Lauren Zauche, PhD, CPNP-PC is a Senior Clinical Instructor at the Emory University School of Nursing. She completed her PhD in Nursing at Emory University in 2017 with a focus on preterm birth and infant development. Her dissertation research characterized and identified determinants of the auditory and language environment of preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. She is actively practicing as a primary care pediatric nurse practitioner. She has a BS in Biology and Peace Studies from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio and a BSN and MS from Emory University.

Head Zauche, L., Zauche, M.S., Williams, B.L., Dunlop, A.L. (2019) Predictors of parent visitation in the neonatal intensive care unit. Advances in Neonatal Care.

Head Zauche, L. Thul, T.A., Darcy Mahoney, A.E., Stapel-Wax, J.L. (2016). Influence of language nutrition on children's cognitive and language development: an integrated review. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 36: 318-333. doi: 10.1016/j.ecresq.2016.01.015

Head Zauche, L., Darcy Mahoney, A.E., Thul, T.A., Zauche, M.S., Weldon, A., Stapel-Wax, J.L. (2017) The power of language nutrition for children’s brain development, health, and future academic achievement. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 31(4): 493-504.

Darcy Mahoney, A.E., Head Zauche, L., Weldon, A., Stapel-Wax, J.L. (2017). Leveraging the skills of nurses and the power of language nutrition to ensure a better future for our children. Advances in Neonatal Care, 17(1): 45-52.

Head, L.M., Baralt, M., Darcy Mahoney, A.E. (2014). Bilingualism as a strategy to improve neurodevelopment in preterm infants. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, pii: S089-5245 (14): 00281-00288. doi: 10.1016/jpedhc.2014.08.015

Head , L.M. (2014). The effect of kangaroo care on neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants: a review. Journal of Perinatal and Neonatal Nursing, 28(4): 290-299. doi: 10.1097/JPN.0000000000000062

Head Zauche, L., Darcy Mahoney, A.E., Higgins, M.K. (2017) Predictors of co-occurring neurodevelopmental delays in children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 35: 113-119.

Darcy Mahoney, A.E., Minter, B., Higgins, M., Guo, Y., Wiliams, B.L., Head Zauche, L., Burch, K. (2017). Probability of an autism diagnosis by gestational age. Newborn and Infant Nursing Reviews, 16(4): 322-326.

Darcy Mahoney, A.E., Minter, B., Higgins, M., Guo, Y., Head Zauche, L., Hirst, J. (2017). Maternal and neonatal birth factors affecting the age of autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. Newborn and Infant Nursing Reviews, 16(4).

Han, Y., Faulkner, M.S., Fritz, H., Fadoju, D., Muir, A., Abowd, G.D., Head, L.M, Arriaga, R.I. (2015). A pilot randomized trial of text-messaging for symptom awareness and diabetes knowledge in adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Journal of Pediatric Nursing. doi: 10.1016/j.pedn.2015.02.002

Head Zauche, L. (2017). Rickets: Not just a disease of vitamin D deficiency. Journal of Pediatric Health Care (31)2: 235-240.

Head, L.M., Tang, X., Hayley, S.E., Goda, T. Umezaki, Y., Leslie, J.R. , Chang, E., Fuijwara, M., Garrity, P.A., Hamada, F.N. (2015). The influence of light on temperature preference in Drosophila. Current Biology, 25: 1-6. doi: 10.1016/jcub.2015.02.038

Kaneko, H., Head, L.M., Tang, X., Hamada, F.N. (2012). Circadian rhythm of temperature preference and its neural control in Drosophila. Current Biology, 22(19): 1851—1857.

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Lauren teaches in both the pre-nursing and undergraduate nursing programs. Her teaching includes classes on lifespan development, population health, pediatrics, and health assessment.

Her goal for teaching is to guide the development of students into reflective thinkers, nurse leaders, and caring, competent nurses. She sees the role of an educator as an extraordinary honor as she is charged with the responsibility to help her students achieve their dreams while having the opportunity to shape them into nurses that will be patient advocates and leaders in healthcare.

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Lauren Zauche’s research interests involve improving long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes and educational achievement of vulnerable infants and children, including preterm infants. More specifically, she is interested in investigating environmental influences that contribute to health and educational disparities in vulnerable infants and children and promoting language-rich interactions between parents and children.