College of Nursing Faculty & Staff


Mary Beth Makic

Mary Beth Makic PhD, RN, CCNS, CCRN, FAAN, FNAP, FCNS

(she/her/hers)
Professor Specialty Director of Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist Program
  • College of Nursing

Email Address:marybeth.makic@cuanschutz.edu

Primary Phone:303-724-8516

Mailing Address:
  • CU Anschutz

Education II North

13120 East 19th Avenue

Aurora, CO 80045

Mary Beth Flynn Makic, PhD, RN, CCNS, CCRN-K, FAAN, FNAP FCNS is a professor and specialty director of the Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist Program at the University of Colorado College of Nursing, Aurora. She is a research scientist at Denver Health and previously held the position of research nurse scientist, critical care, at the University of Colorado Hospital from 2008-2015 and was the clinical nurse specialist, for critical care from 1996-2008.

Makic earned a PhD in nursing at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, School of Nursing, Aurora, in 2007, a Master of Science in Nursing at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, in 1992, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from University of Wisconsin School of Nursing, Madison, in 1985.

Dr. Makic’s program of scholarship and research have focused on evidence integration and application of science that advances independent nursing practice. She has been a critical care clinician and clinical nurse specialist for more than 36 years and is well recognized as a leader in critical care. She is well known for her work leading efforts for nursing practice to be based on current best evidence and understanding clinical innovations that benefit nursing practice and patients alike. She is frequently sought as a keynote speaker to address strategies for overcoming barriers to evidence-based adoption, integration, and sustainment within organizations. Her career has been committed to interprofessional initiatives to advance the translation and sustained adoption of science into practice.

Makic is the editor of highly acclaimed textbooks: Trauma Nursing: Resuscitation through Rehabilitation, 5th edition; and Nursing Diagnosis Handbook: An Evidence-Based Guide to Planning Care, 13th Edition, and Introduction to Critical Care Nursing, 9th ed. She also is on the editorial board of AACN Advanced Critical Care Journal and Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing. She is the the past column editor, Critical Care corner, for the Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing. She recently completed a three-year term on the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) board of directors and currently is a co-lead for AACN Clinical Advisory Work Group. She has been a long time research grant reviewer for the Daisy Foundation that supports small grants to advance nursing research within clinical organizations.

Her other affiliations include membership in the Council for Advancement of Nursing Science (CANS), Sigma Theta Tau International, Critical Care Medicine, American Academy of Nursing, and National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS), She is co-chair of the Research and EBP committee for NACNS; a member of the special interest group, Clinical Nurse Scientists within CANS and active member on the acute and critical care expert panel with the American Academy of Nursing.

Among her many honors, She was inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing in 2012; The National Academies of Practice in 2013, and Fellow, Clinical Nurse Specialist Institute in 2019. Makic received the Nightingale Luminary Award recognition from the Central Colorado Area Health and Education Center in 2015. She has also received several teaching awards from the CU College of Nursing.

Makic was recently awarded the Elizabeth H Boeker Award which recognizes CU Nursing faculty for their excellence in research. She has numerous publications and presentations with over 110 journal publications and 70 book chapters. She has been recognized for her dedication to generating high quality research that informed nursing practice and impacted patient outcomes.

Education, Licensure & Certifications

  • PhD in Nursing, University of Colorado Health Science Center 2007
  • Master's in Nursing, University of Maryland at Baltimore 1992
  • Bachelor's in Nursing, University of Wisconsin, Madison 1985

Awards

  • CU Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Colorado Nursing Alumni Association Aurora, CO 2023
  • Named One of 30 Revolutionary Leaders in EBP, University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics Iowa City, IA, 2023
  • 8th Elisabeth H. Boeker Excellence in Research Award, University of Colorado College of Nursing, Aurora, CO 2021
  • AJN Annual Book award, Trauma Nursing, 1st place category: Critical Care-Emergency Nursing 2020
  • DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty 2020
  • Dean’s Teaching Award, University of Colorado College of Nursing Aurora, CO 2018
  • Board of Directors, American Association of Critical Care Nurses 2016-2019
  • Research Poster Award, American Burn Association 48th Annual Meeting 2016
  • Nightingale Luminary Honoree, Colorado AHEC 2015
  • Research Manuscript Award, Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing 2015
  • Magnet Nurse of the Year Award, University of Colorado Hospital 2014
  • JWOCN Clinical Manuscript Award, WOCN Association 2013
  • Fellow, National Academies of Practice 2013
  • Fellow, American Academy of Nursing 2012
  • Kathryn Smith Lastreto Mentor Award, Sigma Theta Tau, Alpha Kappa At Large 2012
  • Wound Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society & 3M Excellence in Skin Safety Award, honorable mention, WOCN 2012
  • Outstanding Research Award, Sigma Theta Tau, Alpha Kappa At Large 2010
  • Dean’s Teaching Award, University of Colorado College of Nursing 2010
  • Chancellor’s Teaching Award, University of Colorado College of Nursing 2009
  • Innovations in Evidence-Based Practice, National Nursing Staff Development Organization 2007
  • Colorado Patient Safety Awards, Colorado Coalition Patient Safety Network 2006
  • Chancellor’s Teaching Award, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center School of Nursing 2004
  • NurseWeek Finalist Innovation and Creativity in Nursing, Nurse Week 2003
  • President's Teaching Award, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center School of Nursing 2002
  • World Class Care Award, University of Colorado Hospital 2002
  • Mentoring and Development Award, Department of Professional Resources, University of Colorado Hospital 2002
  • Dean’s Teaching Award, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center School of Nursing 2001
  • NTI Planning Committee, AACN National Task Force NTI Work Group 1997-1998
  • Nominee, Colorado Nightingale Award 1997
  • Citation of Excellence in Nursing Education, Bayfront Medical Center 1993
  • Citation of Excellence in Research, Shock Trauma Clinical Institute MIEMMS 1991
  • Federal Nursing Traineeship for Graduate Education, University of Maryland at Baltimore 1990-1991

Affiliations

  • 2023 - Expert Panelist: Evidence-Based Practice Writing Guidelines: A Delphi Study. Maddie Whalen, PI, Baltimore, M.D.
  • 2022 - National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialist, Research and EBP Abstract Reviewer, 2023 Conference
  • 2022 - Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science, Research Abstract Reviewer, 2022 State of the Science Congress on Nursing Research, September 2022, Washington, D.C.
  • 2022-present - National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists, Co-Chair, Research and Evidence-Based Practice Committee
  • 2021-present - National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists, Member, Research and Evidence-Based Practice Committee
  • 2021 - National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialist, Member, Mapping CNS Competencies to the new AACN Essentials
  • 2020-present - American Association of Critical Care Nurses, Lead for the Clinical Practice Advisory Team
  • 2015-present - The Daisy Foundation Grant Reviewer
  • 2015 - American Association of Critical Care Nurses, Evidence-Based Practice Task Force
  • 2015-present - National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists
  • 2015-present - Clinical Nurse Specialist Journal. Peer manuscript reviewer
  • 2014 - American Association of Critical Care Nurses. Research Grant Proposal Reviewer
  • 2014-2018 - American Association of Critical Care Nurses. Practice Alert, Task Force Committee
  • 2013-2015 - University of Colorado Hospital and University of Colorado School of Medicine, Clinical Effectiveness and Patient Safety Small Grants Program, Committee Member
  • 2013-present - Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing Peer manuscript reviewer
  • 2012-present - American Association of Critical Care Nurses. Abstract Reviewer, Research and Evidence-Based Abstracts
  • 2012-present - The Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science (Member)
  • 2011-2013 - American Association of Critical Care Nurses. ACNCP/CCNS Virtual Exam Development Reviewer
  • 2010-2014 - American Association of Critical Care Nurses-Ambassador
  • 2010-present - American Nurses Association (Member)
  • 2010-2017 - Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society (Member)
  • 2008-present - Editorial Board Member, AACN Advanced Critical Care Journal
  • 2005-2007 - Board Director at Large of Alpha Kappa Chapter at Large; Sigma Theta Tau International
  • 2005-2009 - National Nursing Staff Development Organization (Member)
  • 2002-2005 - International Transplant Nurses Association (ITNS) and Colorado Transplant Nurses Association (CTNS) (Member)
  • 2000-2002 - Editorial Board Critical Care Nurse
  • 2000-2016 - Continuing Education Editorial Board NurseWeek
  • 1994-present - Denver Chapter of AACN (Member)
  • 1991-1994 - Metropolitan Orlando Chapter of AACN (Member)
  • 1989-1991 - Chesapeake Bay Chapter of AACN (Member)
  • 1989-present - American Journal of Nursing, AACN Advanced Critical Care, and Critical Care Nurse (Peer manuscript reviewer)
  • 1985-present - Sigma Theta Tau International (Member)
  • 1994-present - STTI: Alpha Kappa Chapter at Large (Member)
  • 1993-2008 - American Burn Association (Member)
  • 1990-present - Society of Critical Care Medicine (Member)
  • 1987-present - American Association of Critical Care Nurses (Member)

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