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Research Committee


Committee Chair
Rochelle Flayter, PhD, RN, CCRN-K, TCRN

The STN Research Committee is tasked with identifying opportunities to expand trauma nursing research throughout the continuum of care. The committee shall oversee the STN Research Grant Program, commission, analyze, and disseminate information regarding research conducted by STN on behalf of its members, and seek collaborative opportunities to increase nurse input and participation in domestic and international trauma research projects. Research Committee members are appointed to serve for two years with the opportunity for reappointment to a second two-year term.

Duties

  • Develop the STN research agenda with direction and approval from the STN Board of Directors.
  • Seek out and promote opportunities for trauma nursing research projects and opportunities for nurse input and participation in trauma-related research, globally.
  • Oversee the process of developing, reviewing and revising criteria for STN-funded research awards and research grants.
  • Review research abstracts and proposals for STN-funded research projects and make recommendations to the Board of Directors for approval.
  • Oversee communications related to the solicitation and outcome notification of research project proposals and other research opportunities to the STN membership.
  • Analyze, prepare, and disseminate information and data from the 2018 Trauma Program Manager Study, conducted by Castle Worldwide, to STN committees and STN members for the purpose of advancing STN’s mission and member-driven initiatives.
  • Provide reports and recommendations to the STN Board of Directors quarterly and as requested.
  • Participate in virtual monthly committee conference calls and perform tasks as assigned.

Requirements to Serve

  • Active or Associate STN member in good standing.
  • Passion for advancing opportunities for trauma nursing research and nurse participation in trauma research initiatives.
  • Availability for a one-hour monthly teleconference and the ability to allocate 1-2 hours per month of additional time towards assigned volunteer projects.
  • An advanced degree in nursing or research and a minimum of 2 years of research experience strongly preferred.
  • Knowledge of contemporary nursing and/or trauma research practices and current trauma research initiatives and opportunities preferred.

Rules and Expectations of STN Research Committee members.

  • 75% attendance rate for committee members to monthly meetings.
  • No term limit for members as long as they attend meetings and participate in at least one committee initiative.
  • Committee Chair term limit is 2 years.
  • There are 2 types of membership to the committee:
    • Associate member
      • The expectation is that the member provides mentorship to fellow members and project productivity. Requires a CV and 2 peer references identifying research expertise and experience.
    • Fellow member
      • The expectation of these members is to obtain experience in research through mentorship with Associate members. Requires a personal statement of interest in research.

Volunteer for an STN Committee

Rochelle Flayter, PhD, RN, CCRN-K, TCRN, is a Nursing Director overseeing Critical Care, Intermediate Care, Trauma Services, and the Stroke Program at Intermountain Health Lutheran Hospital. She has more than 25 years of experience in trauma, critical care, emergency nursing, and nursing leadership, with a longstanding focus on advancing evidence-based practice and nursing research. She earned her PhD from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in 2026, where her dissertation examined nursing research priorities in geriatric trauma through a secondary analysis of the National Trauma Research Action Plan (NTRAP) panels.

Dr. Flayter serves as Chair of the Society of Trauma Nurses Research Committee and has been a member of the committee since 2019. Her current research builds upon her dissertation work through a national Delphi consensus study to establish geriatric trauma nursing research priorities, supported by the Society of Trauma Nurses in collaboration with the Coalition for National Trauma Research. She has presented nationally on trauma, critical care, evidence-based practice, and nursing research and has contributed to the nursing literature for more than two decades. Flayter also serves as Section Editor for Injury Prevention for the Journal of Emergency Nursing and as a manuscript reviewer for multiple nursing journals.