Alberta “Allie” Tran, PhD, RN, CCRN, stands as a leading figure in critical care nursing research and practice. As a Senior Research Scientist at MedStar Health’s Institute for Quality and Safety (MIQS) and MedStar Health Research Institute (MHRI), and an Assistant Professor at Georgetown University Medical Center, Dr. Tran brings over 14 years of expertise in the demanding field of critical care. Her dedication extends beyond the bedside, shaping health policy and improving patient outcomes through rigorous research and a commitment to diagnostic excellence.
Dr. Tran’s extensive background includes serving as a Clinical Educator in the Medical Intensive Care Unit at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. This frontline experience fuels her research, which focuses on enhancing the organization and delivery of nursing care across various healthcare settings. Her work is particularly focused on improving diagnostic communication and quality, especially for older adults, a vulnerable population often facing complex health challenges. Dr. Tran leverages secondary data to address pressing issues impacting the healthcare workforce and to evaluate the effectiveness of innovative nursing care models.
Driven by a passion for evidence-based practice, Dr. Tran is dedicated to generating knowledge that supports interventions aimed at strengthening teamwork and communication among patients, clinicians, families, and caregivers. Her teaching experience encompasses training nursing and medical students in crucial areas such as clinical simulation, team-based communication, health innovation, and geriatric health. Furthermore, she actively contributes to health workforce policy research through collaborations with the Cecil B. Sheps Center for Health Services Research and UNC-CH School of Nursing, extending her impact to a broader scale.
Dr. Tran’s academic credentials include a PhD from UNC-CH School of Nursing, where she was recognized as a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Future of Nursing Scholar, focusing on quantitative and mixed methods in health systems research. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing with honors from the University of Virginia. Her professional affiliations underscore her commitment to the nursing and research communities, as an active member of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN), Academy Health, Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society (STTI), and the Asian-American / Pacific Islander Nursing Association (AAPINA). Notably, she served as the 2023-2024 Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine’s Age-Friendly Fellow in Diagnostic Excellence, highlighting her dedication to improving diagnostic processes and patient safety.
Dr. Tran is enthusiastic about collaborating with fellow researchers and mentoring aspiring scientists, fostering innovation and new perspectives in nursing care delivery, healthcare worker well-being, and ultimately, improved patient outcomes. Her work is essential in the ongoing effort to refine critical care practices and enhance diagnostic accuracy in healthcare systems.
Professional Memberships:
- American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN)
- AcademyHealth
- Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society
- Asian American/Pacific Islander Nurses Association (AAPINA)
Faculty Appointments:
- Adjunct Assistant Professor of Medicine, Georgetown University Medical Center
- Adjunct Assistant Professor of Nursing, University of North Carolina
Research Interests
- Nursing health services research
- Quality and safety
- Diagnostic errors
- Older adults
- Team-based care
- Critical care
- Innovative care delivery models
- Systems of care
- Quantitative methods
Selected Research
Tran AK, Syed QS, Bierman AS, Singh H. State of the Science and Future Directions to Improve Diagnostic Safety in Older Adults. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; September 2024. AHRQ Publication No. 24-0010-7-EF. https://www.ahrq.gov/diagnostic-safety/resources/issue-briefs/dxsafety-older-adults.html
Tran, AK, Knafl, GJ, Baernholdt, M, Fraher, EP, & Jones, CB. (2023). Where are the critical care nurses? A statewide analysis of actively practicing nurses’ transitions out of the clinical area. Nursing Outlook, 71(3), 101947. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2023.101947
Jones, CB, Kim, S, McCollum, M, & Tran, AK. (2024). New insights on a recurring theme: A secondary analysis of nurse turnover using the National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses. Nursing Outlook, 72(2), 102-107. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2023.102107
