Katherine A. Sward

Katherine A. Sward, PhD, RN, FAAN

Academic Information

Departments Primary - Biomedical Informatics

Academic Office Information

kathy.sward@nurs.utah.edu

Lab

Research Interests

  • Mathematical Modeling (Medical)

Katherine (Kathy) Sward is a Professor in Nursing with joint appointment as a Professor in Biomedical Informatics. She worked as a nurse and as a knowledge engineer before moving to her current academic role. She specializes in Clinical Research Informatics and Exposure (Environmental) Informatics. She has led multiple extramural research projects and academic teams. As faculty for the Utah Data Coordinating Center; she is MPI for the Helping End Addiction Longterm [HEAL] Effectiveness Research Network (HEAL-ERN) Data Coordinating Resource Center (U24TR004315), MPI for the HEAL KIDS (Knowledge, Innovation and Discovery Studies) Resource Center, and is Co-I for the Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network [CPCCRN] (PL1HD105462). In those roles, she leads data harmonization, information management, and informatics/data science initiatives. She also leads efforts to examine the effects of the environment on health and co-directs the Center of Excellence for Exposure Health Research. Dr. Sward has extensive teaching and curriculum development experience and teaches a variety of informatics and nursing research courses. She is widely sought as a scientific mentor and has mentored more than 50 graduate students and faculty.

Research Statement

Extensive experience in biomedical and nursing informatics including terminology/vocabulary management and data/information standards; and the design, development, and implementation of decision support systems and databases. Diverse clinical background including clinical nursing (Med-Surg and ICU), education, and administration. Current research is in the area of clinical research informatics, including clinical and translational research and the unique aspects of managing research information in special populations (e.g., pediatrics, ICU, oncology, gerontology, women's health); as well as informatics to support exposure science, sensor monitoring.

Education History

Doctoral Training University of Utah
 PhD
Graduate Training University of Utah
 MS
Undergraduate Westminster College of Salt Lake City
 BS
Diploma Lutheran Hospital School for Nurses
 RN

Selected Publications

Journal Article

  1. Adams MCB, Sward KA, Perkins ML, Hurley RW (2025). Standardizing research methods for opioid dose comparison: the NIH HEAL morphine milligram equivalent calculator. Pain. (Read full article)
  2. Sutherland EK, Smith JD, Ofori-Boateng M, Kushitor SB, Sarkwah HN, Kwanin BA, Sward KA, Gouripeddi R, Manortey SO, Price MD, Rositch A, Ngwa W, Alder SC, Joshu C, Price RR (2024). Study protocol for the development of a real-time interface showing the availability of breast and cervical cancer services in Ghana. PLoS One, 19(10), e0312150. (Read full article)
  3. Nie Z, Gao S, Chen L, Yang R, Edelman LS, Sward KA, Jiang Y, Demiris G (2023). Social media use and mental health among older adults with multimorbidity: the role of self-care efficacy. J Am Med Inform Assoc, 31(10), 2210-2216. (Read full article)
  4. Tiase VL, Sward KA, Facelli JC (2024). A Scalable and Extensible Logical Data Model of Electronic Health Record Audit Logs for Temporal Data Mining (RNteract): Model Conceptualization and Formulation. JMIR Nurs, 7, e55793. (Read full article)
  5. Yang R, Wang H, Tracy EL, Jo YJ, Sward KA, Edelman LS, Demiris G (2022). What is the relationship between falls, functional limitations, and depressive symptoms among Chinese older adults? The role of living alone. Maturitas, 168, 78-83. (Read full article)
  6. Morris AH, Horvat C, Stagg B, Grainger DW, Lanspa M, Orme J, Clemmer TP, Weaver LK, Thomas FO, Grissom CK, Hirshberg E, East TD, Wallace CJ, Young MP, Sittig DF, Suchyta M, Pearl JE, Pesenti A, Bombino M, Beck E, Sward KA, Weir C, Phansalkar S, Bernard GR, Thompson BT, Brower R, Truwit J, Steingrub J, Hiten RD, Willson DF, Zimmerman JJ, Nadkarni V, Randolph AG, Curley MAQ, Newth CJL, Lacroix J, Agus MSD, Lee KH, deBoisblanc BP, Moore FA, Evans RS, Sorenson DK, Wong A, Boland MV, Dere WH, Crandall A, Facelli J, Huff SM, Haug PJ, Pielmeier U, Rees SE, Karbing DS, Andreassen S, Fan E, Goldring RM, Berger KI, Oppenheimer BW, Ely EW, Pickering BW, Schoenfeld DA, Tocino I, Gonnering RS, Pronovost PJ, Savitz LA, Dreyfuss D, Slutsky AS, Crapo JD, Pinsky MR, James B, Berwick DM (2022). Computer clinical decision support that automates personalized clinical care: a challenging but needed healthcare delivery strategy. J Am Med Inform Assoc, 30(1), 178-194. (Read full article)
  7. Burr JS, Johnson A, Risenmay A, Bisping S, Serdoz ES, Coleman W, Sward KA, Rothwell E, Dean JM (2022). Demonstration Project: Transitioning a Research Network to New Single IRB Platforms. Ethics Hum Res, 44(6), 32-38. (Read full article)
  8. Sward KA, Enriquez R, Burr J, Ozier J, Roebuck M, Elliott C, Dean JM (2022). Consent Builder: an innovative tool for creating research informed consent documents. JAMIA Open, 5(3), ooac069. (Read full article)
  9. Li K Sward K Deng H Morrison J Habre R (01/01/2022). Using dynamic time warping self-organizing maps to characterize diurnal patterns in environmental exposures. Sci Rep, 11, 24052. (Read full article)
  10. Martial MA, Sward KA, Morse JM, Wilson AR, Martial C, Penney DS, Nicolas E (2021). Anemia Management in Rural Haitian Children: A Mixed Methods Study. J Transcult Nurs, 32(6), 672-680. (Read full article)
  11. Martial MA, Sward KA, Morse JM, Wilson AR, Martial C, Penney DS, Nicolas E (2021). Anemia Management in Rural Haitian Children: A Mixed Methods Study. J Transcult Nurs, 32(6), 672-680.
  12. Li K Deng H Morrison J Habre R Franklin M (09/01/2021). W-TSS: A Wavelet-Based Algorithm for Discovering Time Series Shapelets. 21. (Read full article)
  13. Morris AH, Stagg B, Lanspa M, Orme J, Clemmer TP, Weaver LK, Thomas F, Grissom CK, Hirshberg E, East TD, Wallace CJ, Young MP, Sittig DF, Pesenti A, Bombino M, Beck E, Sward KA, Weir C, Phansalkar SS, Bernard GR, Taylor Thompson B, Brower R, Truwit JD, Steingrub J, Duncan Hite R, Willson DF, Zimmerman JJ, Nadkarni VM, Randolph A, Curley MAQ, Newth CJL, Lacroix J, Agus MSD, Lee KH, deBoisblanc BP, Scott Evans R, Sorenson DK, Wong A, Boland MV, Grainger DW, Dere WH, Crandall AS, Facelli JC, Huff SM, Haug PJ, Pielmeier U, Rees SE, Karbing DS, Andreassen S, Fan E, Goldring RM, Berger KI, Oppenheimer BW, Wesley Ely E, Gajic O, Pickering B, Schoenfeld DA, Tocino I, Gonnering RS, Pronovost PJ, Savitz LA, Dreyfuss D, Slutsky AS, Crapo JD, Angus D, Pinsky MR, James B, Berwick D (2020). Enabling a learning healthcare system with automated computer protocols that produce replicable and personalized clinician actions. J Am Med Inform Assoc, 28(6), 1330-1344. (Read full article)
  14. Guo JW, Keeshin BR, Conway M, Chapman WW, Sward KA (2021). A Scoping Review and Content Analysis of Common Depressive Symptoms of Young People. J Sch Nurs, 38, 10598405211012680. (Read full article)
  15. Yang R, Plasek JM, Cummins MR, Sward KA (2020). Predicting Falls Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Demonstration of Applied Machine Learning. Comput Inform Nurs, 39(5), 273-280. (Read full article)
  16. Tiase VL, Wawrzynski SE, Sward KA, Del Fiol G, Staes C, Weir C, Cummins MR (2021). Provider Preferences for Patient-Generated Health Data Displays in Pediatric Asthma: A Participatory Design Approach. Appl Clin Inform, 12(3), 664-674. (Read full article)
  17. Tiase VL, Sward KA, Del Fiol G, Staes C, Weir C, Cummins MR (2021). Patient-Generated Health Data in Pediatric Asthma: Exploratory Study of Providers' Information Needs. JMIR Pediatr Parent, 4(1), e25413. (Read full article)
  18. Tiase V (12/22/2020). Patient-Generated Health Data In Pediatric Asthma: An Exploratory Study of Providers' Information Needs. JMIR Pediatr Parent.
  19. Tiase VL, Hull W, McFarland MM, Sward KA, Del Fiol G, Staes C, Weir C, Cummins MR (2020). Patient-generated health data and electronic health record integration: a scoping review. JAMIA Open, 3(4), 619-627. (Read full article)
  20. Yang R (11/16/2020). Predicting falls among community-dwelling older adults: A demonstration of applied machine learning. .
  21. Yang R, Wang H, Edelman LS, Tracy EL, Demiris G, Sward KA, Donaldson GW (2019). Loneliness as a mediator of the impact of social isolation on cognitive functioning of Chinese older adults. Age Ageing, 49(4), 599-604. (Read full article)
  22. Yang R (07/2020). Loneliness as a mediator of the impact of social isolation on cognitive functioning of Chinese older adults. . Age Ageing.
  23. Gouripeddi R (06/2020). Reproducible informatics for reproducible translational research. J Clin Transl Sci.
  24. Gawron LM, Sanders JN, Sward K, Poursaid AE, Simmons R, Turok DK (2019). Multi-morbidity and Highly Effective Contraception in Reproductive-Age Women in the US Intermountain West: a Retrospective Cohort Study. J Gen Intern Med, 35(3), 637-642. (Read full article)
  25. Khemani RG, Hotz JC, Sward KA, Newth CJL (2019). The role of computer-based clinical decision support systems to deliver protective mechanical ventilation. Curr Opin Crit Care, 26(1), 73-81. (Read full article)
  26. Tiase VL, Hull W, McFarland MM, Sward KA, Del Fiol G, Staes C, Weir C, Cummins MR (2019). Patient-generated health data and electronic health record integration: protocol for a scoping review. BMJ Open, 9(12), e033073. (Read full article)
  27. Tiase V (12/2019). Patient-generated health data and electronic health record integration: protocol for a scoping review. . BMJ Open, 9, e033073.
  28. Gawron L (11/07/2019). Multi-morbidity and Highly Effective Contraception in Reproductive-Aged Women in the U.S. Intermountain West: A Retrospective Cohort Study. . J Gen Intern Med.
  29. Tiase VL, Sward KA, Cummins MR (2019). Navigating the Search for Patient Generated Health Data. Stud Health Technol Inform, 264, 1992. (Read full article)
  30. Demiris G (07/2019). Patient Generated Health Data Use in Clinical Practice: A Review. Nurs Outlook, 67, 311-330.
  31. Luo G, Stone BL, Koebnick C, He S, Au DH, Sheng X, Murtaugh MA, Sward KA, Schatz M, Zeiger RS, Davidson GH, Nkoy FL (2019). Using Temporal Features to Provide Data-Driven Clinical Early Warnings for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Asthma Care Management: Protocol for a Secondary Analysis. JMIR Res Protoc, 8(6), e13783. (Read full article)
  32. Furlong-Dillard JM, Miller BJ, Sward KA, Neary AI, Hardin-Reynolds TL, Jeffers G, Clay BA, Truong DT, Miller TA, Jones CE, Lambert LM, Bailly DK (2019). The association between feeding protocol compliance and weight gain following high-risk neonatal cardiac surgery. Cardiol Young, 29(5), 594-601. (Read full article)
  33. Furlong-Dillard JM (05/2019). The Association between Compliance and Weight Gain When Using a Feeding Protocol in Single Ventricle Patients; a Single Center Experience.
  34. Demiris G, Iribarren SJ, Sward K, Lee S, Yang R (2019). Patient generated health data use in clinical practice: A systematic review. Nurs Outlook, 67(4), 311-330. (Read full article)
  35. Kalsy M, Lin JH, Bray BE, Sward KA (2018). Role of Nursing Informatics in the Automation of Pneumonia Quality Measure Data Elements. Comput Inform Nurs, 36(10), 475-483. (Read full article)
  36. Sward KA, Newth CJL, Khemani RG, Page K, Meert KL, Carcillo JA, Shanley TP, Moler FW, Pollack MM, Dalton HJ, Wessel DL, Berger JT, Berg RA, Harrison RE, Doctor A, Dean JM, Holobkov R, Jenkins TL, Nicholson CE, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network CPCCRN (2017). Potential Acceptability of a Pediatric Ventilator Management Computer Protocol. Pediatr Crit Care Med, 18(11), 1027-1034. (Read full article)
  37. Newth CJL, Sward KA, Khemani RG, Page K, Meert KL, Carcillo JA, Shanley TP, Moler FW, Pollack MM, Dalton HJ, Wessel DL, Berger JT, Berg RA, Harrison RE, Holubkov R, Doctor A, Dean JM, Jenkins TL, Nicholson CE, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network CPCCRN (2017). Variability in Usual Care Mechanical Ventilation for Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: Time for a Decision Support Protocol? Pediatr Crit Care Med, 18(11), e521-e529. (Read full article)
  38. Newth CJL, Khemani RG, Jouvet PA, Sward KA (2017). Mechanical Ventilation and Decision Support in Pediatric Intensive Care. Pediatr Clin North Am, 64(5), 1057-1070. (Read full article)
  39. Newth CJL (10/2017). Mechanical ventilation & decision support in pediatric intensive care. Pediatr Clin North Am, 64, 1057-1070.
  40. Luo G, Sward K (2017). A Roadmap for Optimizing Asthma Care Management via Computational Approaches. JMIR Med Inform, 5(3), e32. (Read full article)
  41. Lyons AM, Sward KA, Deshmukh VG, Pett MA, Donaldson GW, Turnbull J (2015). Impact of computerized provider order entry (CPOE) on length of stay and mortality. J Am Med Inform Assoc, 24(2), 303-309. (Read full article)
  42. Hirshberg EL, Lanspa MJ, Wilson EL, Sward KA, Jephson A, Larsen GY, Morris AH (2017). A Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Bedside Computer Clinical Decision Support Protocol for Hyperglycemia Is Feasible, Safe and Offers Advantages. Diabetes Technol Ther, 19(3), 188-193. (Read full article)
  43. Hirshberg EL (03/2017). A pediatric ICU bedside computer protocol for hyperglycemia is feasible, safe, and offers advantages. 19, 188-193.
  44. Carcillo JA, Sward K, Halstead ES, Telford R, Jimenez-Bacardi A, Shakoory B, Simon D, Hall M, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network Investigators (2016). A Systemic Inflammation Mortality Risk Assessment Contingency Table for Severe Sepsis. Pediatr Crit Care Med, 18(2), 143-150. (Read full article)
  45. Sward KA, Newth CJL (2015). Computerized Decision Support Systems for Mechanical Ventilation in Children. J Pediatr Intensive Care, 5(3), 95-100. (Read full article)
  46. Lyons Ann (07/08/2016).
  47. Sward KA, Rubin S, Jenkins TL, Newth CJ, Dean JM, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development NICHD Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network CPCCRN (2017). Case Study: Semantic Annotation of a Pediatric Critical Care Research Study. Comput Inform Nurs, 34(3), 101-4. (Read full article)
  48. Sward Katherine A (03/2016).
  49. Frey LJ, Sward KA, Newth CJ, Khemani RG, Cryer ME, Thelen JL, Enriquez R, Shaoyu S, Pollack MM, Harrison RE, Meert KL, Berg RA, Wessel DL, Shanley TP, Dalton H, Carcillo J, Jenkins TL, Dean JM (2015). Virtualization of open-source secure web services to support data exchange in a pediatric critical care research network. J Am Med Inform Assoc, 22(6), 1271-6. (Read full article)
  50. Cummins MR, Sward K, Guo JW (2015). Leaders in Nursing Informatics Education and Research: The University of Utah Celebrates 25 Years. Comput Inform Nurs, 33(9), 379-81. (Read full article)
  51. KATHERINE A SWARD (09/2015).
  52. Iribarren SJ, Sward KA, Beck SL, Pearce PF, Thurston D, Chirico C (2015). Qualitative evaluation of a text messaging intervention to support patients with active tuberculosis: implementation considerations. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth, 3(1), e21. (Read full article)
  53. Guo Jia-Wen (07/2014).
  54. Guo JW, Sward K, Beck S, Wong B, Staggers N, Frey L (2014). Using a content analysis to identify study eligibility criteria concepts in cancer nursing research. Comput Inform Nurs, 32(7), 333-42. (Read full article)
  55. KATHERINE A SWARD (01/2014).
  56. Guo JW, Sward KA, Beck SL, Staggers N (2014). Quality of reporting randomized controlled trials in cancer nursing research. Nurs Res, 63(1), 26-35. (Read full article)
  57. Hirshberg E (02/2013).
  58. Hirshberg EL, Sward KA, Faustino EV, Nadkarni VM, Agus MS, Morris AH, Lacroix J (2013). Clinical equipoise regarding glycemic control: a survey of pediatric intensivist perceptions. Pediatr Crit Care Med, 14(2), 123-9. (Read full article)
  59. Blagev D (08/2012).
  60. Newth C (08/2012).
  61. Newth CJ, Meert KL, Clark AE, Moler FW, Zuppa AF, Berg RA, Pollack MM, Sward KA, Berger JT, Wessel DL, Harrison RE, Reardon J, Carcillo JA, Shanley TP, Holubkov R, Dean JM, Doctor A, Nicholson CE, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network (2012). Fatal and near-fatal asthma in children: the critical care perspective. J Pediatr, 161(2), 214-21.e3. (Read full article)
  62. Blagev DP, Hirshberg EL, Sward K, Thompson BT, Brower R, Truwit J, Hite D, Steingrub J, Orme JF Jr, Clemmer TP, Weaver LK, Thomas F, Grissom CK, Sorenson D, Sittig DF, Wallace CJ, East TD, Warner HR, Morris AH (2012). The evolution of eProtocols that enable reproducible clinical research and care methods. J Clin Monit Comput, 26(4), 305-17. (Read full article)
  63. Jung CY (07/2012).
  64. Jung CY, Sward KA, Haug PJ (2012). Executing medical logic modules expressed in ArdenML using Drools. J Am Med Inform Assoc, 19(4), 533-6. (Read full article)
  65. Khemani RG, Sward K, Morris A, Dean JM, Newth CJ, NICHD Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network CPCCRN (2011). Variability in usual care mechanical ventilation for pediatric acute lung injury: the potential benefit of a lung protective computer protocol. Intensive Care Med, 37(11), 1840-8. (Read full article)
  66. Khemani RG (10/01/2011).
  67. (01/2011).
  68. Matney S, Brewster PJ, Sward KA, Cloyes KG, Staggers N (2011). Philosophical approaches to the nursing informatics data-information-knowledge-wisdom framework. ANS Adv Nurs Sci, 34(1), 6-18. (Read full article)
  69. (2009).
  70. (2009).
  71. (11/01/2008).
  72. Sward KA, Richardson S, Kendrick J, Maloney C (2008). Use of a Web-based game to teach pediatric content to medical students. Ambul Pediatr, 8(6), 354-9. (Read full article)
  73. (06/01/2008).
  74. (06/01/2008).
  75. (06/01/2008).
  76. Sward K, Orme J Jr, Sorenson D, Baumann L, Morris AH, Reengineering Critical Care Clinical Research Investigators (2008). Reasons for declining computerized insulin protocol recommendations: application of a framework. J Biomed Inform, 41(3), 488-97. (Read full article)
  77. Sorenson D, Grissom CK, Carpenter L, Austin A, Sward K, Napoli L, Warner HR, Morris AH, Reengineering Clinical Research in Critical Care Investigators (2008). A frame-based representation for a bedside ventilator weaning protocol. J Biomed Inform, 41(3), 461-8. (Read full article)
  78. Hirshberg E, Lacroix J, Sward K, Willson D, Morris AH (2008). Blood glucose control in critically ill adults and children: a survey on stated practice. Chest, 133(6), 1328-1335. (Read full article)
  79. (05/01/2008).
  80. Thompson BT, Orme JF, Zheng H, Luckett PM, Truwit JD, Willson DF, Duncan Hite R, Brower RG, Bernard GR, Curley MA, Steingrub JS, Sorenson DK, Sward K, Hirshberg E, Morris AH, Reengineering Critical Care Clinical Research Investigators (2008). Multicenter validation of a computer-based clinical decision support tool for glucose control in adult and pediatric intensive care units. J Diabetes Sci Technol, 2(3), 357-68. (Read full article)
  81. (2008).
  82. Phansalkar S, Sward KA, Weir CR, Morris AH (2007). Mapping clinicians' perceptions about computerized protocol use to an IT implementation framework. Stud Health Technol Inform, 129(Pt 2), 1098-101. (Read full article)
  83. Thompson CB, Sward K (2005). Modeling and teaching techniques for conceptual and logical relational database design. J Med Syst, 29(5), 513-25. (Read full article)
  84. Roemer LK, Richardson SJ, Sward K, Tilley C (2005). Redundancy in a computer-generated order list: meeting the needs of nurses at various levels of practice expertise. Comput Inform Nurs, 23(2), 73-82; quiz 83-4. (Read full article)
  85. Roberts L, Sward K (2001). Birth center outcomes reported through automated technology. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs, 30(1), 110-20. (Read full article)
  86. Staggers N, Lyons A, Sward K (2000). Implementation of a new e-mail application in a health sciences center. Case study. Comput Nurs, 18(2), 59-61. (Read full article)

Book Chapter

  1. Sward K (08/2014).

Conference Proceedings

  1. Tiase V (11/2019). Navigating the Search for Patient Generated Health Data. . Stud Health Technol Inform, Studies in health technology and informatics, 264, 1992.
  2. Luo G (06/2019). Using Temporal Features to Provide Data-Driven Clinical Early Warnings: Rationale and Methods. JMIR Res Protoc, JMIR Research Protocols, 3.
  3. GouripeddiR (05/2019). An architecture for metadata-driven integration of heterogeneous sensor and health data for translational exposomic research. 2019 IEEE International Conference on Biomedical and Health Informatics (BHI) and IEE Conference on Body Sensor Networks (BSN), 2019 IEEE International Conference on Biomedical and Health Informatics (BHI) and IEE Conference on Body Sensor Networks (BSN)..
  4. Sward K (05/2019). Making the connection: Integrated sensor systems research. Proceedings of the 2019 Western Institute of Nursing (WIN) conference, Proceedings of the 2019 Western Institute of Nursing (WIN) conference.
  5. Moore J (11/2018). Managing in-home environments through sensing, annotating, and visualizing air quality data. Proceedings of the ACM on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies (IMWUT)(Ubicomp '18), Proceedings of the ACM on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies (IMWUT)(Ubicomp '18).
  6. Lundrigan P (10/2018). EpiFi: An in-home IoT architecture for epidemiological deployments. EE Workshop on Practical Issues in Building Sensor Network Applications (SenseApp), 619-626, EE Workshop on Practical Issues in Building Sensor Network Applications (SenseApp), 619-626.

Editorial

  1. Sward KA, DeVito Dabbs A (2020). The Expanding Science of Sensor Technology in Research. Nurs Outlook, 68(6), 689-692. (Read full article)

Letter

  1. Thompson CB, Sward K, Lyons A (2000). Using a relational database to support nursing research. [Letter to the editor]. Comput Nurs, 18(4), 155-6. (Read full article)

Other

  1. Wong (11/30/2008).