When Eileen Hacker, PhD, APRN, was overcome with emotion upon being inducted into the International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame. When reached by Becker's, she called it an honor and a privilege.
"When I gave my induction presentation, it brought tears to my eyes," Dr. Hacker said. "This achievement is more of a reflection of the extraordinary research teams that I have worked with over the years."
The achievement, bestowed upon her and 29 others on July 27 by the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, is a recognition of work that "has improved the profession of nursing and the people it serves," Sigma said in a news release.
Dr. Hacker started as an oncology staff nurse before pursuing a master's in oncology nursing. She worked as an advanced practice nurse for 16 years. During that time, she managed the first pediatric bone marrow transplant unit in the Chicago area, working with head and neck cancer patients. She went on to earn her PhD in nursing science at the University of Illinois Chicago.
She previously served as the department chair of the Indiana University School of Nursing in Indianapolis and as associate dean for the school in Bloomington, Ind. In 2022, she joined the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and currently serves as a professor and chair in the Department of Nursing.
Dr. Hacker's focus is to grow nursing research by expanding nursing science initiatives at MD Anderson.
Nurse researchers and nurse scientists focus "on the discovery and advancement of knowledge that promotes well being across the lifespan to address vital health needs across health settings," Dr. Hacker said.
MD Anderson recently ranked No. 1 on U.S. News & World Report's "2024-25 Best Hospitals for Cancer" list and has invested $1.2 billion in cancer research toward ending the disease, according to the center's website.
"This is such a stellar institution," Dr. Hacker said. "If we can get the word out about the wonderful work that is occurring and the opportunities that are here, I strongly believe we can build one of the best oncology nurse science programs in the nation."
She said she is harnessing her growth mindset and an attention to detail developed from years of rigorous research to build a nurse scientist team at MD Anderson, recruiting and attracting talent from a field that is currently "quite limited."
"The motivation is to conduct work that benefits patients," Dr. Hacker said. "Everything we do as nurse scientists in my own worldview, from research to clinical practice to education, should eventually boil down to helping the people we serve, helping society."
The dedication she sees from everyone she works with in pursuing the cancer center's mission and vision is what makes her excited about growing the program at MD Anderson.
"I'm really just a worker bee," Dr. Hacker said. "And the work that we do here is so meaningful; there is real purpose here."