Faculty

Rita A. Frantz, PhD, RN, CWCN, FAAN

Rita Frantz joined the University of Iowa College of Nursing in 1972, has served several years as Professor and Chair of the Systems and Practice Area of Study, and was appointed Dean effective July 1, 2007.

Over the past 15 years, Dr. Frantz has conducted a program of research focusing on skin and wound care in long-term care settings. Her research has included two NINR-funded studies on the efficacy of electrical stimulation on pressure ulcer healing. Other areas of investigation have included the physiological response of tissue to various support surfaces, and the cost-effectiveness of various pressure ulcer treatment protocols. She is presently a co-principal investigator on an NIH-funded study, "Biophysical Determinants of Diabetic Foot Ulcer Healing." Nationally known for her research and extensive publications on skin and wound care, Dr. Frantz consults widely on management of pressure ulcers and other chronic wounds. She also serves as a Clinical Associate in Nursing at the Iowa Veteran's Home in Marshalltown, IA, a 750-bed long-term care facility, where she conducts a wound care clinic via telemedicine.

Current Research :
Chronic Wound Healing
Gerontological Nursing Interventions
Research Center (GNIRC)