About Dr. Smith
Christopher (Chris) M. Smith, PhD, MSN, RN, GCQM is an Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing at Charlotte’s College of Health and Human Services. Dr. Smith earned a PhD in Nursing Science from East Carolina University (ECU). His Ph.D. dissertation included a rigorous systematic review which served as the foundation for scale development using a confirmatory factor analysis approach – both endeavors are published. During Dr. Smith’s doctoral studies, he earned a post-master’s certificate in Quantitative Methods for Social and Behavioral Sciences through ECU’s Department of Psychology, where he cultivated interests in psychometrics and latent variable modeling.
Educational Background
- PhD, 2022, East Carolina University
- Post-Master Certificate – 2021, ECU Dept of Psychology
- MSN, 2018, Appalachian State University
- BSN, 2016, Appalachian State University
- ADN, 2001, Wayne Community College
Methodological Interests
Dr. Smith’s methodological interests are primarily quantitative, multivariate, based in the regression tradition, and include psychometrics, structural equation modeling, latent variable modeling, linear mixed models, hierarchical models, and mediation/moderation/conditional processes. He also appreciates mixed methods and has experience with qualitative methodology including interpretive description and phenomenology as well as systematic review methods.
Primary Research Interest
Cardiometabolic health in rural populations with a focused interest in metabolic and inflammatory mechanisms that drive cardiovascular and blood pressure outcomes. Within this framework, Dr. Smith is particularly interested in biobehavioral relationships that support pillars of cardiometabolic health — nutrition, sleep hygiene, physical activity, and psychological wellness — and serve as critical targets for preventing and managing disease. This includes investigating strategies aimed at optimizing cardiometabolic pillars, including low-insulinogenic nutritional models, increased physical activity, pre-sleep optimization practices, mindfulness and contemplative meditative practices, and yoga. Broadly, Dr. Smith’s research emphasizes functional non-pharmacological strategies to prevent and detect illness and manage disease progression, promote person-centered care, and advance health equity and healthcare access in rural populations to improve cardiometabolic health outcomes.
Secondary Interest
Dr. Smith’s secondary and related research interest is in exploring the long-term impact of childhood abuse trauma on cardiometabolic health and how classical serotonergic psychedelics, such as LSD and psilocybin, may be leveraged to facilitate trauma processing. This approach is a novel method for indirectly addressing unhealthy behaviors that stem from the residual effects of childhood abuse trauma and is aimed at improving cardiometabolic health outcomes.
Collaboration
Dr. Smith is currently seeking collaborators.
Dr. Smith is passionate about interdisciplinary approaches to research and works well with others. He has been awarded two Sigma Theta Tau grants, and an Academy of Medical Sciences grant to support his research. Dr. Smith has disseminated his research via publications and conference presentations.
Select Publications
Smith, C. M., Bowler, M. C., & Horne, C. E. (2024). Beyond men’s experiences: Scale development and psychometric testing of the fitness in nursing scale – men (FiNS-M©). Journal of Nursing Measurement, 32(3), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1891/JNM-2023-0032
Smith, C. M., & Horne, C. E. (2024). Educational and professional experiences of men in nursing: An interpretive description study to guide change and foster inclusive environments for men in nursing. Journal of Professional Nursing, 53, 123-130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2024.05.008
Smith, C. M., Horne, C. E., & Wei, H. (2024). Nursing practice in modern healthcare environments: A systematic review of attributes, characteristics, and demonstrations. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 80(9), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.16088
Horne, C. E., Stayt, C., Schutz, S., Smith, C. M., Haberstroh, A., Bolin, L. P., Taylor, C. L., Moosavi, S. H., & Bibbey, A. (2023). Symptom experiences in hypertension: A mixed methods systematic review. Journal of Hypertension, 41(1), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1097/HJH.0000000000003306
Wei, H., Horns, P., Sears, S. F., Huang, K., Smith, C. M., & Wei, T. L. (2022). A systematic meta-review of systematic reviews about interprofessional collaboration: Facilitators, barriers, and outcomes. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 36(5), 735-749. https://doi.org/10.1080/13561820.2021.1973975
Smith, C. M., Lane, S. H., Brackney, D. E., & Horne, C. E. (2020). Role definitions and work relations experienced by men in nursing: A qualitative study through an interpretative description lens. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 76(5), 1211-1220. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.14330
Spare Time
Dr. Smith’s extracurricular interests include scientific writing and studying logic, philosophy (including Hellenistic varieties, Humeanism, skepticism, and causal determinism), Hatha yoga, nondual contemplative meditative philosophies (Buddhist: Dzogchen, Vipassana, Zen and Hindu: Advaita Vedanta, sādhanās, respectively), psychonautics, spirituality, and the evolution of human consciousness. Dr. Smith is active in the psychedelic science community and passionate about legislative reform aimed at re/descheduling classical psychedelics (LSD, psilocybin, mescaline & DMT), as well as harm reduction strategies, education, and safe use of psychedelics as pathways toward holotropism and psychological and spiritual wellness.