Anne Chevalier McKechnie, PhD, RN

Anne Chevalier McKechnie, PhD, RN, is an assistant professor in the School of Nursing. Her research is focused on supporting families as they are preparing and caring for medically fragile infants, especially those with complex congenital heart disease. Dr. McKechnie's varied research approaches include grounded theory, instrument development, and psycho-educational intervention. Her use of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods and a commitment to team science has led to an improved understanding of parents' caregiving development. Her intervention research currently centers on pilot testing a care program delivered on a customized patient engagement platform with a parent-facing app and a clinician dashboard that establishes a closed loop of communication. Related work to expand on the primary care program is aimed at supporting human milk feeding for infants born with heart disease.

University of Minnesota

• Daisy Award, Scholarship in Teaching and Practice, School of Nursing, 2019

• International Family Nursing Association
• Midwestern Nursing Research Society

• Center Memberships:
  Center for Child and Family Health Promotion Research 
  Center for Children with Special Health Care Needs

Research area includes: Understanding the needs of families who continue pregnancies after fetal diagnoses, are preparing for and adapting to the care required for their children with special health care needs; Developing and testing family-centered interventions to enhance strengths and reduce risks for parents and their children with special health care needs during an early, formative time.

Statement of Advising Philosophy

Funded Research:

Title of Project: Extending an eHealth enhanced care approach: Development of nurse-guided patient engagement content to support human milk feeding of infants with complex congenital heart disease.
Funding Agency: NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences UL1TR002494 
University of Minnesota Office of Discovery and Translation Grant
Principal Investigator: McKechnie 
Project Dates: 2019-2021

Title of Project: Preparing Heart and Mind: A Patient Engagement Pathway for Parents and Healthcare Providers After a Major Fetal Anomaly Diagnosis
Funding Agency: University of Minnesota Masonic Cross-Departmental Grant in Children’s Health Research
Principal Investigator: McKechnie
Project Dates: 2019-2021

Selected Publications:

• McKechnie, A. C., Chen, S., Mathiason, M. A., Johnson, K., Elgersma, K. (2020). Mental health and caregiving development among fathers of infants prenatally diagnosed with major congenital anomalies. [Manuscript submitted for publication]. School of Nursing, University of Minnesota.
• Pridham, K. F., McKechnie, A. C., Harrison, T., & Brown, R. (2020). Prenatal preparation by women expecting an infant to be born healthy or with heart disease. [Manuscript submitted for publication]. School of Nursing, University of Minnesota.
• Elgersma, K., McKechnie, A. C., Spatz, D., Pridham, K. F. (in press). Feeding infants with complex congenital heart disease: A Delphi survey to examine potential research and practice gaps. Cardiology in the Young.
• McKechnie, A. C., Erickson, K., Ambrose, M. B., Chen, S., Mathiason, M. A., Miller, S., Johnson, K. A., Leuthner, S. R. (2020). Development and testing of a self-report measure of preparing to parent in the context of a fetal anomaly diagnosis. Patient Education and Counseling. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2020.08.017
• Pruinelli, L., Farag, A., Looman, W., McKechnie, A. C., Monsen, K., Van Gelderen, S., Dunn-Lopez, K. (2020). The symbiotic collaboration between family nursing and data science. CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing. 38(8), 375-380.
• McKechnie, A. C., Johnson, K. A., Baker, M., Docherty, S. L., Leuthner, S. R., Thoyre, S. M. (2020). Adaptive leadership in parents caring for their children born with life-threatening conditions. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 53, 41–51. doi:10.1016/j.pedn.2020.03.018
• Horning, M. L., Schneider, R., Beacham, B., Mckechnie, A. C., Kirk, L., Emery, D., & Lindquist, R. (2019). Appreciation of the Research-Practice Link. Nursing Education Perspectives, Publish Ahead of Print. doi: 10.1097/01.nep.0000000000000568
• McKechnie, A. C., Waldrop, J., Matsuda, Y., Martinez, M., Fields, C., Baker, M., Beeber, L. (2018). Mothers’ perspectives on managing the developmental delay of a child with considerations for contextual influences and maternal functioning. Journal of Family Nursing, 24(3), 405–442. doi:10.1177/1074840718780474
• McKechnie, A. C., Rogstad, J., Martin, K., & Pridham, K. F. (2018). An exploration of co-parenting in the context of caring for a child prenatally diagnosed and born with a complex health condition. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 74(2), 350–363. doi: 10.1111/jan.13415
• McKechnie, A. C., & Lamberg-Jones, E. (2018). Preparing for the birth of an infant with a congenital or genetic condition. In K. F. Pridham, R. Limbo, & M. Schroeder (Eds.), Guided participation in pediatric nursing practice: Relationship-based teaching and learning with parents, children, and adolescents (pp. 35–52). New York, NY: Springer.Publishing Company, LLC.
• Leuthner, S., & McKechnie, A. C. (2018). A neonatologist’s guided participation with parents of an infant with trisomy. In K. F. Pridham, R. Limbo, & M. Schroeder (Eds.), Guided participation in pediatric nursing practice: Relationship-based teaching and learning with parents, children, and adolescents (pp. 341–354). New York, NY: Springer.Publishing Company, LLC.
• Tanem, J., & McKechnie, A. C. (2018). A mobile application as a tool for guided participation. In K. F. Pridham, R. Limbo, & M. Schroeder (Eds.), Guided participation in pediatric nursing practice: Relationship-based teaching and learning with parents, children, and adolescents (pp. 355–370). New York, NY: Springer. Software Development 
• McKechnie, A. C., (2018) Intellectual Property Title: Preparing Heart and MindTM v. 2.0; University of Minnesota Office of Technology and Commercialization Case Number: 20180225. Description: This intellectual property includes content on paper, software code for an early app prototype, and the content and software code/digital files designed for a GetWellNetwork Custom Pathway (Getwellnetwork is a third part company that develops, markets, and sells patient engagement software)
• Pridham, K. F., Harrison, T., McKechnie, A. C., Krolikowski, M. & Brown, R. (2018). Motivations and features of co-parenting an infant with complex congenital heart disease. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 40(8), 1110–1130. doi:10.1177/0193945917712693
• Implementing Co-Regulated Feeding with Mothers of Preterm Infants. (2016). MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, 41(4). doi: 10.1097/nmc.0000000000000272
• Mckechnie, A. C., Pridham, K., & Tluczek, A. (2015). Walking the “Emotional Tightrope” From Pregnancy to Parenthood. Journal of Family Nursing, 22(1), 74–107. doi: 10.1177/1074840715616603
• Tluczek, A., Clark, R., McKechnie, A. C., & Brown, R. (2015). Factors affecting parent-child relationships one year after positive newborn screening for cystic fibrosis or congenital hypothyroidism. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 36(1), 24-34. doi:10.1097/DBP.0000000000000112
• McKechnie, A. C., Tluczek, A., & Pridham, K. (2014). Preparing heart and mind for becoming a parent following a diagnosis of fetal anomaly. Qualitative Health Research, 25(9), 1182–1198. doi:10.1177/1049732314553852
• McKechnie, A. C., & Pridham, K. (2012). Preparing heart and mind following prenatal diagnosis of complex congenital heart defect. Qualitative Health Research, 22, 1694–1706. doi:10.1177/1049732312458371
• Tluczek, A., McKechnie, A. C., & Brown, R. (2011). Factors associated with parental perception of child vulnerability 12 months after abnormal newborn screening results. Research in Nursing and Health, 34, 389–400. doi:10.1002/nur.20452
• McKechnie, A. C., & Eglash, A. (2010). Nipple shield use: A review. Breastfeeding Medicine, 5, 309–314. doi:10.1089/bfm.2010.0003
• Tluczek, A., McKechnie, A. C., & Lynam, P. A. (2010). When the cystic fibrosis label does not fit: a modified uncertainty theory. Qualitative Health Research, 20, 209–223. doi:10.1177/1049732309356285
• Tluczek, A., Clark, R., McKechnie, A. C., & Brown, R. (2010). Task-oriented and bottle feeding adversely affect the quality of mother-infant interactions after abnormal newborn screens. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 31, 414–426. doi:10.1097/DBP.0b013e3181dd5049
• Eglash, A., Ziemer, A. L. & McKechnie, A. C. (2010). Health professionals' attitudes and use of nipple shields for breastfeeding women. Breastfeeding Medicine, 5, 147–51. doi:10.1089/bfm.2010.0006
• McKechnie, A. C., Tluczek, A., & Henriques, J. B. (2009). Maternal Variables Influencing Duration of Breastfeeding Among Low-Income Mothers. ICAN: Infant, Child, & Adolescent Nutrition, 1(3), 126–132. doi: 10.1177/1941406409334379

Dissertation

• McKechnie, A. C. (2013). Becoming a parent after a prenatal diagnosis: A model of preparing heart and mind within the caregiving system (Doctoral dissertation). Available from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. (UMI No. 3588387)