Susan Larsen Beck, PhD, APRN, FAAN, AOCN, is a professor at the University of Utah College of Nursing where she teaches in the doctoral program. She is an investigator of the Huntsman Cancer Institute and a member of the Cancer Control and Population Sciences Program. Dr. Beck’s research interests include the management of symptoms in cancer patients and organizational interventions to improve the quality and outcomes of care.
Dr. Beck’s research focuses on improving patient outcomes including the symptom experience and quality of life in individuals with cancer. She is testing technology-enhanced interventions to improve patient outcomes. She was a Principal Investigator of a multi-site clinical trial of a nursing intervention to mitigate cancer treatment-related symptoms in older men with prostate cancer. She also lead a research team measuring and improving the quality of nursing and interdisciplinary care related to pain management in individuals with cancer or receiving surgery for a potential cancer.
Dr. Beck earned a master’s degree at the University of Pittsburgh and a PhD from the University of Utah. Dr. Beck has over 30 years of experience as an advanced practice oncology nurse and holds national certification as an Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse (AOCN). She was the 2012 ONS Distinguished Nurse Researcher.