Beyond the Bedside: Advancing Care Through Nursing Research, Magnet Excellence, and Interdisciplinary Partnership
June 9th, 2026
Improving outcomes, patient experience, and workforce sustainability demands research at the frontline. Meet nurse scientists, research scientists, and faculty from Stanford Health Care's Center for Education, Research & Professional Development (CERP) and the School of Medicine's PCPH Nursing Research Section who bridge evidence and practice. Learn how Magnet®-designated infrastructures, such as shared governance, professional practice standards, and a culture of inquiry drive measurable improvement. Discover ways clinicians, researchers, and leaders can partner with nursing and interprofessional teams to co-design, test, and scale innovations beyond the bedside.
Grissel Hernandez, PhD, MPH, RN, HNB-BC, NPD-BC, SGAHN, FADLN
Dr. Grissel Hernandez is Vice President of Professional Development, Research, and Magnet at Stanford Health Care, where she leads systemwide strategies for nursing workforce development, professional growth, research advancement, and the integration of Watson Caring Science. She also serves as Stanford Health Careʼs Magnet Program Director.
At Stanford University School of Medicine, Dr. Hernandez is the Section Chief for Nursing Research in the Primary Care and Population Health Division and holds a faculty appointment as Instructor of Medicine. In these roles, she provides vision and strategic direction for expanding the nursing research enterprise and cultivating scholarly practice across clinical settings.
An internationally recognized leader in Watson Caring Science, Dr. Hernandez has guided the implementation of Caring Science–based frameworks and capacity-building initiatives across Latin America, Europe, and the United States. Her work has strengthened leadership development, research capacity, and culturally responsive models of professional practice worldwide.
Dr. Hernandez is nationally board certified in Holistic Nursing and Nursing Professional Development. She is a Scholar of the Global Academy of Holistic Nursing (2021) and a Fellow of the Academy of Diversity Leaders in Nursing (2025). Her accolades include the inaugural 2025 ACNL DAISY Nurse Leader Award and the 2025 Silicon Valley Business Journal Latino Leadership Award. She currently serves as President of Stanford Medicine’s Alpha Alpha Lambda At-Large Sigma Chapter and the Watson Caring Science Institute (WCSI).
She holds degrees from UC Berkeley, the University of Pennsylvania, UCLA, and the University of Colorado. Her doctoral and postdoctoral work focused on nurse leaders lived experiences within the Watson Caring Science framework and the embodiment of Unitary Caring Science.
Outside of work, Dr. Hernandez enjoys reading, painting, traveling, and spending time with her husband, Brad, and their two rescue cats, Luci and Pepé.
