Cynthia Flynn Capers (born 3 January 1945) is a nurse, educator, researcher and administrator. She is Dean of the University of Akron’s School of Nursing, Chair of the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing,[1] national advisor to the Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future,[2] and board member of the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.[3]

Cynthia Flynn Capers
Born3 January 1945
EducationFreedmen’s Hospital School of Nursing, University of Maryland, University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University
Scientific career
FieldsNursing education
InstitutionsUniversity of Akron

Early life edit

Capers was born on 3 January 1945 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.[2] She is the daughter of Charles E. Flynn and Lucy Gibbs Flynn (later Bibby).[4]

Education edit

Capers began her nursing education at Freedmen’s Hospital School of Nursing (now Howard University Hospital),[1] a historically Black hospital and nurses' training school in Washington, D.C.[5] She graduated from Freedmen’s Hospital with her RN diploma in 1965.[6]

She enrolled at the University of Maryland and graduated with her bachelor’s degree in nursing in 1968.[1][6] She then attended the University of Pennsylvania in their Child and Adolescent Psychiatry program, graduating with a masters in nursing science degree relating to family and pediatric nursing in 1981.[1][6]

Capers returned to the University of Pennsylvania, with support from the American Nurses Association (ANA) Minority Fellowship Program (ANAMFP). She received her PhD in nursing in 1986. She was the first Black student to graduate from the School of Nursing’s PhD program. With the ANA’s support, she was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania from 1989 to 1990, the first Minority person to receive a post-doctoral fellowship there.[1][6][7]

Capers was a selected participant of Harvard University’s Institute for Management and Leadership in Education in 2001.[1]

She is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.[8] Her portrait was published in Spring 1997, Vol. 75, No. 1, of The Ivy Leaf, which chronicles the Sorority.[9]

Career edit

While attending the University of Maryland, she worked in pediatrics as a part-time clinical nurse. After attaining her BSN from the University of Maryland, she moved to Philadelphia and began working at Philadelphia General Hospital (PGH) School of Nursing teaching Maternity Nursing.[10]

After completing her MSN and the course work for her PhD at the University of Pennsylvania, she accepted a position as assistant professor at La Salle University. Concurrently, she completed her dissertation, attained her PhD and began her postdoctoral work.[6]

Capers has worked primarily in nursing education, including at Thomas Jefferson University.[11]

In 1997, Capers joined the University of Akron,[2] and was appointed Dean of the University of Akron's College of Nursing in 2002[12] and served in that position until 2012. While at Akron she helped to establish the College of Nursing's Center for Gerontological Health Nursing and Advocacy.[2]

Research edit

For her PhD dissertation, Capers’ research addressed views about psychiatric behaviors and mental health. Her dissertation, titled “Perceptions of problematic behavior as held by lay black adults and registered nurses” (1986),[6][13] addressed how the label of “mental illness” can change across education and race, and how educational attainment and access to healthcare influence a social group’s definition of mental illness.

For her postdoctoral research, Capers evaluated the family dynamics of those with adolescent mothers giving birth to premature infants. This work attempts to determine the identifies of adolescent mothers' primary emotional and physical caregivers, and their characteristic challenges and needs to enable health care providers to more effectively support these families.

In addition, Capers has published articles on topics such as obesity, adolescent health, psychiatric nursing, and teaching diversity.

Publications edit

Capers’ published works include:

  • Capers, Cynthia Flynn; Baughman, Kristin; Logue, Everett (June 2011). "Behaviors and Characteristics of African American and European American Females That Impact Weight Management: Characteristics That Impact Weight Management". Journal of Nursing Scholarship. 43 (2): 133–144. doi:10.1111/j.1547-5069.2011.01393.x. PMID 21605317.
  • Stanley, Joan M.; Capers, Cynthia Flynn; Berlin, Linda E. (September 2007). "Changing the Face of Nursing Faculty: Minority Faculty Recruitment and Retention". Journal of Professional Nursing. 23 (5): 253–261. doi:10.1016/j.profnurs.2007.07.005. PMID 17903783.
  • Logue, Everett; Sutton, Karen; Jarjoura, David; Smucker, William; Baughman, Kristin; Capers, Cynthia (May 2005). "Transtheoretical Model-Chronic Disease Care for Obesity in Primary Care: A Randomized Trial". Obesity Research. 13 (5): 917–927. doi:10.1038/oby.2005.106. PMID 15919846.
  • Logue, Everett E.; Jarjoura, David G.; Sutton, Karen S.; Smucker, William D.; Baughman, Kristin R.; Capers, Cynthia F. (September 2004). "Longitudinal Relationship between Elapsed Time in the Action Stages of Change and Weight Loss". Obesity Research. 12 (9): 1499–1508. doi:10.1038/oby.2004.187. PMID 15483215.
  • Baughman, Kristin; Logue, Everett; Sutton, Karen; Capers, Cynthia; Jarjoura, David; Smucker, William (August 2003). "Biopsychosocial characteristics of overweight and obese primary care patients: do psychosocial and behavior factors mediate sociodemographic effects?". Preventive Medicine. 37 (2): 129–137. doi:10.1016/s0091-7435(03)00095-1. PMID 12855212.
  • Sutton, Karen; Logue, Everett; Jarjoura, David; Baughman, Kristin; Smucker, William; Capers, Cynthia (May 2003). "Assessing Dietary and Exercise Stage of Change to Optimize Weight Loss Interventions". Obesity Research. 11 (5): 641–652. doi:10.1038/oby.2003.92. PMID 12740454.
  • Capers, Cynthia Flynn; Wessman, Joan (January 2000). "Re-look at Service as an Innovation for Nursing". Holistic Nursing Practice. 14 (2): 1–12. doi:10.1097/00004650-200001000-00004. PMID 12119965.

Awards edit

  • 1995 Distinguished Nurse Award from the Pennsylvania Nurses Association[1]
  • 1995 Resolution from the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing for Outstanding Contributions
  • 1997 Award for Outstanding Achievement, Leadership and Service from the Medical Society of Eastern Pennsylvania[1]
  • 2006 ATHENA Award for community service and active role in aiding women attain professional excellence and leadership[3]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Dr. Cynthia Capers". AkronRoundtable. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d "Dr. Cynthia Flynn Capers Advising Johnson & Johnson Nursing Campaign". The University of Akron News. March 14, 2002. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  3. ^ a b Prince, Judith S. (August 31, 2020). "A Conversation with Dr. Cynthia Capers, PhD, RN, A Notable Leader in ATHENA Akron Monday". Athena International. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  4. ^ "Lucy Flynn Bibby, April 6, 2011". Hooper Memorial Home. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  5. ^ "About Howard University Hospital". www.huhealthcare.com. Howard University. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  6. ^ a b c d e f "CYNTHIA FLYNN CAPERS, PhD RN" (PDF). squarespace. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  7. ^ "CYNTHIA FLYNN CAPERS" (PDF). Cleveland Association of Legal Administrators. 2015. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  8. ^ "Alpha Kappa Alpha's Pioneering Sorors Open Doors". Alpha Kappa Alpha. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  9. ^ Bracey, John H. Jr.; Harley, Sharon; Meier, August, eds. (2000). A Guide to the Microfilm Edition of The Ivy Leaf 1921-1998, A Chronicle of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (BLACK STUDIES RESEARCH SOURCES Microfilms from Major Archival and Manuscript Collections) (PDF). University Publications of America. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  10. ^ "Finding Aids & Inventories". Barbara Bates Center for the Study of the History of Nursing, Penn Nursing. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  11. ^ Parker, Marilyn E. (1993). Patterns of Nursing Theories in Practice. Jones & Bartlett Learning. ISBN 9780887376009.
  12. ^ "Professional Appointments - Higher Education". Diverse Issues in Higher Education. 16 January 2002. Retrieved January 17, 2002.
  13. ^ Capers, Cynthia Flynn (February 1991). "Nurses' and Lay African Americans' Views about Behavior". Western Journal of Nursing Research. 13 (1): 123–135. doi:10.1177/019394599101300109. PMID 1998253. S2CID 28827512. Retrieved 5 July 2021.