Teaching
Dr. Cuellar is currently involved with teaching Nursing 270 Health Care of the Older Adult in the undergraduate program. She also guest lectures in a variety of courses on CAM perspectives, including culture, research, aging, pain, and use across the lifespan.

Research
Dr. Cuellar is currently involved in a variety of research projects related to sleep, CAM, RLS, and the older adult. She is currently in the process of completing two studies. The first looks at older adults and compares symptoms of primary and secondary RLS. The second project examines the prevalence of RLS in type 2 diabetics and outcomes of sleep and glycemic control. Preliminary data on this study shows that 43% of type 2 diabetics report symptoms of RLS. This finding may impact how we care for diabetics and implications for diabetic educators to teach their patients how to manage diabetes when RLS is exacerbated. The 3rd study is examining the use of valerian on sleep in persons with RLS. Dr. Cuellar has 2 other grants in review building on the valerian study in patients with RLS and the second grant examining the effects of mindfulness meditation on sleep in postwar Iraqi and Afghanistan veterans with PTSD.

Honors/Credentials
July 2004 - John A. Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing. Hartford Institute/AJN Geriatric Nursing Research Scholar. New York University.

Frank Morgan Jones Fund Pilot
A comparison of Idiopathic and Secondary Diagnosis of Elder Persons with Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)î Period: November 1, 2003 to August 31, 2004 Project Summary: The descriptive comparative project study will examine if differences exist between primary and idiopathic diagnosis of older adults with Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) and the effects of this diagnosis on sleep, symptom severity, fatigue, depression and quality of life. A variety of measurement instruments will be used to generate data necessary for further examination of conventional and non-conventional RLS treatment interventions.

Resulting Work
Cuellar, N. (2004). Diagnosis and Treatment of Persons with RLS. Clinical Excellence for Nurse Practitioners, 8(1), 5-13.

Cuellar, N., Galper, D., Taylor, A., D'Huyvetter, K., Miederhoff, P., & Stubbs, P. (2004). Use of Conventional and Non Conventional Practices in Persons with Restless Legs Syndrome. Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 10(3), 422-423.

Cuellar, N., Strumpf, N. & Ratcliffe, S. (in press). Symptoms of Restless Legs Syndrome in Older Adults: Outcomes on Sleep Quality, Sleepiness, Fatigue, Depression and Quality of Life. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (3.479)

Cuellar, N., Rogers, A.E., Hisghman,V., & Volpe, S. (in press). Assessment and Treatment of Sleep Disorders in the Older Adult. Geriatric Nursing. (.331)
Cuellar, N., Ratcliffe, S., & Chien, D. (2006). The Effects of Depression on Sleep Quality, Fatigue, and Sleepiness in Persons with Restless Legs Syndrome. The Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, 12, 262-271.

Cuellar, N., Lundy, K., & Callahan, V. (2001). Women's Health. In K.S., Lundy & S. Janes (Eds.). Community Health Nursing: Caring for the Public's Health. Boston, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. *Cuellar, N.G. (November 2005) Paper Presentation: RLS International Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL: ìThe use of CAM in RLSî. INVITED SPEAKER.

Cuellar, N.G. (November 2005) Colloquium Paper Presentation: Geriatric Society of America, New Orleans, LA: ìThe use of CAM in the Older Adult: Implications to Sleepî.

Cuellar, N.G. (April 2005) Paper Presentation: Eastern Nursing Research Society, pre-conference colloquia presentation, New York City, NY. ìRLS and Sleep: Implications to Health Outcomesî.

K01 Award - The use of Valerian on sleep in persons with restless legs syndrome Agency Reference #: K01-NR009570 National Institutes of Health 5/25/2007-4/30/2010