Elaine L. Larson, PhD, RN, FAAN, CIC

  • Anna C. Maxwell Professor Emerita of Nursing Research and Professor Emerita of Epidemiology
  • Special Lecturer in Nursing
Profile Headshot

Overview

Research Activities: Institutional Review Board and human subjects research; Development of antimicrobial resistance; Health-care associated infections.

Elaine Larson is Anna C. Maxwell Professor Emerita and Special Lecturer, Columbia University School of Nursing and was Professor of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, 1999-2020. She is a former Dean, Georgetown University School of Nursing. She is a Fellow in the National Academy of Medicine, Society for Healthcare Epidemiologists of America, Association of Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, American Academy of Nursing, and the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Dr. Larson has been a member of the Board of Directors, National Foundation for Infectious Diseases and the Report Review Committee, National Academy of Sciences. She has served on the Board of Scientific Counselors, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as the Chair of CDC’s Hospital Infection Control Advisory Committee (HICPAC). She has also chaired two institutional review boards—for Columbia and the New York Academy of Medicine—for several decades.

Dr. Larson received the first Pathfinder Award from the National Institute of Nursing Research in 2003, an International Nurse Researcher Award from Sigma Theta Tau in 2011, and the John Stearns Medal for lifetime achievement in clinical practice, New York Academy of Medicine, 2014, and the Walsh McDermott Medal from the National Academy of Medicine, 2017. She was Editor of the American Journal of Infection Control for 25 years (1995-2020) and has published more than 400 journal articles, four books and a number of book chapters in the areas of infection prevention, epidemiology, and clinical research and has served as a consultant in infection control and nursing in international settings. Currently Dr. Larson currently serves on the President's Advisory Committee to Combat Antibiotic Resistance and as a member of the Board of Directors, Certification Board for Infection Control.

Academic Appointments

  • Anna C. Maxwell Professor Emerita of Nursing Research and Professor Emerita of Epidemiology
  • Special Lecturer in Nursing

Administrative Titles

  • Director, Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Antimicrobial Resistance

Gender

  • Female

Credentials & Experience

Education & Training

  • PhD, University of Washington
  • MA, University of Washington
  • BSN, University of Washington

Committees, Societies, Councils

  • 2020: Certification Board for Infection Control
  • 2019: New York City Bar Association Committee on Bioethics
  • 2018: Presidential Advisory Committee to Combat Antibiotic Resistance
  • 2011: Committee on Gulf War and Health: Treatment of Chronic Multisystem Illness. Institute of Medicine
  • 2011: Chair, Institutional Revew Board, New York Academy of Medicine,
  • 2010: Chair, Committee to Identify Research Gaps for Personal Protective Equipment to Prevent Transmission of Respiratory Viruses in Health Care Workers, Institute of Medicine
  • 2008-10: Task Force on the Future of the Research-focused Doctorate. American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Washington DC,
  • 2006: Steering Committee, National Voluntary Consensus Standards for the Reporting of Healthcare-Associated Infection Data, The National Quality Forum, Washington DC
  • 2003-present: Conflict of Interest Committee, Columbia University Medical Center
  • 2002-present: Institutional Review Board, Columbia University Medical Center
  • 2001-present: Committee on Appointments and Promotion, Columbia University Medical Center
  • 2001-2007: Report Review Committee, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences
  • 2000-2005: Clinical Research Roundtable, Institute of Medicine
  • American Academy of Nursing
  • American Nurses' Association
  • Sigma Theta Tau
  • Institute of Medicine
  • Society of Healthcare Epidemiologists of America
  • Association of Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology
  • Infectious Diseases Society of America
  • Eastern Nursing Research Society

Honors & Awards

  • 2019: Honorary Distinguished Alumna Award, Columbia University School of Nursing
  • 2018: Walsh McDermott Medal for Distinguished Service, National Academy of Medicine
  • 2017: Designated as a Living Legend, American Academy of Nursing
  • 2012: National Institute of Nursing Research Director’s Lectureship Award
  • 2011: International Nurse Researcher, Sigma Theta Tau
  • 2009: 2008: Pioneering Spirit Award, American Association of Critical Care Nursing Lectureship, Society of Healthcare Epidemiology of America
  • 2008: Pioneering Spirit Award, American Association of Critical Care Nursing
  • 2006: Society of Scholars, Johns Hopkins University
  • 2004: Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, Fellow
  • 2004: Distinguished Research Award, University of Washington School of Nursing
  • 2003: Pathfinder Award, National Institute of Nursing Research
  • 2002: Elaine Larson Lectureship (endowed, named annual lectureship), Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology
  • 1998: National Academies of Practice, Distinguished Practitioner

Research

Prevention and control of infectious diseases, with emphasis on skin antisepsis and healthcare-associated infections

Research Interests

  • Antimicrobial resistance
  • Infection prevention and control
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Informed consent
  • Research ethics

Selected Publications

  • Conway LJ, Larson EL. Guidelines to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections: 1980 to 2010. Heart and Lung 2012; 41: 271-283.
  • Patel SJ, O'Toole D, Larson E. A new metric of antibiotic class resistance in gram-negative bacilli isolated from hospitalized children. Infect Contr Hosp Epidemiol 2012; 33:602-607.
  • Landers TF, Cohen B, Wittum TE, Larson EL. A review of antibiotic use in food animals: Perspective, policy and potential. Publ Health Rep 2012; 127:4-22.
  • Larson EL, Cortazal M. Publication guidelines need widespread adoption. J Clin Epidemiol 2011; 65:239-246
  • Larson EL, Cohen B, Gebbie K, Clock S, Saiman L. Interdisciplinary research training in a school of nursing. Nurs Outlook 2011;59:29-36.
  • Ferng YH, Wong-McLoughlin J, Barrett A, Currie L, Larson E. Barriers to mask wearing for influenza-like illness among urban Hispanic households. Publ Health Nurs 2011; 28:13-23.
  • Pogorzelska M, Stone PW, Cohn EG, Larson E. Changes in the institutional review board submission process for multicenter research over 6 years. Nurs Outlook 2010; 58:181-187
  • Dunn-Navarra AM, Cohen B, Stone PW, Pogorzelska M, Jordan S, Larson E. Relationship between systems-level factors and hand hygiene adherence. J Nurs Care Qual 2010; 25:ePub ahead of print.
  • Landers T, Apte M, Hyman S, Furuya Y, Glied S, Larson E. A comparison of methods to detect urinary tract infections using electronic data. Joint Comm J Qual Patient Safety 2010; 36:411-417.
  • Scanfeld D, Scanfeld V, Larson EL. Dissemination of health information through social networks: Twitter and antibiotics. Am J Infect Contr 2010; 38:182-188.
  • Honors & Awards
  • 2012 National Institute of Nursing Research Director's Lectureship Award
  • 2011 International Nurse Researcher, Sigma Theta Tau

Global Health Activities

Consultant to World Health Organization: Preparation of a global hand hygiene guideline.

Urban Health Activities

Home hygiene: Dr. Larson received an NIH grant to study the effects of use of antibacterial products for hand washing and home cleaning on infectious disease symptoms. There was no effect of using these products for a year on either infections or on bacterial counts on hands.

Use of antibiotics among Hispanics: Dr. Larson conducted surveys to determine the use of antibiotics and their availability in stores and bodegas.