Patricia Hershberger, PhD, APRN, FNP-BC, FAAN


Professor
Rhetaugh G Dumas Endowed Professor
Department Chair
Department of Health Behavior and Biological Sciences
Room 2160A NURS1

University of Michigan School of Nursing
400 North Ingalls Building
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5482

Telephone: (734) 763-0011

Interests

  • Assisted/Medical Reproduction
  • Family Health
  • Health Behavior/Decision Making
  • Digital Interventions
  • Career Development/Mentoring

Dr. Hershberger’ Research Contributions: Dr. Hershberger leads an elite team of transdisciplinary investigators and highly skilled clinicians in assisted reproduction, advancing knowledge about the factors influencing decision-making processes and their connections to health behaviors, especially among stigmatized or underrepresented minority groups. Findings from Dr. Hershberger’s research have informed both national and international clinical practice guidelines and policies in assisted reproduction. Her work is at the forefront of a paradigm shift addressing the health and healthcare gaps experienced by donor gamete recipient parents, their children, and their kindships – including gamete and embryo donors and genetically related half-siblings – following successful donor gamete/embryo treatments.  Working with multiple community groups, Dr. Hershberger and her team are currently creating and testing scalable digital interventions. These include the Donor Conception Tool to Empower Parental TeLling and TaLking or the TELL Tool  to determine if these interventions can improve the immediate and long-term health and well-being of individuals and families created through assisted reproduction.   

Additional Contributions to Science and the Nursing Profession: Beyond her research in assisted reproduction, Dr. Hershberger has made significant contributions to both science and the nursing profession. Her research and leadership have advanced the scholarship and careers of students, post-doctoral fellows, and early and midcareer faculty. Notably, her leadership in spotlighting and supporting faculty at the Associate Professor rank has been integral to shaping individual and organizational changes.

Current Research Grants and Programs

  • Feasibility and Pilot Testing of the TELL Tool Among Gamete and Embryo Donation Recipient Parents (R34NR019278; 2020-2022 PI: Hershberger, P., 2023 MPI with Gallo, A.)
  • A Development Study to Extend the Donor Conception Tool to Empower Parental TeLing and TaLking (TELL Tool) for Use During Pregnancy (American Society for Reproductive Medicine, 2023-2025 PI: Hershberger, P.)

Teaching

Dr. Hershberger enjoys bringing her research, practice, and service experiences to the classroom. In her current role as Rhetaugh G. Dumas Endowed Professor and Chair, Department of Health Behavior and Biological Sciences, her teaching efforts are aimed at fostering the successful scientific, academic, and practice careers of the next generation of health care leaders.

Affiliations / Service

  • American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), 2001–present (Multiple leadership roles including the ASRM Task Force on the Needs and Interests of Donor Conceived People and Their Families, 2022–2024; Nurses Professional Group Executive Board, 2019–2024; Mental Health Professional Group Scientific Development Committee, 2021–2022)
  • Midwest Nursing Research Society Foundation Board of Trustees, 2020–2022
  • Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science, 2016–present (Appointed Inaugural Chair, Mid-Career Special Interest Group, 2019–2021)
  • Midwest Nursing Research Society, 2001–present (Multiple leadership roles including two terms on the Board of Directors, 2014–2016 & 2016–2018)
  • American Academy of Nursing, 2016–present (Member, Women’s Health Expert Panel & Genomic Nursing & Health Care Expert Panel, 2016–present)
  • Sigma Theta Tau, International (Honor Society for Nursing), 1996–present
  • Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses, 1995–present

Notable Awards / Honors

  • Prize Paper Award, American Society for Reproductive Medicine Mental Health Professional Group, 2023
  • Prize Paper Award, American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Mental Health Professional Group & Nurses Professional Group, 2022
  • Distinguished Visiting Scholar, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea, 2019
  • Distinguished Contribution to Service in the Midwest, Midwest Nursing Research Society 2020
  • Fellow, American Academy of Nursing, 2016
  • National Award of Excellence in Research, Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses, 2013

Education

  • Ph.D., University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
  • MSN, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Indiana
  • BSN, Indiana University, Gary, Indiana
  • BSN, Indiana University, Gary, Indiana

Publication Highlights

  • Hershberger, P. E., Gruss, V., Steffen, A. D., Adlam, K., Driessnack, M., Grotevant, H. D., Klock, S. C., Pasch, L. A., Bhagat, R., & Gallo, A. M. (2024 Epub ahead of print). A randomized pilot trial of the donor conception Tool to Empower Parental Telling and Talking (TELL Tool) with their children about their genetic origins. Journal of Pediatric Health Care.

  • Hershberger, P. E., Gallo, A. M., Adlam, K., Driessnack, M., Grotevant, H. D., Klock, S. C., Pasch, L., & Gruss, V. (2023). Development of the Tool to Empower Parental Telling and Talking (TELL Tool): A digital decision aid intervention about children’s origins from donated gametes or embryos. Digital Health, 9, 1-14.

  • Wood, R. E., Matthews, E. E., Bourgault, A., Rice, M., Hershberger, P. E., Voss, J. G., Loerzel, V., Henderson, W. A., Talsma, A., Kinser, P. A. (2023). Strategies to strengthen nursing PhD enrollment: An Ecological Systems perspective. Journal of Nursing Education, 62(12), 669-678.

  • Eldeirawi, K. M., Hershberger, P. E., Pickler, R. H., Wyatt, G. K., & Zerwic, J. (2023). Embracing midcareer in the tenure system. Journal of Professional Nursing, 44, 12-16.

  • Kim, H., Korzynski, A., Hershberger, P. E., & Durham, M. (2023). Identifying barriers and facilitators for nurse practitioners’ opioid management of chronic pain. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 35(1), 12-20.

  • Hershberger, P. E., Gallo, A. M., Adlam, K., Steffen, A. D., Driessnack, M., Grotevant, H. D., Klock, S. C., Pasch, L., & Gruss, V. (2022). Alpha test of the donor conception tool to empower parental telling and talking. JOGNN: Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing, 51(5), 536-547.

  • Bourgault, A. M., Voss, J. G., Grimes Stanfill, A., McCarthy, A. M., Matthews, E. E., Talsma, A., Loerzel, V., Henderson, W. A., Kinser, P. A., & Hershberger, P. E. (2022). Strategies to enhance the success of mid-career nurse scientists. Nursing Outlook, 70, 127-136.

  • Hershberger, P. E., Gallo, A. M., Adlam, K., Driessnack, M., Grotevant, H. D., Klock, S. C., Pasch, L., & Gruss, V. (2021). Parents’ experiences telling children conceived by gamete and embryo donation about their genetic origins. Fertility and Sterility Reports, 2(4), 479-486.

  • Hershberger, P. E. (2021). The state of the science on women’s disposition decisions about electively frozen surplus eggs. [Invited Editorial] Fertility and Sterility, 116(6), 1620-1621.

  • Hershberger, P. E., Driessnack, M., Kavanaugh, K., & Klock, S. C. (2021). Oocyte donation disclosure decisions: A longitudinal follow-up at middle childhood. Human Fertility, 24(1), 31-45.

  • Hershberger, P. E. (2021). Using a manuscript template to foster dissemination of doctoral students’ literature reviews. Journal of Nursing Education, 60(2), 111-115.

  • Mathew, A., Doorenbos, A. Z., Jang, J. K., & Hershberger, P. E. (2021). Acceptance and commitment therapy in adult cancer survivors: A systematic review and conceptual model. Journal of Cancer Survivorship, 15(3), 427-451.

  •  Hershberger, P. E., Driessnack, M., Kavanaugh, K., & Klock, S. C. (2020).  Emerging views of kinships created through oocyte donation. MCN, The American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing, 45(1), 18-24.

  • Dunn Lopez, K., Gephart, S. M., & Hershberger, P. E. (2020). Using online survey software to enhance rigor and efficiency of knowledge synthesis reviews. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 42(10), 838-845.

  • Hetland, B., Lindroth, H., Kamp, K., Gates, B., Wierenga, K., Hardin, H., Gilmore-Bykovski, A., Topp, R., Hershberger, P. E., & Madigan, E. (2020). The Emerging Scholars' Network within MNRS: From acorns to oaks. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 42(2), 143-152.