Alfonzo Robinson

Office

Biography

Alfonzo Robinson is a nurse scholar and social scientist whose work is informed by a background spanning the social sciences, military service, nursing practice, and healthcare leadership. He began his undergraduate education in New York City, developing an early interest in social psychology and history before earning a bachelor's degree in psychology. After joining the U.S. Army, he served nearly nine years on active duty, beginning his healthcare career as a combat medic and later becoming a licensed vocational nurse. Following his military service, he earned his BSN and became a registered nurse, working across a variety of clinical and healthcare leadership settings.
His experiences in nursing ultimately brought him back to many of the social scientific questions that first interested him as an undergraduate. His scholarship examines power and professional agency in nursing, with particular attention to the structural and organizational conditions that shape nurses' ability to influence practice, the profession, and healthcare systems.
Outside of academia, Alfonzo enjoys road and trail running, cycling, and exploring new places with his wife. Together they share a home together with four cats.

Education

• PhD in Nursing, The University of Texas at Austin, 2026
• Graduate Certificate in Nursing Teaching, The University of Texas at Austin, 2026
• MS in Health Administration, Texas Tech University, 2021
• BS in Nursing, Texas Tech University, 2020
• BS in Psychology, Columbia Southern University, 2013

Degrees

Academic Interests

• Power and professional agency in nursing
• Nursing workforce and healthcare organizations
• Professional identity in nursing
• Nursing and health policy
• Qualitative research
• Critical and social scientific approaches to nursing

Selected Publications & Presentations

Selected Publications

• Phillips, C. S., Morris, S. E., Young, C. C., Thomas-Hebdon, M. C., Robinson, A., et al. (2025). Chemo chair conversations: A qualitative study of how life and death influence oncology nurses’ well-being and professional care. Seminars in Oncology Nursing. 
• Phillips, C. S., Thomas-Hebdon, M., Woods, H., & Robinson, A. (2026). The role of listening to nurse-focused songs to cope with work-related emotions in oncology nurses: An exploratory study. Arts & Health. [Accepted for publication] 

Selected Presentations

• Robinson, A. J. (2026). Rethinking nurse empowerment: Discursive mechanisms of power in nursing practice [Poster presentation]. Canadian Doctoral Nursing Network.
• Robinson, A. J. (2026). Nurse staffing policy and agency [Podium presentation]. Southwestern Social Science Association.
• Robinson, A. J. (2024). Relationships between resiliency and retention in nursing: A systematic review [Poster presentation]. 9th Annual Health Care Institute Conference, San Antonio, TX.