Research Fellow
Department
Department of Systems, Populations and Leadership
University Affiliations
National Clinician Scholar, Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation
Contact
University of Michigan School of Nursing
400 North Ingalls Building
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5482
In the News
Jun. 9, 2025: Michigan News "In crisis, nurses step up in health system resilience"
May 21, 2024: Michigan News "Youth voices concern for improving disaster readiness policies"
Interests
Global nursing workforce
Disasters & public health emergencies
Health system resilience
Advanced practice emergency care
Dr. Kruger’s scholarship focuses on the intersections of disaster preparedness and response, climate adaptation, and the global nursing workforce. Her work examines how nurses and health systems can strengthen resilience in the face of climate-related hazards, humanitarian crises, and other large-scale disruptions. With expertise in emergency and disaster nursing, climate-informed health strategies, workforce development, and global nursing leadership, Dr. Kruger advances research and practice that support safer, more equitable, and more adaptive systems of care. Her scholarship highlights the critical role of nurses in leading preparedness efforts, protecting vulnerable populations, and shaping policy responses to emerging global health threats. Through research, education, and international collaboration, she contributes to building a nursing workforce equipped to respond to complex crises and lead transformative change in health systems worldwide.
Teaching
Dr. Kruger teaches primarily advanced practice nursing students, with an instructional focus on critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and problem-solving through the lens of emergency care. Her teaching emphasizes the rapid assessment, prioritization, and decision-making skills needed to manage complex, high-acuity patient situations across diverse care settings. In classroom, seminar, simulation, and mentoring contexts, she seeks to help students integrate evidence-based practice, systems thinking, and patient-centered care into advanced nursing roles. Her pedagogy reflects the University of Michigan School of Nursing’s commitment to preparing nurse leaders who can respond effectively to uncertainty, complexity, and evolving health care needs. Through experiential learning and applied case-based instruction, Dr. Kruger supports students in developing confidence, adaptability, and sound clinical judgment essential to advanced practice and emergency care leadership.
Affiliations/Service
Board Member, American Academy of Emergency Nurse Practitioners, 2026-2028
Member, Emergency Nursing Association, 2011-present
Member, Society for Nurse Scientists, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, & Leaders, 2025-present
Member, United Nations Committee, SONSIEL, 2026
Member, Center for Global Health Equity, University of Michigan, 2022-present
Notable Awards/Honors
K. Patricia Cross Future Leader Award, American Association of Colleges & Universities, 2026
Rising Star Award, Sigma Rho Chapter, 2025
Education
PhD, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 2026
MSN, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 2012
New York University, New York, NY 2008
Publications Highlights
Kruger, K., Krienke, L., Brysiewicz, P., & Bell, S.A. (2026). From policy to practice: How frontline nurses navigate disaster preparedness in a South African public hospital. International Journal of Africa Nursing Studies, 25, 101089. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijans.2026.101089
Kruger, K., Brysiewicz, P., Lori, J., & Bell, S.A. (2025). The role of the nursing workforce in health system resilience during disasters: a scoping review of empirical studies. International Journal of Nursing Studies Advances, 9, 100361. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnsa.2025.100361
Kruger, K., Kuhnmuench, C., Ikari, R., Gates, K., & Bell, S.A. (2024). ‘I don’t know what I’m going to meet today’: Home care workers’ decision-making about safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 44(5), 838-845. https://doi.org/10.1177/07334648241288659
Kruger, K., Rettell, Z., Chang, T., & Bell, S.A. (2024). Youth perspectives about disaster readiness. Traumatology, 31(2), 269-275. https://doi.org/10.1037/trm0000515
Bell, S.A. & Kruger, K. Emergency Nursing Core Curriculum. 8th ed. Millici, J, editor. St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier; 2026. Chapter 35, Disaster Readiness and Response.
Bell, S.A., Czerwinski, M., & Kruger, K. Sustainable Nursing. 1st ed. Brown, L, editor. Elsevier; 2026 Chapter 6, Research, Policy, and Influence; in press.
Stacciarini, J.M., Kruger, K., & Bell., S.A. (2026). Healing minds on a warming planet: What is the role of mental health nurses in climate resilience? Journal of Psychological Nursing and Mental Health Services, 64(5), 3-5. https://doi.org/10.3928/02793695-20260414-03
Kruger, K., Ikari, R., & Bell., S.A. (2026). Nursing, disasters, and inequity: Reframing grief as a social justice issue. Health Emergency and Disaster Nursing, 13(1), 23-25. https://doi.org/10.24298/hedn.2026-SP04
Kruger, K., Bell, S.A., Ackerman, R.C., & Brysiewicz, P. (2025). Overview of current landscape of disasters in South Africa. Health Emergency and Disaster Nursing, 12(1), 11-13. https://doi.org/10.24298/hedn.2025-SP08
Bell, S.A., Kruger, K., Ikari, R., Kuhnmuench, C., Gates, K., & Rosemberg, M.A. (2025). Addressing dementia care needs during the COVID-19 pandemic: Perspectives from home care workers. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 51(3), 29-36. https://doi.org/10.3928/00989134-20250102-02
Perry, A., Kaiser, J., Kruger, K., Horigan, A. E., Bradford, J., Y., Camarda, A., DeGroot, D., Dixon, C., MacPherson-Dias, R., Slifko, A., Slivinski, A., Bishop-Royse, J., & Delao, A. M. (2024). ENA clinical practice guideline synopsis: Gastric tube placement verification. Journal of Emergency Nursing, 50(2), 301-304. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jen.2023.09.001.