Sharron Lee Docherty

Sharron Docherty, PhD, MSN, PNP, FAAN is Vice Dean for Research Affairs and Innovation and Executive Director of the Ruby L. Wilson Center for Nursing Science and Innovation at Duke University School of Nursing. An internationally recognized nurse scientist, pediatric nurse practitioner, mentor, and research leader, Dr. Docherty is the recipient of the 2025 Distinguished Researcher Award from the Southern Nursing Research Society, recognizing her outstanding contributions to nursing science and research excellence.

As Vice Dean, she leads and advances the School's research enterprise, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, scientific innovation, and research excellence while supporting the development of the next generation of nurse scientists. Under her leadership, Duke University School of Nursing continues to expand its portfolio of federally funded research, interdisciplinary partnerships, and innovative programs that address complex healthcare challenges and improve health outcomes. She also has a secondary appointment as an Associate Professor in Pediatrics at Duke University School of Medicine, is an Associate of the Duke Initiative for Science & Society and is a member of the Duke Cancer Institute.

Through her work, Dr. Docherty is strengthening Duke Nursing's research capacity, expanding collaborative partnerships across Duke and beyond, and accelerating the translation of scientific discoveries into improved health outcomes, healthcare delivery, and policy. Her work is guided by a commitment to health equity, scientific innovation, patient- and family-centered care, and ensuring that research meaningfully improves the lives of individuals, families, and communities.

Dr. Docherty's research has transformed understanding of how healthcare systems can better support children, adolescents, young adults, and families experiencing serious chronic and life-limiting conditions. Her work has advanced innovative care models, symptom management strategies, care coordination approaches, and decision-making interventions that improve quality of life across the illness trajectory, from diagnosis through end of life.

Areas of Expertise

• Pediatric and adolescent health
• Serious illness and palliative care
• Family caregiving and decision-making
• Care coordination and care transitions
• Chronic illness management
• Patient- and family-centered care
• Health equity
• Nursing science and innovation
• Research leadership and workforce development
• Qualitative, mixed-methods and multidimensional data integration
• Intervention development and testing
• Healthcare delivery and care models

Research and Scholarly Impact

Dr. Docherty's research focuses on improving outcomes for children, adolescents, young adults, and families undergoing treatment for chronic, complex, and life-limiting conditions. She studies how healthcare teams and systems can improve symptom management, communication, care coordination, and decision-making across the continuum of care. Her scholarship has helped shape evidence-based approaches and nurse-led models of care that improve both patient and family experiences and long-term health outcomes.

A central focus of her work has been developing and evaluating innovative models of care that address the physical, emotional, social, and behavioral challenges associated with serious illness. Her research has contributed to improving care delivery for patients with complex healthcare needs while strengthening support for family caregivers and healthcare professionals.

Dr. Docherty is recognized for methodological expertise in qualitative research, mixed-methods diverse data integration techniques, trajectory science, visualization methodologies for complex data exploration, and intervention development and testing. These approaches have enabled her to generate new insights into patient and family experiences and develop interventions that improve care, quality of life, and health outcomes.

Dr. Docherty's research and mentorship activities are supported through numerous federally funded initiatives, including grants from the National Institutes of Health. She serves as a research mentor for Duke's Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) K12 Program, helping develop the next generation of clinical and translational scientists. She also contributes to NIH-supported research focused on palliative care, care transitions, social determinants of health, and innovative models of care that improve outcomes for patients and families across the lifespan. Her leadership on these initiatives reflects a sustained commitment to advancing nursing science, interdisciplinary collaboration, and research workforce development.

Her work spans pediatric health, cancer care, palliative care, critical care, chronic illness, care transitions, and health services research. Through interdisciplinary partnerships, she continues to advance innovative approaches to healthcare delivery and population health improvement.

Leadership and Academic Administration

As Vice Dean for Research Affairs and Innovation and Executive Director of the Ruby L. Wilson Center for Nursing Science and Innovation, Dr. Docherty provides strategic leadership for the Duke University School of Nursing's research mission. She works to strengthen research infrastructure, expand interdisciplinary scientific collaboration, increase research funding, support faculty development, and promote innovation that advances nursing science and improves health outcomes. Dr. Docherty has leveraged her research expertise as a national leader through her frequent service as an NIH study section reviewer. In 2026, she was appointed as a standing member on the newly formed National Standing Committee on the State of Nursing Science.

Honors and Distinctions

Dr. Docherty is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and is widely recognized for her contributions to nursing science, pediatric health, palliative care research, mentoring, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Her scholarship has influenced clinical practice, healthcare delivery, and research approaches designed to improve outcomes for children, adolescents, young adults, and families facing serious and chronic illness.

Her contributions to nursing science, research leadership, and mentorship have been recognized through honors and awards, including:

• Distinguished Researcher Award, Southern Nursing Research Society (2025)
• Outstanding Nurse Scientist Award, Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science (2022)
• International Nurse research hall of Fame, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (2021)
• Distinguished Contributions to Nursing Science Award, Duke University School of Nursing (2020)
• Mid-Career Research Award, Southern Nursing Research Society (2014)
• Fellow, American Academy of Nursing (2013)
• Donna Wong Pediatric Nursing Writers Award, Pediatric Nursing (2008)

Media and Speaking Topics

• Future of nursing research
• Research innovation and scientific discovery
• Pediatric and adolescent health
• Serious illness and palliative care
• Family caregiving and decision-making
• Care transitions and care coordination
• Health equity
• Patient- and family-centered care
• Interdisciplinary science
• Translating research into practice
• Research workforce development
• Mentorship and academic leadership