Assistant Professor
Education
Biography
Dr. Akca Sumengen is an Assistant Professor at the Capstone College of Nursing (CCN) at the University of Alabama (UA). She obtained her BSN in 2013, MSc in Psychiatric Nursing in 2016, and PhD in Pediatric Nursing in 2020 from Koc University in Turkey. She has extensive clinical experience in Turkey, having worked as a staff nurse in pediatric wards and later as a team leader nurse in pediatric intensive care units at American Hospital and Koc University Research and Training Hospital in Istanbul, Turkiye. Her academic career began in 2016 as a lecturer at Bahcesehir University, followed by teaching roles at Koc University and Yeditepe University before joining CCN. Dr. Akca Sumengen has been a board-certified registered professional nurse since 2022.
With over 20 peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Akca Sumengen’s research is primarily focused on pediatric asthma management and healthcare innovation. She explores the effectiveness of game-based interventions in enhancing asthma control, patient knowledge, and self-management among children. Her research also evaluates pediatric asthma inhaler techniques, aiming to improve medication adherence and reduce emergency visits. Additionally, she is investigating technology-facilitated home environmental assessments, making asthma care more accessible for rural communities. Currently, she is in the implementation phase of her developed animation series and website while also working on the development of a biofeedback-based VR game aimed at teaching inhaler techniques to pediatric asthma patients.
Beyond asthma research, Dr. Akca Sumengen is dedicated to advancing pediatric healthcare through technological innovation. Her work includes exploring the effectiveness of technology-based symptom management interventions for pediatric oncology patients as well as the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in nursing practice, and 3D modeling applications for preoperative education in congenital heart diseases. She has also studied the effectiveness of school-based interventions in child abuse prevention.
As a nurse educator-scientist, Dr. Akca Sumengen has over seven years of experience teaching undergraduate and graduate-level nurses in pediatric nursing, research methodologies, health promotion, and innovation in healthcare. She also serves on dissertation committees, mentoring graduate students in their research endeavors. Her work has been showcased at national and international congresses, demonstrating her commitment to advancing pediatric healthcare through evidence-based research and innovative solutions.