Jeana Holt

Jeana Holt, PhD, DNP, RN, FNP-BC, APNP

  • Assistant Professor

Dr. Holt capitalizes on her extensive clinical expertise as a community-based family nurse practitioner and a focused research trajectory to leverage technology and healthcare innovation to reduce health inequities among historically underrepresented and neurodiverse populations. Throughout her career, she has progressed from contributing to complex projects to leading them, consistently developing and evaluating innovative, nurse-led, person-centered, and community-focused programs.

Her strengths include effective collaboration with interdisciplinary teams and cultivating community partnerships that drive care transformation and improve health and quality-of-life outcomes. Dr. Holt’s methodological rigor is across research approaches such as participatory action research, implementation science, predictive analytics, and Photovoice. Her current work, rooted in a strengths-based approach, centers on the voices and talents of neurodiverse individuals.

Highlights of Dr. Holt’s research include:

  • National Endowment of the Arts-funded Research Lab, ABLE: Autism Brilliance Lab for Entrepreneurship, PI and Research Director. Dr. Holt partners with the non-profit organization, Islands of Brilliance, to examine how creativity in art and design serves as a vehicle for preparing populations on the spectrum for the workforce and preparing neurotypical work environments for autistic people.
  • VentureWell™, Empowering Nurse Innovators and Entrepreneurs: A Cross-Curricular Program, PI. Dr. Holt integrates and evaluates experiential innovation and entrepreneurship learning into the existing nursing graduate curriculum to bridge the gap between nursing ‘MacGyver-ing’ their way through a shift to being trained in skills that support moving an innovative concept to validating a solution.
    • VentureWell OPEN 2023 National Conference, Best Teaching Toolkit for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
  • Dr. Holt partners with Inception Health Lab, the research, design, and engineering spirit affiliated with Inception Health, the Medical College of Wisconsin, and clinical affiliates to apply implementation science methods to plan and evaluate clinicians' uptake of evidence-based healthcare interventions.
  • Midwestern Nursing Research Society Leadership Academy and Kellner Entrepreneurship

Education

PhD      UW-Milwaukee College of Nursing, 2020
DNP     UW-Milwaukee College of Nursing, 2012
MSN     Family Nurse Practitioner, UW-Milwaukee College of Nursing, 2005
BSN      Winona State University, 1997

POST-DOCTORAL FELLOW   2017-2019
Medical College of Wisconsin Academic Fellowship in Primary Care Research, Department of Family & Community Medicine, Milwaukee, WI
Health Resources and Services Administration Grant T32HP10030

Selected Intellectual Contributions

Holt, J. M., Siekman, K., & Fairbanks, M. (in press). Relationship-centered Approach to Autism Care. GAP: Good Autism Practice.

Austin, R. R., Alexander, S., & Holt, J. M. (in press). Toward Solving the Menopause Data Gap: An Evidence-Based Standardized Mapping Study Using the Omaha System. CIN: Computers Informatics Nursing.

Abusbaitan, H. A., Eyadat, A. M., Holt, J. M., Telfah, R. K., Abu Zahra, T. F., Abu Zahra, T. F., Mobarki, A. A., Mkandawire-Valhmu, L., Kako, P. M., Gondwe, K. W., & Lopez, A. A. (2025). Emotional abuse against women in the context of intimate relationships: A concept analysis. Nursing Forum, 2025(1), 6301140. https://doi.org/10.1155/nuf/6301140

Holt, J.M., Talsma, A., Lloren, J.I.C., Avdeev, I., Eckert, C.L., Mu, Q., Ndakuya-Fitzgerald, F., Jastrab, J. (2025). Academic-Practice Partnership Builds Innovation and Creative Capacity Following a Human-Centered Design Workshop. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 30(1), Manuscript 5. https://ojin.nursingworld.org/table-of-contents/volume-30-2025/number-1-january-2025/academic-practice-partnership-builds-innovation-and-creative-capacity-following-a-human-centered-design-workshop/

Talsma, A. N., Holt, J. M., Lloren, F.-B. J. I., Klingbeil, R. N. C., Taani, C. M., & Avdeev, R. N. I. (2025). Evaluation of a Synchronous Online Innovation and Design-Thinking Module for Graduate Nursing Students. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 30(2), Manuscript 3. https://doi.org/10.3912/OJIN.Vol30No01Man03

Holt, J. M., Talsma, A., Lloren, J. I. C., Eljarrah, I., Woehrle, L., & Avdeev, I. (2024). Human-centered design in graduate nursing education: Outcomes from a cohort study. Nurse Educator, 10.1097/NNE.0000000000001778. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNE.0000000000001778 

Holt, J. M., Siekman, K., Fairbanks, M., Fairbanks, M., & Stern, N. (2024). The impact of art, storytelling, and STEAM-based approaches on creativity development in autistic youth and young adults: A mixed methods study protocol. PloS One, 19(12), e0313506. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0313506

Polovneff, A., Shah, N., Janardan, A., Smith, E., Ivan, P., Mortensen, N., Holt, J. M., Somai, M., Sparapani, R., & Crotty, B. (2024). Scaling Care Coordination Through Digital Engagement: Stepped-Wedge Trial Assessing Readmissions. The American Journal of Managed Care, 30(2), e32–e38. https://doi.org/10.37765/ajmc.2024.89498

Holt, J. M. (2024). Person-centered care. In D. Schadewald (Eds.), Zaccagnini & White's Core Competencies for Advanced Practice Nursing: A Guide for DNPs (5th ed., pp. 27-77). Jones & Bartlett Learning. Awarded first place in the 2024 AJN Book of the Year Awards in the Advanced Practice Nursing category.

Holt, J.M., Talsma, AN., Johnson, T.S., & Ehlinger, T. (2023). Artificial neural network approaches to identify maternal and infant risk and asset factors using Peridata.net: A WI-MIOS Study. JAMIA Open. 6(3), ooad080, https://doi.org/10.1093/jamiaopen/ooad080  

Holt, J. M., Austin, R. R., Atadja R, Cole M, Noonan T, Monsen KA. (2023). Comparison of SIREN social needs screening tools and Simplified Omaha System Terms: informing an informatics approach to social determinants of health assessments. J Am Med Inform Assoc. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jamia/ocad092 PMID: 37221701

Ba, O. W., Hyun, N., Holt, J. M., Somai, M. M., & Crotty, B. H. (2023). Patient and provider factors associated with successfully addressing medical needs using telehealth: A cross-sectional survey. Wisconsin Medical Journal. https://wmjonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/122/2/wamuo.pdf

Holt, J.M., Cusatis, R., Mortensen, N., Wolfrath, N., Hyun, N., Winn, A. N., Brown, S.-A., Somai, M. M., & Crotty, B. H. (2022). Twenty-first century house calls: a survey of ambulatory care providers to inform organisational telehealth strategy. BMJ Health & Care Informatics, 29(1). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjhci-2022-100626 Impact Factor = 2.279

Holt, J.M., Spanbauer, C., Cusatis, R., Winn, A.N., Talsma, AN, Asan, O., Somai, M., Hanson, R., Moore, J., Makoul, G, & Crotty, B. H. (2022). Real-World Implementation of an Electronic Health Record-Integrated Consumer Informatics Tool that Collects Patient-Generated Contextual Data. International Journal of Medical Informatics. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2022.104810 Impact Factor = 4.730

Holt, J. M., Kibicho, J., & Bell-Calvin, J. (2022). Factors that Sustained the Integration of Behavioral Health into Nurse-led Primary Care. Community Mental Health Journal. https://doi.org/ 10.1007/s10597-022-00976-0 Impact Factor = 2.469

Braun, E. J., Siddhartha, S., Penlesky, A. C., Strong, E. A., Holt, J. M., Fletcher, K. E., Stadler, M. E., Nattinger, A. B., & Crotty, B. H. (2022). Implementing an Early Warning System in an Academic Health System: A Qualitative Study of Nurses. BMJ Quality & Safety. 10.1136/bmjqs-2021-014498 Impact Factor=7.434

Holt, J. M., Talsma, AN., Woehrle, L., Klingbeil, C. & Avdeev, I. (2022). Fostering Innovation and Design Thinking in Graduate Programs. Nurse Educator. 10.1097/NNE.0000000000001206 Impact Factor = 2.518

Melnyk, B. M., Hsieh, A. P., Tan, A., Gawlik, K., Hacker, E., Ferrell, D….Holt, J. M… Glogocheski, S. (2021). The State of Mental Health and Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors in Health Sciences Faculty and Students at Big 10 Universities with Implications for Action. Journal of Professional Nursing. doi:10.1016/j.profnurs.2021.10.007 Factor = 2.272

Crotty, B. H, Hyun, N. Polovneff, A., Dong, Y., Decker, M., Mortensen, N. Holt, J. M., Winn, A., Laud, P., Somai, M. M. (2021). Analysis of Clinician and Patient Factors and Completion of Telemedicine Appointments using Video. JAMA Network Open. 4(11):e2132917. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.32917 Impact Factor = 13.366

Holt, J. M., Cusatis, R., Winn, A., Asan, O., Spanbauer, C., Williams, J. S., Flynn, K. E., Somai, M., Talsma, A., Laud, P., Makoul, G. & Crotty, B. H. (2021). Impact of pre-visit contextual data collection on patient physician communication and patient activation: A randomized trial. Journal of General Internal Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-020-06583-7 Impact Factor = 6.437

Holt, J. M., Winn, A., Cusatis, R., Talsma, A., & Crotty, B. H. (2021). Racial Disparities in Patient Activation: The Role of Economic Diversity. Western Journal of Nursing Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/0193945920963130 Impact Factor = 1.774,          Nursing (SSCI) 43 out of 121, Nursing (SCIE) 47 out of 123

Holt, J. M., Mosely, A., Baldwin, V., Barnes, L., Muhammad, C., & Cohen, S. M. (2020). It Takes a Village: Evaluating the Feasibility and Acceptability of a Community-Based Parenting Program. Interdisciplinary Journal of Partnership Studies, 7(2), Article 5. https://doi.org/10.24926/ijps.v7i2.3389 Impact Factor = N/A

Holt, J. M., Cusatis, R., Winn, A., Asan, O., Spanbauer, C., Williams, J. S., Flynn, K. E., Somai, M., Laud, P., Crotty, B. H. (2020). The impact of pre-visit contextual data collection on patient-provider communication and patient activation: Study protocol for a randomized control trial. JMIR Research Protocols, 9(9), e20309. Impact Factor = 0.58 https://doi.org/10.2196/20309

Crotty, B. H., Asan, O., Holt, J. M., Tyszka, J., Erickson, J., Stolley, M., Pezzin, L., Nattinger, A. (2020). A Qualitative Assessment of Unmet Information Management Needs of Informal Cancer Caregivers – 4 Themes to Inform Oncology Practice. Clinical Cancer Informatics. 4, 521–528. https://doi.org/10.1200/CCI.19.00159 Impact Factor = 0.78

Cusatis, R., Holt, J. M., Asan, O., Williams, J., Nukuna, S., Flynn, K. E., Neuner, J., Moore, J., Flynn, K. E., Makoul, G., & Crotty, B. (2020). “Tell Me Straight”: Clinicians and Patient Perspectives on How Patient Generated Contextual Data Impacts In-visit Communication. Patient Education and Counseling. 103(4), 734–740. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2019.10.020 Impact Factor = 3.09

Holt, J. M., Brooke, K. L., Pryor, N. S., Cohen, S. M., Tsai, P., & Zabler, B. (2020). Using the Omaha System for a Formative Evaluation of the Integration of Behavioral Health Services into Nurse-Led Primary Care. Journal of Community Health Nursing, 37(1) https://doi.org/10.1080/07370016.2020.1693115 Impact Factor = 0.974

Mutitu, A., Zabler, B., & Holt, J. M. (2019). Refugees' Perceptions of Primary Care: What Makes A Good         Doctor's Visit? Patient Experience Journal, 6(3), 33-41. https://doi.org/10.35680/2372-0247.1382 Impact Factor = N/A

Holt, J. M., Cusatis, R., Asan, O., Williams, J., Nukuna, S., Flynn, K. E., … Crotty, B. H. (2019). Incorporating patient-generated contextual data into care: Clinician perspectives using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Science. Healthcarehttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.hjdsi.2019.100369 Impact Factor = 1.63

Holt, J. M. (2019). Patient Experience in Primary Care: A Systematic Review of CG-CAHPS Surveys. Journal of Patient Experience, 6(2), 93- 102. https://doi.org/10.1177/2374373518793143 Impact Factor = N/A

Holt, J. M., Johnson, T. S., Zabler, B. (2018). Engaging African American women in community-based health promotion programs: Key-informant recommendations. Journal of Community Health Nursing, 35(3), 137-147. https://doi.org/10.1080/07370016.2018.1475800 Impact Factor = 0.70

Holt, J. M. (2018). An evolutionary view of patient experience in primary care: A concept analysis. Nursing Forum, 53(4), 555-566. https://doi.org/10.1111/nuf.12286 Impact Factor = 1.1

Holt, J. M., Zabler, B., & Baisch, M. J. (2014). Evidence-based characteristics of nurse-managed health centers for quality and outcomes. Nursing Outlook, 62(6), 428-439 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2014.06.005. Impact Factor = 2.39

HONORS/AWARDS

Kellner Entrepreneurship Fellow Award, 2023, 2025

DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty, 2021

Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society, Eta Nu Chapter, 2020

Poster Symposium 2nd place Award, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2020

Medical College of Wisconsin Department of Family & Community Medicine Community Partnership Award, 2018

Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society, Eta Nu Chapter, 2017

Poster Symposium, 2nd place Award, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2017

Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society, Eta Nu Chapter, Mentorship Award, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2016

15th Annual Building Bridges to Research-Based Nursing Practice, 1st Place Research Poster Award, Milwaukee, WI, 2015

Graduate School Chancellor’s Award, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2010 & 2011

Milton and Joan Morris Graduate Scholarship, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2003

Advanced Education Nurse, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee College of Nursing Traineeship, 2004-05

Magnum Cum Laude, Winona State University, 1997

Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society, Winona State University Chapter, 1997

Vice-President, Minnesota Nursing Student Association, Winona State University Chapter, 1996-1997

Dean’s List, Winona State University, 1995-97

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

Omaha System Board of Directors, 2016-Present

Midwest Nursing Research Society, 2017-Present

Society of General Internal Medicine, 2017- Present

Metro Milwaukee Nurse Practitioners Board of Directors, 2015-2024

Metro Milwaukee Nurse Practitioners, Member 2005-08, 2015-Present

National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties, Member, 2014- Present

National League for Nurses, 2014-Present

Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing – Eta Nu Chapter, 1997-Present

American Nurses Association, Member, 2003- Present

Wisconsin Nurses Association, Member, 2003- Present

American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, Member, 2003- Present