
Christine Tocchi
Ph.D., APRN, BC-GNP
Assistant Professor
University of Connecticut
School of Nursing
Storrs Hall
231 Glenbrook Road, Unit 4026
Storrs, Connecticut 06269
Research Interests
Frailty prevention in older adults
Care of elders
Health care for the older adult population
Palliative Care
Selected Publications
*Data-based manuscripts
- *Chyun, D.A., Obata, J., Kling, J., and Tocchi, C. (2000). A matched case-control study of in-hospital myocardial infarction mortality in patients with diabetes mellitus. American Journal of Critical Care, 9, 168-179
- *Inouye, S., Bogardus, S.T., Baker, K., Leo-Summers, L., Cooney, L., Hurst, L., Johnson, S., Aker, K., Tocchi, C., & Varano, S. (2000). The Hospital Elder Life Program: A model of care to prevent cognitive and functional decline in hospitalized older persons. Journal of the American Geriatric Society, 48, 1-10.
- *Van Cleave, J.H., Prvu Bettger, J., Foust, J., Tocchi, C., Shah, S., Naylor, M.D. (2010) Hours of Nursing Care in Transitional Care of Elders Enrolled in Home and Community Based Services, The Gerontologist, 50(Suppl 1), 499.
- Buck, H.G., Meghani, S., Prvu Bettger, J.A., Byun, E., Fachko, M.J., O’Connor, M., Tocchi, C., & Naylor, M. (2012). The Use of Comorbidities Among Adults Experiencing Care Transitions: A Systematic Review and Evolutionary Analysis of Empirical Literature. Chronic Illness 8(4):278–295. doi: 10.1177/1742395312444741 PMID: 22514061
- Kazer, M., Grossman, R., Kris, A., & Tocchi, C. (2013). Validity and reliability of the geriatric sexuality inventory. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 39, 38-45. Doi: 10.3928/00989134-20130916-03. PMID: 24066785
- *Tocchi, C., Dixon, J., Naylor, M., Jeon, S., & McCorkle, R. (2014). Development of a Frailty Measure for Older Adults: The Frailty Index for Elders (FIFE), The Journal of Nursing Measurement 22(2): 223-240. Doi: 10.3928/00989134-20130916-03 PMID: 25255675
- *Tocchi, C, McCorkle R, Knobf, MT. (2015). Multidisciplinary specialty teams: A selfmanagement program for patients with advanced cancer. Journal of Advanced Practitioner in Oncology,6(5), 408-416. PMCID: PMC4803459
- Tocchi, C. (2015). Frailty in Older Adults: An evolutionary concept analysis. Research and Theory for Nursing Practice: An International Journal, 29, 66-84 PMID: 25799697
- *Tocchi, C., McCorkle, R., Dixon, J. (2016) Frailty Determinants in Two Long-Term Settings: Assistant Living Facilities and Home and Community-Based Programs. Home Health Care Services Quarterly. PMID: 27901402. Doi: 10.1080/01621424.2016.1264342
- *Chang, P. S., Knobf, M. T., Oh, B., Lazenby, M., Tocchi, C., & Funk, M. (2017). Physical & psychological effects of qigong exercise in community-dwelling older adults: An exploratory study. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 39, 1374-1375.
- Molloy, M. A., Cary, M., Brennan-Cook, J., Cantey, D. S., Tocchi, C., Bailey, D. E. & Oermann, M. H. (2018). Preparing clinicians for transitioning patients across care setting and into the home through simulation. Home Healthcare Now, 36, 225-231.
- *Koesel, N., Burke, L., Yap, T., Harrison, A., & Tocchi, C. (2019) Implementation of oncology palliative care guidelines to improve symptom distress in advanced cancer. Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, 23, 149-155. DOI:10.1188/19.CJON.149-155
- *Brennan-Cook, J, & Tocchi, C. (2019). When the patient has vague symptoms, ask the right questions. Journal for Nurse Practitioners. 15,e185-189. DOI.10.1016/j.nurpra.2019.03.017
- Anderson, C., Tocchi, C, Morrison, L., & Rackley, C. (2019). A smart phrase to improve documentation of supportive measures for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Journal for Nurse Practitioners. DOI.10.1016/j.nurpra.2019.09.008
Honors & Awards
Nightingale Award for Excellence in Nursing, April 2004
Bridgeport Hospital Certificate of Excellence in Career Development, December 2003
John A. Hartford Building Academic Nursing Geriatric Capacity Predoctoral Scholarship, July 2009 - July 2011
Duke University Leadership Development for Researchers (LEADER); competitive selection, Fall, 2016
Distinguished Educator in Gerontological Nursing September, 2019
Gerontological Advanced Practice Nursing Association Poster Award (3rd Place), October 2019