Deborah Saber

Research Interests

  • Waste Management of Infectious Patients
  • Nursing Work Environment/Job Satisfaction
  • Food System Sustainability in Hospitals

Research Projects:

Articles/Presentations

Education

  • Ph.D., Nursing, University of Central Florida
  • M.S., Nursing Administration, DePaul University
  • B.S.N, Vanderbilt University

Profile:

Deborah is a member of the Mitchell Center Materials Management Research Team. Her research/scholarship focus aligns with the Mitchell Center’s mission of “improving well-being while protecting the environment” as her interests concern environmental sustainability within the field of healthcare.

In 2016, her research focused exclusively on solid waste and disposal processes for patients with multi-drug resistant organism infections (MDROs). She conducted a study during the summer of 2016 and disseminated findings at the 2016 Eastern Maine Medical Center Expo and 2017 Maine Sustainability and Water Conference. A manuscript disclosing full study results was accepted for publication in the Online Journal of Issues in Nursing. In addition, the Maine Journal of Conservation and Sustainability published a piece about the concerns of waste disposal for hospitalized infectious patients. Her research broadened through interdisciplinary research with the Materials Management Team to include food system sustainability.

Currently, Dr. Saber is examining microbial movement of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and COVID-19 in healthcare environments in relation to the cost (economic and environmental) of isolation precautions and use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Selected Publications

Saber, D. (2020). Healthcare’s Role in Environmental Sustainability. American Nurse Today.

Dreyer, S. J., Kurz, T., Prosser, A. M., Abrash Walton, A., Dennings, K., McNeill, I., Saber, D. A., & Swim, J. K. (2020). Towards a psychology of the food‐energy‐water nexus: Costs and opportunities. Journal of Social Issues, 76(1), 136-149.

Saber, D. A., & Silka, L. (2020). Food waste as a classic problem that calls for interdisciplinary solutions: A case study illustration. Journal of Social Issues, 76(1), 114-122.

Lewis‐Pierre, L., Anglade, D., Saber, D., Gattamorta, K. A., & Piehl, D. (2019). Evaluating horizontal violence and bullying in the nursing workforce of an oncology academic medical center. Journal of nursing management, 27(5), 1005-1010.

Saber, D., Howlett, B., Waterman, T., deTantillo, L. (2018). Solid Waste and Disposal Processes for Isolated Patients with Infectious Disease. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 23(2). doi: 10.3912/OJIN.Vol23No02PPT33

Saber, D. (2017). Disposal of medical wastes from infectious hospitalized patients: A mandate for re-examining current practices. The Maine Journal of Conservation and Sustainability. Retrieved at https://umaine.edu/spire/

Saber, D., Strout, K., Swanson-Caruso, L., Ingwell-Spolan, C. (2017). An Interprofessional Approach to Continuing Education with Mass Casualty Simulation: Planning and Execution. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 48(10), 447-453.

Strout, K., Saber, D., Swanson-Caruso, L., Ingwell-Spolan, C., Koplovsky, A., Caron, E., Federico, J., Hulst, C., Etro, I., (2017). Interprofessional mass casualty incident simulation design protocol to prepare prelicensure nursing students to respond to a disaster. Nurse Educator, 42(5).

Saber, D., Anglade, D., & Schirle, L. (2015). A study examining senior nursing students’ expectations of work and the workforce. Journal of Nursing Management. doi: 10.1111.jonm.12322

Saber, D. (2014). Front-line registered nurse job satisfaction and predictors over three decades: A meta-analysis from 1980-200. Nursing Outlook, 62, 402-414. doi: 10.1016/j.outlook.2014.05004