Gisli Kort Kristofersson, PHD, RN, PMHCNS-BC

Gisli worked as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Adult Psychiatry in community mental health from 2008 to 2012 in an underserved neighborhood in Minneapolis, MN, and in private practice from 2012 to 2014 in Minneapolis, MN. Upon his return to Iceland in August 2014 Gisli started working at Akureyri Hospital as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in an interdisciplinary team specifically developed to address the mental health needs of children and adolescents in rural settings.
Gisli was awarded his PhD in Nursing from the University of Minnesota in August 2012. During his graduate studies Gisli worked extensively with the University of Minnesota Center for Spirituality & Healing and completed a Graduate Minor in Complementary and Healing Practices from the Center. Both his research and clinical interests lie in the field of integrative mental health. His most recent research focuses on the adaption and efficacy of a mindfulness based intervention for persons suffering from traumatic brain injury and substance use disorders.

Besides his faculty position at the University of Akureyri, Gisli currently holds adjunct faculty positions at the University of Minnesota School of Nursing, and University of Minnesota Center for Spirituality and Healing as an Assistant Professor.

Research Interests

Integrative Mental Health, Mindfulness and Mental Health, Spirituality and Mental Health, Psychiatric Nursing

Awards

2014: The Daisy Faculty Award in Recognition of Excellence for Out of the Box Thinking

2011-2012: The Cynthia Kelley O'Neill fellowship for Psychiatric Nursing for the 2011-2012 academic year at the University of Minnesota.

2010: Recipient of the Adolf Hjartarson memorial scholarship from the Icelandic Nurses Association

2010-2011: Interdisciplinary Fellow, University of Minnesota, Graduate School, Center of Spirituality and Healing

2010: Accepted as member of Sigma Theta Tau Honors society

2009: Recipient of the Connie Delaney Scholarship for the school year of 2009-2010

2009: Recipient of the Icelandic American Val Bjornson/IERSP Scholarship for the 2009-2010 academic year at the University of Minnesota

2008: Recipient of the Margret Bjorgulfsdottir Scholarship

2008: Recipient of the 2008 Landsbanki Student Scholarship

2007: Janssen scholar for the 2007 American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) annual conference

2007: The Cynthia Kelley O'Neill Scholarship for Psychiatric Nursing for the 2007-2008 academic year at the University of Minnesota.

Publications

Journals

Kristofersson, G. K., & Kaas, M. J. (2013). Stress Management Techniques in the Prison Setting. Journal of Forensic Nursing, 9(2), 111-119. doi:10.1097/JFN.0b013e31827a5a89

Book Chapters

Kristofersson, G. K. Gunnarsdottir, T. J. (2014). Integrative Nursing in Iceland.  In Integrative Nursing. Kreitzer, M. J. and Koithan, M. (Ed). Oxford University Press, USA

Kaas, M. K., Kristofersson, G. K., and Towey., S. (2014).  Mood Disturbances. In Integrative Nursing. Kreitzer, M. J. and Koithan, M. (Ed). Oxford University Press, USA

Kaas, M. K., Peterson, M.K., and Kristofersson, G. K. (2014). Mental Health Models in Integrative Nursing.  In Integrative Nursing. Kreitzer, M. J,. and Koithan, M. (Ed). Oxford University Press, USA

Presentations

• Research Day: Psychiatric Nursing. Keynote. Mindfulness for individuals suffering from traumatic brain injury and substance use disorders. January 30th 2015.
• Introduction of the Interdisciplinary child and adolescent psych BUG team at the Akureyri Hospital. Kristofersson, G, Kjartansdóttir, A. Nóvember 21st. 2014
• Poster Presentation. American Psychiatric Nurses Association 2014 Annual Conference. Improving Integrative Mental Health Care through Interprofessional Education Authors: Peterson, B., Kaas, M., Kristofersson, G., Pittinger, A., Jones, T., Bourland, C., Ward, A., Yang, P., Lantz, M., & Knutson, L. October 22-25, 2014. Indianapolis, IN.
• The second annual Bringing an Integrative Approach to Psychiatric Mental health Care conference. Integrative Mental Health: An International Perspective, Bloomington, Minnesota, October 25th 2013
• 7th Annual Thoracic Oncology Nurses Conference. Resiliency in Healthcare Professionals. Minneapolis, Minnesota, October 19th, 2013.
• National Association of Social Workers. Psychopharmacology.in Integrative Mental Health. St. Paul, Minnesota, September 19th, 2013
• Breaking Barriers. The Nordic Conference of Mental Health Nursing. The Effects of a Mindfulness Based Intervention on Impulsivity, Symptoms of Depression, Anxiety, Experiences and Quality of Life of Persons Suffering from Substance Use Disorders and Traumatic Brain Injury. Breakout session. Reykjavik, Iceland, September 13th, 2013.
• A presentation on Integrative Mental Health in a Community Setting, at CUHCC. Approved for CEUs at the University of Minnesota. Minneapolis, Minnesota, April 24th, 2013
• Presentation at Banquet to honor the collaboration between University of Iceland and University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, October 10th 2012
• The first annual Bringing an Integrative Approach to Psychiatric Mental health Care conference. Two break-out sessions on Mindfulness and Mental Health, Minneapolis, Minnesota, September 27th 2012
• PhD Public defense. The Effects of a Mindfulness Based Intervention on Impulsivity, Symptoms of Depression, Anxiety, Experiences and Quality of Life of Persons Suffering from Substance Use Disorders and Traumatic Brain Injury. Minneapolis, MN. Minneapolis, MN, August 29th, 2012.
• A presentation for Case Managers at CUHCC on suicide assessment and fundamentals of crisis intervention, Minneapolis, Minnesota, February 1st 2012
• 2011 NABIS conference. A Program To Enhance Mindfulness Skills In Patients Suffering From Substance Abuse Related Disorders And Traumatic Brain Injury (First Author). New Orleans, Louisiana, October 2011.
• Mindfulness and Traumatic Brain Injury: An Adapted Mindfulness-Based Meditation Program. A talk delivered at the Consumer and Family Conference 2011, of The Brain Injury Association of Minnesota: Journey to Wellness: Body. Balance. Being. Apple Valley, Minnesota, August 13th, 2011.
• Poster Presentation. 2011 Federal Interagency Conference on Traumatic Brain Injury. A Program To Enhance Mindfulness Skills In Patients Suffering From Substance Abuse Related Disorders And Traumatic Brain Injury. (First author). Washington DC, June 2011.
• Evaluating the Effects of an Adapted Mindfulness-Based Meditation Program Among Vinland's Clients Delivered at Adapting Programs for Individuals with Cognitive Deficits:A Chemical Health Conference Offered by Vinland National Center. Loretto, Minnesota, June 1st, 2011
• A presentation on the adaptation and applicability on mindfulness based intervention on persons suffering from mental health problems, at CUHCC. Approved for CEUs at the University of Minnesota. Minneapolis, Minnesota, May 5th, 2011
• Poster Presentation. 2011 Doctoral Research Showcase. Mindfulness for persons suffering from substance use disorders and traumatic brain injury. Minneapolis, Minnesota, April, 2011.
• Poster Presentation APNA 2008, Annual conference, Stress Management Techniques in Prison, Minneapolis, MN, October, 2008
• Poster Presentation. University of Minnesota, Research day, Stress Management Techniques in Prison, May 2008
• A presentation for Case Managers at CUHCC on spirituality and mental health. Minneapolis, May 18th, 2008
• A presentation for Veterans Administration Medical Center clients on spirituality and mental health, Minneapolis, Minnesota, April 17th 2008
• Interactive Scenario Builder, Motivational Enhancement Therapy for Alcohol Abuse. Presented online for classmates and teachers Fall semester. Minneapolis, Minnesota, Dec. 13th  2007
• Staff education on the usefulness of twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous and the “illness” model of AA in non-CD mental health settings at Landspitali: University Hospital, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Reykjavik, January 18th  2006
• Presentation for the Psychiatric  nursing “complex” of Landspitali: University hospital on my BSN Thesis, Alcohol Treatment Outcome Studies, Reykjavik, November 14th 2005
• Staff education on nursing registration procedures at Landspitali: University Hospital, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Reykjavik, October 12th 2005
• The graduates class speaker for the class of 2004, from the Department of Nursing, University of Iceland. Reykjavik, May 19th 2005
• Poster Presentation. University of Iceland, Research day, Alcohol Treatment Outcome Studies, May, 2004

Clinical/Patient Care Experience

2014: Clinical Nurse Specialist, Akureyri Hospital
2012-2014: An independently practicing Psychiatric/Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist
2008-2012: A Psychiatric/Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist at Community University Health Care Center (CUHCC), University of Minnesota
2007: North Memorial Health Care Center, Crisis Intervention Unit, Staff RN
2005-2006: Landspitali: University Hospital, Child and Adolescent Units, Staff RN
2004-2005: Landspitali: University Hospital, Chemical Dependency Unit, 33-A, Staff RN
2002-2004: Landspitali: University Hospital, Oncology Unit, 11-E. Staff RN and RN student
2001: Landspitali: University Hospital, Rehabilitation Unit, R-2. RN Student
1999-2001: Eir, Nursing home. RN student and Nurses aid. Reykjavik, Iceland