Connell School of Nursing

Ann Wolbert Burgess, DNSc, RNCS, FAAN

professor - psychiatric/mental health

ann burgess

Office

Cushing Hall 414
617-552-6133
ann.wolbertburgess.1@bc.edu



educational history

  • DNS Boston University
  • MS University of Maryland
  • BS Boston University

recent publications

Books
  • Roberts, AR & Burgess, AW. Victimology: Past, Present and Future. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc. (est. 2008).
  • Ledray, L.,  Burgess, AW  & Giardino, A. (eds.) Medical Aspects of Adult Sexual Assault . GW Medical Publishing. (est. 2008)
  • Burgess, A.W. Violence Through a Forensic Lens. King of Prussia, PA, Nursing Spectrum, 2000.  Received the 2000 American Journal of Nursing Book of the Year Award. 2/edition 2002.
Book Chapters
  • Burgess AW. (2005) Putting Trauma on the Radar Screen. . In C.R. Figley (ed.) Mapping the Wake of Trauma: Autobiographical Essays by the Pioneers of Trauma Research. New York: Routledge
  • Shindul-Rothschild, J. & Burgess, A.W. Psychiatric Nursing.  In Mental Health Experts: Roles & Qualifications for Court, (Eds.) F.M. Dattilio & R.L. Sadoff. Mechanicsburg, PA: Pennsylvania Bar Institute, 2002.
Articles
  • Morgenbesser, L.I., Burgess, A.W. & Safarik, M.E. (in press) Motives in a Triple Spree Homicide. Victims & Offenders, 3(1).
  • Fox, J.A., Burgess, A.W., Levin, J., Wong, M. & Burgess, A.G. (2007) Seattle’s Capitol Hill Mass Murder. Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention.
  • Burgess, A.W., Commons, M.L., Safarik, M.E., Looper, R.R., & Ross, S.N. (2007) Sex Offenders of the Elderly: Typology and Predictors of Severity of Crime. Aggression and Violent Behavior.
  • Burgess AW (2007) How many red flags does it take? American Journal of Nursing, 107(1):28-31.
  • Burgess, A.W. & Clements, P.T. (2006) Information processing of sexual abuse in elders. Journal of Forensic Nursing, 2(3):113-120.
  • Burgess, A.W., Lewis-O’Connor & Nugent-Borakove, M.E. (2006) SANE/SART services for sexual assault victims: Policy implications. Victims and Offenders, 1:215-212.
  • Burgess AW, Watt ME, Brown, KP, Petrozzi D. (2006) Management of Elder Sexual Abuse Cases in Critical Care Settings.  Critical Care Nursing.
  • Burgess, A.W., Burgess, A.G., Kohler, S, Dominick, J, & Wecht, C. (2005) Age-Based  Factors in Femicide 51-157.
  • Burgess AW, Brown K, Bell K, Ledray L,Porch JC (2005) Sexual Abuse of the Elderly. American Journal of Nursing. 105(10):66-71
  • Burgess AW, Garbarino C. & Scanlon M. (2005) Pathological bullying turned deadly.: Shooters and suicide Victims and Offenders, 1(1):1-14.
  • Alexy, EM, Burgess, AW, Baker, T & Smoyak, SA (2005) Perceptions of cyberstalking among college students. Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention 5(3)279-289.
  • Burgess AW & Hartman CR (2005)  Child abduction. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing. 43(9): 23-28.
  • Alexy EM, Burgess AW & Baker T (2005) Internet offenders. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 20(7): 804-811.
  • Burgess AW & Hartman CR (2005) Children’s adjustment 15 years following daycare abuse. Journal of Forensic Nursing 1(2): 5-9
  • Burgess AW (2005) Death by catheterization. American Journal of Nursing, 105(4):56-9
  • Burgess AW and Morgenbesser LI (2005) Sexual violence and seniors. Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention 5(2):193-202.
  • Hanrahan NP, Burgess AW and Gerolamo A (2005) Core data elements tracking elder sexual abuse. Clinics in Geriatric Medicine 21(2):413-427.
  • Burgess AW, Hanrahan NP and Baker T (2005) Forensic markers in elder sexual abuse. Clinics in Geriatric Medicine 21(2):399-412.
  • Burgess, AW and Hanrahan, N. (2004) Issues in elder sexual abuse. Nursing and Health Policy, 3(1), 5-17.
  • Burgess, A.W., Wright, Melvin (2004) Born in a diaper. American Journal of Nursing. 104(4):66-69.
  • Burgess, A.W., Baker, T, Rabun, J. and Nihirny, K. (2004) Family response to Violent Infant Kidnapping. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing.  42(4):18-27.
  • Burgess, A.W., Berger, A., and Boersma, R (2004) Forensic nursing: A graduate nursing specialty, American Journal of Nursing, 104(3):58-64.
  • Brewer-Smyth, K., Burgess, A.W. and Shults, J. (2004)  Physical and sexual abuse, salivary cortisol, and neurological correlates of violent criminal behavior in female prison inmates. Biological Psychiatry, 55/1, pp. 30-40.
  • Baker, T., Burgess, A.W., Rabun, J. and Nahirny, C. (2002)  Abductor violence in non-family infant kidnapping. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 17 (1), 1218-1233.
  • Burgess, A.W., Baker, T., Nahirny, C. and Rabun, J. (2002) Newborn kidnapping by cesarean section. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 47 (4):827-830.
  • Clements, P.A. and Burgess, A.W. (2002) Children's reponse to family member homicide.  Family and Community Health, 25 (1):32-42.l .
  • Burgess, A.W., Carr, K.E., Nahirny, C., & Rabun, J.B. (in press). Non-Family Infant Abductors: 1983-2006, American Journal of Nursing.
  • Burgess, A.W., Ramsey-Klawsnik, H. and Gregorian, S.B. (in press). Comparing routes of reporting in elder sexual abuse cases.  Journal of Elder Abuse and Neglect.









Dr. Ann Wolbert Burgess is an internationally recognized pioneer in the assessment and treatment of victims of trauma and abuse. She has received numerous honors including the Sigma Theta Tau International Audrey Hepburn Award, the American Nurses’ Association Hildegard Peplau Award, and the Sigma Theta Tau International Episteme Laureate Award. Her courtroom testimony has been described as “groundbreaking,” and she has been called a “nursing pathfinder.”

Her research with victims began when she co-founded, with Boston College sociologist Lynda Lytle Holmstrom, one of the first hospital-based crisis counseling programs at Boston City Hospital. She then worked with FBI Academy special agents to study serial offenders, and the links between child abuse, juvenile delinquency, and subsequent perpetration. Her work with Boston College nursing colleague Carol Hartman led to the study of very young victims and the impact of trauma on their growth and development, their families and communities. Her work continues in the study of elder abuse in nursing homes, cyberstalking, and Internet sex crimes. She will be teaching courses in Victimology, Forensic Science and Crime and Justice.


research interests

Psychiatric/Mental Health Response patterns of crime victims; internet crimes against children


appointments & awards

  • University Distinguished Teaching Award. Boston College. May 2007.
  • Editorial Board:
    - Journal of Family Violence
    - American Journal of Psychotherapy
    - Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention
    - Victims & Offenders
  • Associate Editor - The Journal of Psychotherapy:  Practice and Research
  • Contributing Editor - Sexual Assault Report