 2019