Iona’s Gabriella Riccio ’24 is Driven to Make a Difference in the Field of Nursing
New Rochelle, N.Y. - Gabriella Riccio ’24, a dedicated student in Iona University’s nursing program, recently shed light on an important topic in her field: the correlation between mental health and medication errors.
“As a future nurse, the research I conducted benefits me because it makes me want to be a better nurse and change the field as much as I can,” said the Hamden, Conn., native. “I'm so grateful I had this opportunity to present.”
Riccio, an Honors student, shared her research as part of the 15th annual Iona Scholars Day, an event dedicated to showcasing students’ creative works and faculty-mentored research.
Surveying 33 qualified nurses and investigating the impact of COVID-19 on their mental health, Riccio’s research revealed a rise in medication errors alongside a decline in their mental health.
According to her findings, before COVID-19, 65 percent of nurses reported no medication errors, but that number dropped to 48 percent afterward. At the same time, mental health decreased. The study, though small in scale, underscores the urgent need for further research, which Riccio hopes to continue and one day get published.
Set to graduate from Iona in May, Riccio has her sights set on securing both a master’s and Doctor of Nursing degree to continue to grow in her career.
“I plan to work as a registered nurse for a year or two, and eventually go back to school in Connecticut to pursue a masters/doctorate degree as a family nurse practitioner or an advanced nursing midwife,” she said. “Being able to help people by providing intimate and life changing care while they are at their most vulnerable is truly heartwarming.”