Donna Eull, PhD, MA, RN, CHPPN

Dr. Eull’s teaching, research, and practice are centered on children with complex medical conditions, and on improving the health care experience for all children. As part of her 36 years in pediatric practice, Dr. Eull helped develop the Complex Pain clinic and the Palliative Care clinic at Children’s Minnesota. In her role as a Clinical Practice Specialist for Pain, Palliative Care and Integrative Medicine, Dr. Eull led an organizational wide quality improvement initiative, The Children’s Comfort Promise™, to standardize acute and procedural pain. Dr. Eull’s initial work with evidence based pain management for needle procedures, resulted in a multi-site grant, and collaborations with Children’s hospitals across North America and globally. 

As a Clinical Associate Professor with a background in integrative and healing strategies, Dr. Eull has used her knowledge to address wellbeing and resilience in nursing students, integrating activities like breathing exercises and guided meditation into nursing education to enhance learning and help students have a successful transition into practice.

• Pain and symptom management in children 
• Pediatric palliative care and end of life
• Resilience and wellbeing in nursing students

Dr. Eull has four main teaching objectives to prepare student for a successful transition into professional nursing practice:

• For students to gain the ability to quickly access, understand, and apply new information in order to own their practice and continually adapt their approach to ensure optimal patient care and outcomes.
• For students to acquire the interpersonal and communications skills needed to establish trust with diverse patients and families, and to work in genuine partnership with them to ensure patients receive personalized care and education.  
• For students to be able to work effectively and collaboratively within a team, while advocating for their patients and themselves. 
• For students to prioritize their own self-care, resilience, and wellbeing, in order to effectively care for others.

• Future of Nursing Scholar, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2018-2021
• Eileen Vinnes Kalow Fellowship in Children’s Health, School of Nursing, 2020
• Amy Wenger Fellowship in Pediatric Nursing, 2018
• Innovation in Health Care, The Children’s Comfort Promise, The VitalSmarts Influencer Institute, 2018
• Minnesota Hospital Association Quality Improvement/Safety Award for a Large Hospital, The Children's Comfort Promise, 2017
• Women’s Health Leadership Trust, Health and Wellness Innovation Award Finalist, 2016

Eull, D., Looman, W., & O'Conner-Von, S. (2023). Transforming acute pain management in children: A concept analysis to develop a new model of nurse, child and parent partnership. Journal of clinical nursing, 32(15-16), 5230–5240. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.16625

Kirk, L., Eull, D., Flaten, C., & Paun, O. (2023). Combating social isolation in older adults: An intergenerational nursing communication project. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 61(10), 7–11. https://doi.org/10.3928/02793695-20230915-02

Looman, W. S., Eull, D., Geiger-Simpson, E., Lee, J., Nersesian, P. V., Bell, A. N., & Miller, A. L. (2023). Assessment of youth coping and appraisals through a timelining activity: Validation and utility of a tool for pediatric research and practice. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 37(5), 465–477. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedhc.2023.02.007

Looman, W. S., Geiger-Simpson, E., Eull, D. J., Lee, J., Nersesian, P. V., Bell, A. N., & Miller, A. L. (2023). Beyond coping: The role of supportive relationships and meaning making in youth well-being. Journal of nursing scholarship : an official publication of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, 55(6), 1189–1203. https://doi.org/10.1111/jnu.12901

Eull, D., Looman, W. & O’Connor-Von, S. (2022) Transforming acute pain management in children: A concept analysis to develop a new model of nurse, child and parent partnership. Journal of Clinical Nursing 32 (15-16), 5230-5240.  https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.16625

Eull, D., Zachrison, B., Nickel, A. (2022). Feasibility trial of weighted blankets as an intervention for emergence delirium in postoperative pediatric patients. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 62, 30-35.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2021.11.022

Looman, W. S., Eull, D. J., Bell, A. N., Gallagher, T. T. & Nersesian, P. V. (2022). Participant-generated timelines as a novel strategy for assessing youth resilience factors: A mixed-methods, community-based study. Journal of Pediatric Nursing. 67, 64-74.

Postier, A. C., Eull, D., Schulz, C., Fitzgerald, M., Symalla, B., Watson, D., Goertzen, L., Friedrichsdorf, S. J., 2018. Pain experience in a US children's hospital: A point prevalence survey undertaken after the implementation of a system-wide protocol to eliminate or decrease pain caused by needles. Hospital Pediatrics, 8(9), 515-523. doi: https://doi.org/10.1542/hpeds.2018-0039

Friedrichsdorf, S. J., Eull, D., Weidner, C., Postier, A. (2018). A Hospital-wide initiative to eiminate or reduce needle pain in children using lean methodology. Pain Reports, 3(7). doi: https://doi.org/10.1097/PR9.0000000000000671

Friedrichsdorf, S., Eull, D., Weidner, C. (2016). Commentary: A children’s comfort promise: How can we do everything possible to prevent and treat pain in children using quality improvement Strategies? Pediatric Pain Letter, 18(3),

Friedrichsdorf, S. J., Postier, A., Eull, D., Weidner, C., Foster, L., Gilbert, M., Campbell, F. (2015). Pain outcomes in a US children's hospital: A prospective cross-sectional survey. Hospital Pediatrics, 5(1), 18-26. doi: https://doi.org/10.1542/hpeds.2014-0084

Eull, D. J. “The Comfort Promise; The How: Bringing Evidence to the Bedside.” International Pain Master Class UCSF, San Francisco, California, December 11, 2023.

Eull, D. J. “Strengthening Mindfulness, Self-care, Wellbeing, and Leadership Skills for Emerging Nurses.”  AACN Transform Conference, Orlando, Florida, December 1, 2023.

Eull, D. J. “Treating and Preventing Pain and Anxiety Caused by Needle Procedures: Vaccinations, Blood Draws, IV Cannulation, Injections, Lumbar Punctures.” AAP Virtual Pain Conference, November 18, 2023.

Eull, D. J. “The Comfort Promise™; Reducing Needle Pain and Changing Organizational Culture.” American Society of Pain Management Nurse (ASPMN), Minneapolis, Minnesota, September 21, 2023.

Eull, D. J. “Roll-out of a system wide Comfort Promise* to prevent pain and anxiety caused by needles: Overcoming myths and barriers.” Stad Center Global Lecture Series Webinar (Featured Speaker), January 5, 2023.

Eull, D. J. “The Comfort Promise; The How: Bringing Evidence to the Bedside.” International Pain Master Class UCSF, San Francisco, California, December 6, 2022.

Eull, D. J. The Comfort Promise; Utilizing improvement methodology to bring evidence to the bedside International Pain Master Class UCSF (Virtual), December 10, 2021. 

Eull, D. J. "The Children's Comfort Promise: Reducing pain with needles", The American Academy of Pediatrics, Virtual Pediatric Pain Conference, The American Academy of Pediatrics, June 01, 2021.

Eull, D. J. "The Children's Comfort Promise: Reducing pain with needles", The Society of Pediatric Nurses 31st Annual Conference; Converging ideas to create healthier future, The Society of Pediatric Nurses, April 01, 2021.

Eull, D. J. "Reducing Pain and Anxiety with Needle Procedures in Primary Care", The Children's Health Network, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. November 01, 2020.

Eull, D. J. "The Children's Comfort Promise", Children's Healthcare Canada National Conference, Ottawa, Canada. December 01, 2019.

Dr. Eull Has collaborated with colleagues on research involving quality of life and strength based coping in children and teens, and piloted a tool kit from AACN to develop self-care, wellbeing, resilience, and leadership in student nurses. Through this work, Dr. Eull has incorporated many of the strategies and knowledge she has acquired into the classroom, working from a strength based approach, and introducing the importance of wellbeing and self-care strategies for nurses.