Peggy Compton

Peggy Compton has been named the van Ameringen Chair in Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. An associate professor in the family and community health department, in the School of Nursing, Dr. Compton is one of the few nurses working in the area of pain, opioids and addiction and how they intersect.

She has built a significant program of research that includes one of the most widely used tools available to physicians and nurse practitioners to evaluate risk for misuse of prescription opioids in chronic pain patients; highly regarded studies comparing different pharmacologic and behavioral interventions; and consistent publications in high impact journals in the field.

As an established mentor, she is sought out by pre- and post-doctoral students across disciplines working with them on related projects through to publications and on to positions as faculty in nursing and medical schools. She has also played an instrumental role in the development of professional practice guidelines on the management of pain in patients with substance abuse disorders.