Laura Foran Lewis, Ph.D., RN
Associate Professor
Carole Nagelsmith Greenberg Green & Gold Endowed Professor in Nursing
203 Rowell Hall
106 Carrigan Drive
Burlington, VT 05405
United States
- Ph.D., Nursing; University of Connecticut
- M.S., Nursing; University of Connecticut
- B.S., Nursing; University of Connecticut
BIO
Dr. Laura Lewis is a registered nurse with clinical experience in oncology, hematology, and end of life care. After completing her postdoctoral training at the University of Vermont, she joined the Department of Nursing as faculty in 2016. Her areas of teaching include chronic and palliative care, professional issues in nursing, and research.
Dr. Lewis’ primary research focus is on autistic adults and issues impacting quality of life, social relationships, and identity formation. She is particularly interested in the experiences of those who discover an autism identity in adulthood as well as the intersection of queer and autistic identity for those who identify as LGBTQIA+. Dr. Lewis is an expert in qualitative research methods with experience in phenomenology, narrative analysis, grounded theory, meta-ethnography, and more.
Dr. Lewis also enjoys training undergraduate students to conduct research and is committed to working with students throughout the research process from study design through dissemination. She has co-authored several publications and co-presented in national and international conferences with undergraduate students.
Courses
- PRNU 110 - Art & Science of Nursing
- PRNU 231 - Chronic & Palliative Care Nursing
- PRNU 298 - Directed Research
- GRNS 300 - Professional Issues in Nursing
Area(s) of expertise
Autism, qualitative research methods.
Bio
Dr. Laura Lewis is a registered nurse with clinical experience in oncology, hematology, and end of life care. After completing her postdoctoral training at the University of Vermont, she joined the Department of Nursing as faculty in 2016. Her areas of teaching include chronic and palliative care, professional issues in nursing, and research.
Dr. Lewis’ primary research focus is on autistic adults and issues impacting quality of life, social relationships, and identity formation. She is particularly interested in the experiences of those who discover an autism identity in adulthood as well as the intersection of queer and autistic identity for those who identify as LGBTQIA+. Dr. Lewis is an expert in qualitative research methods with experience in phenomenology, narrative analysis, grounded theory, meta-ethnography, and more.
Dr. Lewis also enjoys training undergraduate students to conduct research and is committed to working with students throughout the research process from study design through dissemination. She has co-authored several publications and co-presented in national and international conferences with undergraduate students.
Courses
- PRNU 110 - Art & Science of Nursing
- PRNU 231 - Chronic & Palliative Care Nursing
- PRNU 298 - Directed Research
- GRNS 300 - Professional Issues in Nursing
Areas of Expertise
Autism, qualitative research methods.
Publications
Publications
- Lewis, L. F., Schirling, H., Beaudoin, E., Scheibner, H., & Cestrone, A. (2021). Exploring the Birth Stories of Women on the Autism Spectrum. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing. doi:10.1016/j.jogn.2021.08.099
- Lewis, L. F., Ward, C., Jarvis, N., & Cawley, E. (2020). “Straight sex is complicated enough!”: The lived experiences of autistics who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, asexual, or other sexual orientations. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. doi: 10.1007/s10803-020-04696-w
- Lewis, L. F. (2017). A mixed methods study of barriers to formal diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder in adults. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 47(8), 2410-2424. doi: 10.1007/s10803-017-3168-3
- Lewis, L. F. (2016). Exploring the experience of self-diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder in adults. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 30(5), 575-580. doi: 10.1016/j.apnu.2016.003.009
- Lewis, L. F. (2016). Realizing a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder as an adult. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 25(4), 346-54. doi: 10.1111/inm.12200