Dr. Denise Hammer DNP, RNC-NIC
Associate Professor
- About
- Education
- Awards & Honors
- Selected Research
Current Courses
NUR 552.001 Clinical Residency II
NUR 539.001 Scholarly Project Design
NUR 316.015 Maternal Infant Nursing Clinicals
NUR 316.016 Maternal Infant Nursing Clinicals
NUR 317.007 Nursing Care Of Children Clinicals
NUR 329.007 Public Health Nursing: Prelicensure Clinicals
Teaching Interests & Areas
Maternal Infant, Pediatrics, Public Health, Health Assessment
Research Interests & Areas
Late Preterm Infant, Neonatal hypoglycemia, Nursing Education, Feeding for Fragile Infants, Human Lactation, Nursing Practice and Nursing education.
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Nursing
Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University
Normal, Illinois
MSN Nursing
Benedictine University
Lisle, Illinois
Other
Benediction Univeristy
Lisle Illinois
BSN Nursing
Illinois Wesleyan University
Bloomington Illinois
AWHONN Fellows (Association of Women's Health, Obstetric & Neonatal Nursing) Nominee
AWHONN
2026
Impact Award 2026
Illinois State University
2026
Kathleen A. Hogan Teaching Excellence Award Nominee
Mennonite College of Nursing
2024
Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) Award of Excellence - Scholarly Education Nominee
AWHONN
2024
Association of Women's Health , Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) Award of Excellence-Education (Scholarly) Nominee
AWHONN
2024
Full Graduate Faculty Member/Status
Illinois State University
2023
Provost Scholarship
Illinois State University
2022
Carle Foundation Nurses Week Essay Writing Contest Winner
Carle Foundation
2021
RISE Award
Illinois State Univeristy
2020
Nominated for the University Research Initiative Award
Illinois State University
2019
Nurse Educator Fellow
Illinois Board of Higher Education
2019
Associate Graduate Faculty Status
Illinois State Universtiy
2018
2016 Nurses Week Story Contest 2nd Place
Advocate BroMenn Medical Center
2016
Nurses Week 2013 Story Contest Winner
Advocate BroMenn medical Center
2013
Julie Schaffer Research Fellowship
Advocate Healthcare
2012
Nursing Excellence Award Advocate Health Care Outstanding Professional Achievement for Clinical Care
Advocate BroMenn Medical Center
2012
Julie Schaffer Research Fellowship
Advocate Healthcare
2011
Inspire the Fire Nursing Process Award
Advocate BroMenn Medical Center
2007
Quest Team
BroMenn Medical Center
2005
Grants and Contracts
Retaining Future Nurses: A Retrospective Longitudinal Cohort Analysis of BSN Student Retention
Patricia Pence, Janet LoVerde, Denise Hammer, Teresa Novy, Theresa Adelman- Mullally, Mark Zablocki.
Illinois State University. June 2025
Impact of a Dedicated Education Unit Clinical Model versus Traditional Clinical Model for Accelerated Bachelors Nurses
Denise Hammer, Teresa Novy, Theresa Adelman- Mullally.
Sigma Theta Tau International Epsilon, Epsilon Chapter Research Grant. May 2023 - September 2023
Impact of a Dedicated Education Unit Clinical Model versus Traditional Clinical Model for Accelerated Bachelors Nurses
Theresa Adelman- Mullally, Denise Hammer, Teresa Novy.
Sigma Theta Tau International, XI PI Chapter. April 2023 - September 2023
University Research Grant Research Development Award
Denise Hammer.
Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois Stat. June 2021 - September 2022
University Reserch Grant Research Development Award
Denise Hammer.
Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois Stat. June 2021 - August 2021
Mennonite College of Nursing Summer Research Fellowship
Denise Hammer.
Illinois State University. May 2020 - August 2020
Nurse Educator Fellow FY 2020-Illinois Board of Higher Education
Denise Hammer.
Illinois Board of Higher Educaion. 2019 - 2020
Performances and Exhibits
The Reality of Relinquishment Photograph
Chad Bianchi, Elizabeth Fishman, Denise Hammer.
Denise Hammer. February 2026 - February 2026
Chad Bianchi, Elizabeth Fishman, Denise Hammer.
Denise Hammer. February 2026 - February 2026
Abstract
Guys Group for Maternal Infant Nursing Students
Denise Hammer, Jacobs Peggy.
Neonatal Network, 44 (6), (2025), DOI: 10.1891/0730-0832.44.6.e1
Nursing students’ knowledge of infant safe sleep: A review of the literature
Brenda Drury, Denise Hammer, Hannah Braun.
Neonatal Network, 43 (6), (2024), DOI: 10.1891/0730 832.43.6.e1-e37
Infant safe sleep intervention bundle to improve outcomes
Brenda Drury, Denise Hammer.
Neonatal Network, 42 (6), (2023), DOI: 10.1891/0730-0832.42.6.e
Comfort menu: Partnership with mom for pain control
Brenda Drury, Denise Hammer.
Neonatal Network, 38 (6), (2019), DOI: 10.1891/0730-0832.38.6.e13
Maternal sepsis: Early recognition and management saves lives
Brenda Drury, Denise Hammer, Keli Sidebottom, Jessica Baker.
Neonatal Network, 38 (6), (2019), DOI: 10.1891/0730-0832.38.6 e13
Keep moms and babies together: Making best practice happens
Brenda Drury, Keli Sidebottom, Denise Hammer, Susan Kaufman.
Neonatal Network, 37 (6), (2018), http://dx.doi.org/10.1891/0730-0832.37.6e16
Journal Article
Exploring the well-being of acute care pediatric nurses who care for chronically or critically ill patients
Kate Peterson, Maureen Rabbitte, Theresa Adelman- Mullally, Denise Hammer, Cherrill Stockmann.
Journal, 52 (1), 13-19, (2026), https://doi.org/10.62116/PNJ.2026.52.1.13
Integrative Review: Pregnant Women's Perception of Smoking Tobacco Risks During Pregnancy
Teresa Gulley, Denise L Hammer, Melissa Jarvill.
Maternal Child Health Journal, 30 (6), 742-754, (2026), https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-026-04279-8
Perceived Tobacco Smoking Risk and Predictors of Smoking During Pregnancy: A Cross-Sectional Predictive Correlational Study
Teresa Gulley, Denise Hammer, Melissa Javill, MyoungJin Kim, Sheila Jesek-Hale.
Maternal and Child Health Journal, (2026)
Increasing teachers' confidence during health emergencies: A hands-on quality improvement program led by the school nurse
Analía Elizalde, Denise Hammer, Yan Su, Marilyn A. Prasun.
Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 77, e263-e269, (2024), 10.1016/j.pedn.2024.04.038
Keeping Families Close: A Hospital Sponsored Boarder Program that Facilitates Parents Presence at the Infant's Bedside
Denise Hammer, Keli Sidebottom, Brenda Drury, Angela Philpott, Loretta Tay.
Neonatal Network, The Journal of Neonatal Nursing, 44 (3), 150-158, (2022), https://doi.org/10.1891/11-t-740
Innovations and Challenges of Implementing a Glucose Gel Toolkit for Neonatal Hypolycemia
Denise Hammer, Carla Pohl, Peggy Jacobs, Susan Kaufman, Brenda Drury.
Advances in Neonatal Care/Wolters Kluwer, 18 (5), 378-385, (2018), 10.1097/ANC.0000000000000527
Exploring implicit bias training in nursing: An integrative review
Beth Killam, Mary J. Dyck, John Blakeman, Denise Hammer, Teresa Gulley, Doris Houston, Olcay Akman.
Western Journal of Nursing
Other
The Late Preterm Infant
Denise Hammer.
Advocate Talent Management System, 35, (2018)
Presentations
Breastfeeding Texting Support Program
Denise Hammer, Jacobs Peggy.
Fall 2026 National Neonatal Nurses Conference, Nashville, Tennessee, September 8, 2026
Building Confidence in Infant Safe Sleep Education Through Simulation
Brenda Drury, Denise Hammer, Peggy Jacobs, Hannah Braun, Amanda Kemp.
Fall 2026 National Neonatal Nurses Conference, Nashville, Tennessee, September 8, 2026
). The effect of lactation support on human milk exclusivity rates: An evidence-based quality improvement project
Lisa Smith, Denise Hammer.
Mennonite College of Nursing Virtual Scholarship Symposium: Research, Evidence-Based Practice and Innovation., Normal, April 28, 2026
Safe Haven Relinquishment: Increasing Awareness
Elizabeth Fishman, Chad Bianchi, Denise Hammer.
Illinois State University Research Symposium, Normal, April 10, 2026
Quality Improvement Bundle with Specialty Referrals and Implementation of Continuous Glucose Monitoring for Pregnant Patients with Type 2 Diabetes to Improve Glycemic Control
Rivera Dianitza, Denise Hammer.
2026 Virtual Scholarship Symposium Mennonite Collete of Nursing at Illinois State University, Normal, April 9, 2026
Forum Local Maternal Health Care: A look at the Issues Facing Local Women, Illinois
Denise Hammer, Erin Fogarty, c Weisheit, S. Rebert.
Women to Women Giving Circle Fall Forum, Normal, September 16, 2025
Guys Group for Maternal Infant Nursing Students
Denise Hammer, Peggy Jacobs.
Fall 2025 National Neonatal Nurses Conference, Arlington, Virginia, September 4, 2025
Incorporating Evidence-based Practice as a Clinical Preceptor
Denise Hammer.
DEU Nurse Workshop, Normal, Illinois, August, 2025
Research in Process: Dedicated Education Unit (DEU Model compared to Traditional Clinical Education Model
Teresa Novy, Denise Hammer, Theresa Adelman- Mullally.
CBMC Virtual Poster Presentation, Normal, May, 2025
Nursing is Your Career Not Just a Job
Denise Hammer, Teresa Novy.
Nurses Week Symposium, Champaign, Illinois, May 7, 2025
Mindfulness-based school interventions: Impact on student well-being
Amanda Goff, Denise Hammer, Yvette Pigman.
MCN Scholarship Symposium, Normal, April 17, 2025
“Brining Them Back”: Staff and volunteer perspectives on dementia care using non-pharmacological cognitive intervention
Michele Shropshire, Annette Hubbell, Denise Hammer.
Midwest Nursing Research Society, Indianapolis, Indiana, March 26, 2025
Normal newborn physiology and transition to extrauterine life, newborn assessment and gestational age assessment for Maternal and Newborn Nursing
Denise Hammer.
Maternal Newborn Nursing Guest Lecture, Bloomington, Illinois, September 7, 2024
Your Career
Denise Hammer.
Stethoscope Ceremony, Normal, May 17, 2024
Self-care lessons from NCFDD: An essential to enhance student resilience.
Theresa Adelman- Mullally, Denise Hammer.
Center for Integrated Professional Development Teaching-Learning Symposium, Normal IL, April, 2024
Research in the Making
Theresa Adelman- Mullally, Teresa Novy, Denise Hammer.
Epsilon Epsilon Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau International, Annual Meeting, Bradley University, Peoria IL, April, 2024
Impact of music on the relationship between parents and infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and at home
R Leffers, Denise Hammer.
Illinois State University Research Symposium, Normal, April 12, 2024
Music in the NICU
A Baxter, Denise Hammer.
Illinois State University Research Symposium, Normal, April 12, 2024
Safe Haven Simulation Proposal
Makalya Klan, Sydney Shepherd, Denise Hammer.
Leadership, Normal, March 18, 2024
Research in the Making: DEU
Theresa Adelman- Mullally, Teresa Novy, Denise Hammer.
Xi Pi Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau International, new member induction, Mennonite College of Nursing, Normal IL, April, 2023
A Safe Place to Learn: Improving Schools Health Emergencies
Denise Hammer, Analia Elizalde.
Mennonite College of Nursing Virtual Scholarship Symposium: Research, Evidence-Based Practice, and Innovation., Normal, March 23, 2023
“I Am Human Too! A Conversation about Health Care Equity”
Denise Hammer.
“I Am Human Too! A Conversation about Health Care Equity”, Normal Illinois, March 23, 2023
DEU
Teresa Novy, Denise Hammer.
DEU Development Day for Preceptors, Normal, Illinois, July 20, 2022
Going for the Gold: Improving Outcomes Through Infant Safe Sleep
Brenda Drury, Denise Hammer.
Cribs for Kids Spring Conference, Online, May 5, 2022
Its’s all About your: Delivering Respectful Care in Maternal Child
Denise Hammer.
McDowell Stafford Lectureship Series in Child and Family Health Educational Lecture, Normal Illinois, April 28, 2022