Choosing a career in healthcare, specifically nursing, was not an immediate or obvious decision for Barb St. Marie. She began college as a music major, but after experiencing a serious illness and being hospitalized, she changed her path and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

"Throughout the period that I was sick, there was a nurse holding my hand through the whole thing, and it just made me feel safe and comforted," St. Marie reflects. "And when I woke up the next morning, I told my family, that's what I want to do for others." 

This realization set the foundation for her career in nursing, with a particular focus on pain management and critical care. Her goal became clear: to alleviate pain and support those battling severe illnesses.

"That's kind of been my career—providing comfort," says St. Marie. "Working with people with critical disease and pain has been my life's work. And with the opioids we use for pain, it comes with the responsibility of knowing how to help people who develop opioid use disorder or have pain and substance use disorder."

This commitment led her to work at the University of Minnesota Pain Clinic, where she treated patients with both pain and addiction. During this time St. Marie noticed a significant gap in the available training and resources for managing opioid use disorder. "The idea of opioid use disorder secondary to the development of pain was not well-defined or recognized," St Marie says. 

"I decided to go back for my PhD to learn how to investigate, ask the right questions, and change our systems of care. This way, when we treat people with pain with opioids, we can help minimize the risk for misuse and development of opioid use disorder.”

St. Marie earned her PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee while maintaining a clinical practice in Minnesota. She recalls being introduced to the University of Iowa by Dr. Joanne Eland, who invited her for a tour that left a lasting impression. “It was all very exciting to see,” she says, noting the research opportunities and faculty expertise. When a postdoctoral position at the University of Iowa College of Nursing became available, St. Marie jumped at the opportunity. 

During her postdoc, St. Marie gained experience working alongside other researchers and observing how faculty balanced their roles in both clinical practice and academics. “It really allowed me to dive right in,” she says, adding that by the end of her postdoc she was eager to stay and continue her work. She joined the college faculty in 2014.

Teaching has become an integral part of St. Marie's career. Currently, she teaches pathophysiology, physiology, qualitative research, and pharmacology. She also mentors DNP and PhD students, guiding them in formulating research questions and designing projects to achieve meaningful results.

Outside of her teaching responsibilities, she is involved in two significant projects. 

One is nearing completion after years of data collection on individuals with opioid use disorder being treated with buprenorphine. Her study investigates the effectiveness of a TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) unit in reducing cravings, withdrawals, and pain. 

Additionally, last December St. Marie won a National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) startup challenge. The initiative supports groundbreaking research ideas in substance use disorders to develop successful biotech startups. Through the challenge, St. Marie and her team received monthly lectures and mentoring sessions in company and product development. In June, the team pitched their device to challenge leadership and received $10,000 in startup funds. 

St. Marie loves to hike when she's not working. 

"That's my number one hobby. I love being outside. I try to get outside as much as possible, breathe the air, see the trees, and experience the weather," she says. 

St. Marie has two adult children—one in Minneapolis and one in Milwaukee—three grandchildren and one granddog who all keep her busy. 

Reflecting on her time at the College of Nursing, St. Marie values collegiality among faculty at the college and throughout the University of Iowa. 

“Working with all nurses, whether undergraduate students, graduate or PhD students, or clinical practice nurses at the hospital or clinics, the collegiality is always there. Faculty are always willing to help each other. It speaks volumes to how wonderful it is to work here," she shares.