Jacqueline Tierney

Biography

Dr. Jacqueline A. Tierney, DNP, MSN, RN, CHPN, ELNEC, is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Frances M. McLaughlin Nursing Program at Bloomfield College of Montclair State University. She teaches PathoPharmacology and Simulation Laboratory, where she integrates foundational science with clinical reasoning to prepare nursing students for safe, effective, and compassionate practice.

With a strong emphasis on experiential learning, Dr. Tierney uses case-based scenarios and active learning strategies to help students translate complex pharmacologic and pathophysiologic concepts into real-world clinical decision-making. Her teaching approach prioritizes patient safety, clinical judgment, interprofessional communication, and evidence-based practice.
In the simulation lab, Dr. Tierney is dedicated to using high-fidelity technology to create a supportive learning environment that encourages reflection, confidence building, and professional growth. She is particularly committed to preparing students for the complexities of contemporary nursing practice across diverse healthcare settings.

Dr. Tierney is deeply invested in nursing education and student success and is passionate about mentoring future nurses as they develop the knowledge, skills, and professional identity required to provide high-quality patient-centered care.

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Research

My greatest areas of expertise include simulation-based nursing education, clinical learning environments, and pathopharmacology, with a focus on integrating theory into safe, evidence-based practice. I specialize in using high‑fidelity simulation and clinical scenarios to strengthen students’ understanding of pathophysiologic mechanisms, pharmacologic principles, clinical judgment, and patient safety across diverse care settings.

"EVALUATION OF A PALLIATIVE CARE SCREENING TOOL (PCST) TO IDENTIFY AND INCREASE PALLIATIVE CARE CONSULTS IN THE MEDICAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT (MICU)"

Abstract With an aging population and an increase in serious illness, there has been a significant demand for palliative care in the Intensive Care Units (Bunker et al., 2023). This project aimed to assess the impact of incorporating a Palliative Care Screening Tool (PCST) to identify patients admitted or transferred to a Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU). The hypothesis tested was that implementing the screening tool would lead to identifying patients with unmet palliative care (PC) needs, thereby increasing the number of Palliative Care consults (PCC) and benefiting patients. The Peaceful End of Life Theory by Ruland and Moore guided this study. The method used was a retrospective chart review of patients admitted or transferred to the MICU over 15 months to gather demographic information and compare patients eligible for a PCC based on their PCST score to the actual number of consultations received. The analysis aimed to determine if implementing the PCST would increase consultations and identify additional contributing factors or barriers. One hundred sixty-two charts were identified for inclusion, and 110 patients (67.9%) received a positive PCST score, indicating their eligibility for a consultation. Among those eligible, only 47 patients (42.7%) received a consult, while 63 eligible patients (57.3%) did not. Additional findings related to the timeliness of consultations and lack of palliative care involvement when patients changed their status from Full Code to Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) were also analyzed. Comorbidities were also a statistically significant finding based on an independent sample t-test. The independent sample t-test was done to test for a relationship between PCC and comorbidities. The t value was above 3 with p<.001, revealing that patients with a PCC had an average of 0.781 more comorbidities than those without. The findings of this study indicate that a considerable number of patients, including those who either passed away or underwent a change in their code status, did not receive a consultation for palliative care. This reinforces the hypothesis that the implementation of the Palliative Care Screening Tool (PCST) can effectively identify unmet palliative care needs and enhance the rate of palliative care consultations.