Dr. Yoder is an outcomes researcher and has spent most of her career working and conducting research in hospitals. Her areas of research have included examining patient care problems, the nursing work environment, career development relationships of nurses, and quality of life in patients with chronic illnesses, such as cancer, cardiovascular, and pulmonary disease as well as burn survivors. Dr. Yoder continues to collaborate with active duty military researchers, serving as a research mentor to new investigators. She also collaborates extensively with the hospital systems in the greater Austin area.