Eileen D Hacker, PhD, APRN, AOCN, FAAN
Department of Nursing, Division of SrVP and Chief Nursing Officer
About Dr. Eileen D Hacker
Dr. Eileen Hacker is currently Professor and Chair, Department of Nursing at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. She has been with MD Anderson since 2022. Over the course of her 38+ year career in clinical oncology, cancer research and academic leadership, Hacker has developed a reputation as an expert in strategically building programs, centers and research initiatives from the ground up. Hacker’s research interests stem from her extensive clinical experience as an advanced practice nurse. Her formative contributions to advancing oncology nursing science include a progressive research program focused on fatigue, physical activity, exercise interventions and quality of life. She has led efforts to systematically characterize persistent fatigue in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation survivors and developed a novel methodology to examine the dynamic relationship between fatigue and physical activity. To promote functional independence, Hacker devised pragmatic physical activity and exercise interventions, strategically designed to be seamlessly integrated into clinical practice. Her research has been funded by the American Cancer Society, National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Nursing Research and the Oncology Nursing Society Developing the next generation of nurse scientists is a longtime passion for Hacker as reflected in the more than 20 years that she has taught and mentored students and trainees ranging from undergraduate to post-doctoral fellows and junior faculty. As chair of the Science of Nursing Care Department at Indiana University, Hacker was directly responsible for launching an adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner program. She also developed and launched the Center for Advancement of Teaching-Learning Communities while serving as associate department head within the School of Nursing at the University of Illinois at Chicago. The center was key to strengthening the culture of faculty commitment to student success and addressing the needs of a diverse student body. She has received numerous awards, including the Trish Greene Memorial Quality of Life Lectureship Award from the Oncology Nursing Society, and the Symptom Science Research Interest Group Distinguished Researcher Award from the Midwest Nursing Research Society. She was inducted as aFellow of the American Academy of Nursing in 2014.
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Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Department Chair, Department of Nursing, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Professor, Department of Nursing, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2001 | University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA, PHD, Nursing Science |
| 1985 | Rush University, Chicago, IL, USA, MS, Oncology Nursing |
| 1983 | St. Xavier University, Chicago, IL, USA, BSN, Nursing |
Postgraduate Training
| 2005-2008 | K01 Training, Exercise Science, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL |
Experience & Service
Academic Appointments
Professor, School of Nursing, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, 2017 - 2022
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Associate Dean, Department of Nursing, School of Nursing, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 2021 - 2022
Department Chair, School of Nursing, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, 2017 - 2021
Associate Professor Emeritus, College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 2017 - Present
Honors & Awards
| 2022 | Best Transplant Nursing Research Oral Abstract Presentation, 2022 Tandem BMT Meeting |
| 2020 | Indiana Women of Achievement, Ball State University |
| 2019 | Distinguished Researcher Award, Midwest Nursing Research Society Symptoms Science Research Group |
| 2018 | Prestigious External Award Recognition, Indiana University |
| 2017 | Annual Outstanding Original Research Paper Award, Cancer Nursing International Journal |
| 2016 | College of Nursing's Nominee for the University of Illinois at Chicago Excellence in Teaching Award, University of Illinois at Chicago |
| 2016 | Capstone Advisor of the Year, Honors College, University of Illinois at Chicago |
| 2015 | Best Transplant Nursing Research Oral Abstract Presentation, 2015 Tandem BMT Meeting |
| 2014 | Fellow Award, American Academy of Nursing |
| 2012 | Teaching Recognition Award, University of Illinois at Chicago |
| 2010 | Excellence in Research, Alpha Omicron Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau International Departmental Teaching Excellence Award, University of Illinois at Chicago |
| 2008 | Trish Greene Quality of Life Lectureship, Oncology Nursing Society |
| 2006 | Harriet H. Werley New Investigator Award, Midwest Nursing Research Society |
| 2001 | Friends Remember Brett Allen Fuller Award, Local Community Group Recognizing Outstanding Academic Achievement |
| 2000 | Tuition and Service Fee Waiver, University of Illinois at Chicago |
| 1999 | Doctoral Scholarship in Cancer Nursing, American Cancer Society |
| 1999 | Oncology Nursing Foundation Doctoral Scholarship |
| 1998 | Tuition and Service Fee Waiver, University of Illinois at Chicago |
| 1997 | Van Doren Family Scholarship, University of Illinois at Chicago |
| 1995 | Advanced Practice Career Development Award, Chicago Chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society |
| 1985 | Sigma Theta Tau International, Gamma Phi Chapter |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Sleight A, Gerber LH, Marshall TF, Livinski A, Alfano CM, Harrington S, Flores AM, Virani A, Hu X, Mitchell SA, Varedi M, Eden M, Hayek S, Reigle B, Kerkman A, Neves R, Jablonoski K, Hacker ED, Sun V, Newman R, McDonnell KK, L'Hotta A, Schoenhals A, Dpt NLS. Systematic Review of Functional Outcomes in Cancer Rehabilitation. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 103(9):1807-1826, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35104445.
- Hacker ED, Richards RL, Abu Zaid M. STEPS to enhance physical activity after hematopoietic cell transplantation for multiple myeloma. Cancer Nurs 45(3):211-223. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 34560708.
- Chung SY, Bakas T, Rawl SM, Welch J, Jones J, Ellis R, Hacker ED. The Kidney Transplant Self-Management Scale: Instrument Development and Psychometric Testing. West J Nurs Res:1939459211072368. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35148648.
- Hacker ED, Richards RL, Abu Zaid M, Chung SY, Perkins S, Farag SS. STEPS to Enhance Physical Activity After Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Multiple Myeloma. Cancer Nurs 45(3):211-223, 2022. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34560708.
- Melnyk BM, Hsieh AP, Tan A, Gawlik KS, Hacker ED, Ferrell D, Simpson V, Burda C, Hagerty B, Scott LD, Holt JM, Gampetro P, Farag A, Glogocheski S, Badzek L. The state of mental health and healthy lifestyle behaviors in nursing, medicine and health sciences faculty and students at Big 10 universities with implications for action. J Prof Nurs 37(6):1167-1174, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34887036.
- Wierenga KL, Moore SE, Pressler SJ, Hacker ED, Perkins SM. Associations among COVID-19 perceptions, anxiety, and depressive symptoms among adults living in the United States. Nurs Outlook 69(5):755-766, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33894985.
- Al Maqbali M, Hughes C, Rankin J, Dunwoody L, Hacker E, Gracey J. Fatigue and sleep disturbance in Arabic cancer patients following completion of therapy: Prevalence, correlates, and association with quality of life. Cancer Nurs 44(5):378-387, 2021. PMID: 32427634.
- Al Maqbali M, Gracey J, Rankin J, Dunwoody L, Hacker E, Hughes C. Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric properties of quality-of-life scales for Arabic-speaking adults: A systematic review. Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J 20(2):e125-e137, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32655904.
- Al Maqbali M, Hughes C, Gracey J, Rankin J, Hacker E. Validation of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) with Arabic cancer patients. Sleep and Biological Rhythms July(18):217-223, 2020.
- Al Maqbali M, Dunwoody L, Rankin J, Hacker E, Hughes C, Gracey J. Psychometric properties and cultural adaptation of sleep disturbance measures in Arabic-speaking populations: A systematic review. J Sleep Res 29(1):e12877, 2020. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31180174.
- Al Maqbali M, Hughes C, Gracey J, Rankin J, Hacker ED, Dunwoody L. Psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illnesses Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F) in Arabic cancer patients. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 2020. PMID: 3164797.
- Chung SY, Hacker ED, Rawl S, Ellis R, Bakas T, Jones J, Welch J. Using Facebook in recruiting kidney transplant recipients for a REDCap study. West J Nurs Res 41(12):1790-1812, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 30836840.
- Al Maqbali M, Hughes C, Gracey J, Rankin J, Dunwoody L, Hacker E. Quality assessment criteria: Psychometric properties of measurement tools for cancer related fatigue. Acta Oncol 58(9):1286-1297, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31204538.
- Kim I, Hacker E, Ferrans CE, Horswill C, Park C, Kapella M. Evaluation of fatigability measurement: Integrative review. Geriatr Nurs 39(1):39-47, 2018. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28666548.
- Hacker ED, Kim I, Park C, Peters T. Real-time fatigue and free-living physical activity in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation cancer survivors and healthy controls: A preliminary examination of the temporal, dynamic relationship. Cancer Nurs 40(4):259-268, 2017. PMID: 27922918.
- Hacker ED, Fink AM, Peters T, Park C, Fantuzzi G, Rondelli D. Persistent fatigue in hematopoietic stem cell transplant survivors. Cancer Nurs 40(3):174-183, 2017. PMID: 27333126.
- Hacker ED, Collins E, Park C, Peters T, Patel P, Rondelli D. Strength training to enhance early recovery (STEER) following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 23(4):659-669, 2017. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 28042020.
- Hacker ED, Larson J, Kujath A, Peace D, Rondelli D, Gaston L. Strength training following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Cancer Nurs 34(3):238-49, 2011. PMID: 21116175.
- Hacker ED, Larson JL, Peace D. Exercise in people receiving a hematopoietic stem cell transplant: Lessons learned and results from a feasibility study. Oncol Nurs Forum 38(2):216-23, 2011. PMID: 21356659.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified January 04, 2024