2011 UCF NURSING MAGAZINE, vol. 6 by UCF College of Nursing

Nursing

magazine

Volume 6 UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA

COLLEGE OF NURSING

ORLANDO, FLORIDA

www.nursing.ucf.edu

Moving the

College Forward

UCF at a Glance UCF Stands For Opportunity: The University of Central Florida is a metropolitan research university that ranks as the 2nd largest in the nation with more than 56,000 students. UCF’s first classes were offered in 1968. The university offers impressive academic and research environments that power the region’s economic development. UCF’s culture of opportunity is driven by our diversity, Orlando environment, history of entrepreneurship and our youth, relevance and energy.

• 12 colleges offering 183 bachelor’s and master’s degrees and 29 doctoral programs • 2rd-largest public university in the nation • 2nd-highest number of National Merit Scholars in state for first-time-in-college students; Top 50 in U.S. • Designated a university with “very high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching • Top 10 among U.S. universities for the power and impact of patents • Ranked 7th, “Top Up-and-Coming” national university by U.S. News & World Report • Recognized as one of the nation’s “Best Value” colleges and universities by The Princeton Review and Kiplinger • Named “A Curricular Engagement and Outreach & Partnerships University” by Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching—UCF students contributed 889,000 hours in service-learning and community service • Medical college anchors a new medical city that is projected to generate more than $7 billion in annual economic activity—In 2008, UCF became the first U.S. med school to offer scholarships to an entire class • Highest all-sports GPA of any public university in Conference USA

University of Central Florida

FACILITIES

2009-2010

1,415 acres (main campus), approximately one-third of which is managed for conservation

$133 million

OPER ATIN G B U DGET 2010-2011

$1.3 billion

EN DOWMEN T ASSETS June 30, 2010

• 180 buildings • Housing: 7,746 beds • Bright House Networks Stadium, 45,000-seat capacity

$102 million

U CF EN R OLLME N T Top 5 majors 1. Psychology 2. Molecular Biology and Microbiology 3. Nursing 4. Biology 5. General Business

EMPLOYEES TOTAL: 10,152 Faculty: 1,727 Staff: 8,425

Unless otherwise indicated, figures are for Fall 2010

R ESEA R CH FU N DIN G

Stands for Opportunity

TOTAL: 56,235 Undergraduate: 47,580 Graduate: 8,555 Medical Professional: 100 • Hispanic (15.6%), African-American (9.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (5.4%) • Students come from 63 Florida counties, 50 states and 140 countries • 76% of undergraduate students receive financial aid • $60.9 million awarded to Bright Futures students (second largest amount in Florida)

Inside this Issue Nursing

FEATURES

magazine

2011—Volume 6 College leadership Jean D’Meza Leuner, Ph.D., RN, CNE Dean and Professor Susan Chase, Ed.D., ARNP, FNP-BC, FNAP Associate Dean for Graduate Affairs and Professor Linda M. Hennig, Ed.D., RN Associate Dean for Undergraduate Affairs Endowed Chairs / Professors Karen Aroian, Ph.D., RN, FAAN Chatlos Endowed Professor of Nursing

Orlando Health strengthens Research Partnership

College moves to Research Park

Angeline Bushy, Ph.D., RN, FAAN Bert Fish Eminent Scholar Endowed Chair Mary Lou Sole, Ph.D., RN, CCNS, CNL, FAAN, FCCM Orlando Health Distinguished Professor

UCF Nursing Magazine is published annually by the College of Nursing at the University of Central Florida for alumni, friends, national nursing leadership, community partners, students, faculty, staff and the media. Send correspondence to: UCF College of Nursing Attn: Editor, UCF Nursing Magazine 12201 Research Parkway, Suite 300 Orlando, Florida 32826 For address changes, alumni notes, story ideas or photo submission, email: nursingmag@ucf.edu

Bridging Technology and Nursing Research

SECTIONS Dean’s Message:

Editor / Design Carolyn M. Petagno

College:

Contributors

Join our nursing faculty: UCF is just a short drive from downtown Orlando, world-famous theme parks, and sunny beaches.

PAG ES 6 -15

Academics:

Cover Image: Courtesy of Spencer Freeman, Florida Hospital

For Employment Opportunities, visit www.jobswithucf.edu or contact paula.mcclure@ucf.edu

PAGE 5

Research:

Lindsay Holmes Heather Robbins Kristin M. Soto

Students:

UCF Among First in Florida to obtain D.N.P. Program Accreditation

PAGE 4

PAGES 16 - 23

PAG ES 24 - 27

Faculty:

PAG ES 28 -33

Alumni:

PAG ES 34 -37

Giving:

2011 |

PAGES 38 -39

Nursing magazine

Message from our Dean

Moving the

College Forward

Jean D’Meza Leuner, Ph.D., RN, CNE Dean and Professor, UCF College of Nursing

The theme of “Moving Forward” that resonates throughout this magazine represents the positive energy that is palpable in UCF’s College of Nursing. Our recent move to a new location adjacent to campus brought faculty and students together where innovation, creativity and collaboration can flourish. A new strategic plan for nursing has provided direction for exciting initiatives, re-affirmation of our mission, and opportunities to engage with new community partners in our efforts to improve healthcare. Nursing at UCF is well poised to address the challenges noted in the 2010 publication from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Institute of Medicine, “The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health.” For example: • We expanded our Concurrent A.S.N. to B.S.N. program by adding a second regional partnership that allows more nurses to achieve higher levels of education through a seamless academic progression of studies. • Nursing faculty members are working with UCF’s College of Medicine and community partners to assist primary care providers to adopt electronic health records. • Nurses with Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) education are prepared to translate evidence into practice to improve health systems and clinical outcomes. These DNP graduates are engaged in leadership positions in clinical practice, management and education in order to implement innovations in healthcare and transform practice.

University of Central Florida

The magic of mentorship is evident throughout the college—in the simulation laboratory, directed research projects, community nursing coalitions and in clinical practice. One of the most visible and deliberate initiatives has been to increase engagement in our Honors in the Major program as we strive to promote research earlier in the education of nursing students. This initiative has been very successful as faculty mentors work with honors nursing students at our three campus locations, and many of these students have already expressed interest in pursuing doctoral degrees. It is my hope that this issue of UCF Nursing portrays the excitement and enthusiasm that is shared by faculty, students, staff and alumni—especially as we move the college forward and work together to improve our nation’s healthcare.

Jean D’Meza Leuner, Ph.D., RN, CNE Dean and Professor UCF College of Nursing

Stands for Opportunity

College on the Move Summer 2010:

Co l l e g e Mov es to C e nt r al F l orida Re s e arch Park Central administration, classrooms and offices Under one roof for first time

early four years ago, the nursing program at UCF transitioned from a school within the College of Health and Public Affairs (COHPA) and became an independent College of Nursing. But one thing didn’t change—our location. Up until this past summer, the College of Nursing was physically located inside two COHPA buildings and nursing classes were scattered across the entire main campus. Nursing had no building to call its own.

Now, in a strategic move to get the college under one roof, the College of Nursing occupies three of six floors in the University Tower building. The space, previously occupied by the UCF College of Medicine and located adjacent to the main campus, features modern offices and classrooms, a student learning center, computer labs, two break rooms with full kitchens, and several teaching labs for simulation exercises and skill-building. The move marks the first step toward the college’s long-term goal of joining UCF’s College of Medicine and several prominent clinical partners in the growing “Medical City” and life-sciences cluster at Lake Nona. “The future is interdisciplinary professional education, in which two or more health professions learn together. Several of the top academic health centers have already taken this approach and research shows patients benefit,” explains Dean Leuner. “Our vision is to create this century’s premier health science campus at Lake Nona. To achieve this, nursing must be physically located with UCF’s other health care disciplines so we can begin educating medical students, nursing students and other health professionals side-by-side.” •

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Nursing magazine

Research on the Move

Dr. Mary Lou Sole was named the Orlando Health Distinguished Professor in Nursing for her work as an internationally recognized acute and critical care researcher.

Orlando health donates a Gift “with Sole”

ursing research at the University of Central Florida received a financial boost with a $250,000 grant from Orlando Health.

The gift supports UCF’s College of Nursing and funds three initiatives: the Orlando Health Distinguished Professor in Nursing, student scholarships to prepare and inspire future nursing research scientists, and a nursing research symposium showcasing current trends and evidence-based practices in nursing. Dr. Mary Lou Sole, a UCF nursing professor, was named the Orlando Health Distinguished Professor in Nursing for her work as an internationally recognized acute and critical care researcher. She will coordinate the first nursing research symposium in 2011. An event honoring Dr. Sole was held August 30, 2010 (see inset at right). Funds for the professorship will also be used to support her ongoing research efforts. “This generous gift will support the development of nursing research which will have a direct impact on quality patient care,” said Dr. Jean Leuner, dean of UCF’s College of Nursing. “It will also inspire students to pursue research opportunities through the UCF honors program as they launch their commitment to become nursing leaders.”

University of Central Florida

Stands for Opportunity

“With more than 30 percent of Orlando Health’s 14,000-member workforce comprised of nurses, this investment in UCF’s College of Nursing is an investment in our organization’s future,” said Sherrie Sitarik, president and CEO of Orlando Health. Sitarik is a former nurse, as are several other Orlando Health executives. Dr. Sole, who has worked at UCF since 1991, has focused her research on clinical practices related to airway management, breathing and circulation. She is now researching ways to prevent pneumonia caused by mechanical ventilation treatment. In 2008, Dr. Sole was named a Pegasus Professor, UCF’s top faculty honor. She is a fellow in both the American Academy of Nursing and the American College of Critical Care Medicine. Dr. Sole earned her doctorate at the University of Texas, which recently named her a 2010 Distinguished Alumna. Her text, Introduction to Critical Care Nursing (5th edition) by Sole, Klein and Moseley, was named the 2010 American Journal of Nursing Book of the Year. Four recent UCF nursing graduates each received scholarships as part of the Orlando Health gift. All four graduated May 7, 2010 and completed theses as part of UCF’s Honors in the Major program.

Maureen Woodman graduated summa cum laude and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Nursing Practice at UCF. She is also working as a nurse at Orlando Health on the behavioral health unit of South Seminole Hospital in Longwood, Fla. Her research explored women’s fertility awareness and how it plays a part in family planning. She won a UCF award for excellence in undergraduate research. “I am truly honored that Orlando Health chose me as a scholarship recipient,” Woodman said. “It is empowering to realize that someone appreciates the hard work I’ve put into my academic career, and it gives me a great deal of motivation to continue doing well in graduate school.” Juliana Borges graduated magna cum laude. She is currently working at Orlando Health in

the medical/surgical oncology unit of Dr. Phillips Hospital in Orlando. She hopes to eventually work in a pediatric unit and earn a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. Her undergraduate research focused on how nurses can decrease pre-term infants’ respiratory problems during bottle feedings. Chelsea Bramley graduated summa cum laude and began her nursing career with Orlando Health in the intensive care unit of South Lake Hospital in Clermont, Fla. Her undergraduate research explored methods to improve quality of life for pediatric cancer patients during invasive procedures. Krista Marie Jensen graduated summa cum laude and began her career at Orlando Health in the trauma step down unit of Orlando Regional Medical Center. She plans to eventually continue her education. Her undergraduate research

focused on the psychological and physiological problems associated with bed rest for women with high-risk pregnancies. UCF and Orlando Health have a long-standing relationship. Up to 120 nursing students perform clinical rotations at Orlando Health facilities each semester. Since 1978, Orlando Health has given more than $1.9 million to UCF to support research and education, including scholarships for the College of Medicine’s charter class and a $120,000 donation in April 2010 to support the College of Medicine’s second class of students. •

PHOTOS: • Top pg. 6: Dr. Sole (center) with (L-R) Nancy Dinon, vice president, Human Resources, Orlando Health; Anne Peach, vice president, Nursing, Orlando Health; Sherrie Sitarik, president and CEO, Orlando Health; and Dr. Jean Leuner, dean of the College of Nursing, UCF • Bottom pg. 6: Dr. Sole’s executive headshot • At left: Orlando Health’s Anne Peach (center) with scholarship recipients (L-R) Chelsea Bramley, Krista Marie Jensen, Maureen Woodman and Juliana Borges • Top inset: Dr. Sole (left) and UCF President John Hitt • Bottom inset: Dr. Sole (center) with her daughter, Erin, and Orlando Health’s Anne Peach

Orlando Health and UCF College of Nursing Celebrate Partnership

n August 30, 2010, Orlando Health and the University of Central Florida’s College of Nursing celebrated their partnership and commitment to the future of nurse leaders. UCF honored Orlando Health’s recent grant of $250,000 to the College of Nursing for the establishment of the Orlando Health Distinguished Professorship in Nursing and paid tribute to one of UCF’s most recognized faculty members—Mary Lou Sole, Ph.D., RN, CCNS, CNL, FAAN, FCCM.

Several hundred people attended the event held at UCF, including John Hillenmeyer, past president and CEO, Orlando Health, and Dr. John Hitt, president, UCF. During the reception, Anne Peach, vice president of Nursing at Orlando Health, named Dr. Sole, a clinical nurse specialist and clinical research scientist at Orlando Health and nursing professor at UCF, as Orlando Health’s first Distinguished Professor. “With more than 30 years experience of nursing and classroom experience, Dr. Sole is considered an expert and is frequently invited to speak both nationally and internationally,” Peach said. “Her expertise also earned her a 2006 gubernatorial nomination to the Florida Biomedical Research Advisory Council, where she continues to serve today. The American Association of Critical-Care Nursing named her their 2010 Distinguished Research Lecturer where she presented her research at the National Teaching Institute and Critical Care Exposition in Washington, D.C.” •

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Nursing magazine

Research on the Move From the Director of Nursing Research

On the Cutting Edge: Bridging Technolog y & Nursing Research

Impact and innovation are two key evaluative criteria for research. Consumers of nursing research want research that will have a powerful influence on improving health and health-related outcomes. Like nursing faculty throughout the nation, we at the UCF College of Nursing are engaged in research studies with high impact. However, what sets us apart from many others is our innovative approach and cutting-edge use of technology in our nursing research.

e have leveraged partnerships with UCF’s renowned Institute for Simulation and Training to use state-of-the-art technology to advance our nursing research endeavors. Many of these studies involve the intersection of nursing, engineering, computer science, digital media, and performance art. This publication features two exemplary projects capitalizing on some, if not all, of these disciplines. Dr. Kelly Allred’s use of computer games to increase practicing nurses’ use of effective and scientificallybased pain management strategies is highlighted on page 9. Dr. Anne Norris’ use of mixed reality and life-sized avatars to teach Latina girls peer-resistance skills for avoiding risky behaviors is explained on pages 10-13. A few faculty are also in the planning stages of their technology-driven studies. • Dr. Christopher Blackwell will use an internet-based “jeopardy-like” game to educate men who have sexual relations with other men about their colorectal cancer risk and increase their intention for screening; • Drs. Diane Andrews and Karen Aroian are collaborating with UCF’s College of Medicine and the Departments of Psychology and Philosophy & Cognitive Sciences to study the use of an emergency room simulator to test the effects of a mindfulness intervention to improve performance in emergency department nurses;

• Dr. Karen Aroian will examine parenting responses to decrease the negative effects of discrimination against minority youth also using mixed-reality technology; and • Dr. Steven Talbert is planning a number of studies to build upon his current research about computer-assisted trauma triage. His use of computer modeling, or artificial intelligence, improves clinical decisions in time-critical situations. The benefits of using cutting-edge technology are many. For example, simulation technology can: • Provide a wider reach to potential study participants, • Be more engaging than traditional didactic methods for skill building and increasing knowledge, and • Elicit in-depth observational data that more closely mimics real-life situations. Similarly, the benefit of artificial intelligence is that it can compute complex stimuli and make quick decisions that maximizes the chance for success when lives are at stake. Our cutting-edge use of technology for nursing research means the impact of our research will not only advance health and health-related outcomes in the populations we study, but it will also provide new methodologies that can be widely applied by other researchers studying a wide range of diverse topics. •

University of Central Florida

Stands for Opportunity

Karen Aroian, Ph.D., RN, FAAN Chatlos Endowed Professor of Nursing and Director of Research, UCF College of Nursing

By the Numbers

7 Fellows

American Academy of Nursing

American Academy of Critical Care Medicine

Fellow

American Academy of Nurse Practitioners

Fellow

National Academies of Practice

Fellow

3 College + $4.8M Years as an independent

Active Grants & Contracts Fiscal Year 2009-2010

Make the Ouch Go Away!

hen a child hurts, nurses must make pain management decisions in a highly sensitive environment often compounded by parents’ anxiety.

A computer simulator to be developed by the University of Central Florida using a scholarship from Florida Hospital for Children will help educate pediatric nurses in pain management.

Dr. Kelly Allred, an assistant professor in UCF’s College of Nursing, received the $10,500 Faculty Scholar Award in partnership with Dr. Jacqueline Byers, a professor in the College of Nursing, and Michael Carney and Eileen Smith, both of UCF’s Institute for Simulation and Training. Dr. Allred’s study, “Using Computer-Based Simulation for Pediatric Pain Management Education,” will gather data from pediatric nurses and parents of hospitalized patients. The data will be used to develop a computer-simulated child patient who will describe his or her pain and answer questions to a simulated nurse in a clinical setting. The simulator also will feature a nurse character who will speak, make assessments and give instructions to the patient based on the

decisions input by a nurse using the program. The nurse character also will interact with a simulated parent in the clinical scenario. When developed, UCF’s prototype pain management simulator will be tested by nurses at Florida Hospital for Children in Orlando, Fla. The pediatric simulator will be created based on a current prototype Kelly Allred, Ph.D., RN-BC simulator developed by Dr. Allred and her UCF collaborators during the past year. The existing computer program features two patients – an adult male and an adult female – who describe their pain to a simulated nurse. Users make clinical decisions based on the patient’s information and their skilled assessments. The session concludes with evaluation, feedback and an educational narrative video. “Pain management is a subjective phenomenon and a highly sensitive topic,” said Dr. Allred, who has a Ph.D. in nursing and is board certified in pain management. “A computer simulator to educate nurses on how to better manage their patients’ pain can be an extremely beneficial way to guide nurses through the decision-making process.” When a patient asks for pain medication, Allred said, it can cause a nurse to become suspicious about the patient’s motive. However, the educational narrative in UCF’s computer simulator emphasizes that nurses should believe what the patient says. The program cites research findings that say a patient rarely becomes addicted to pain medication when it is used to alleviate actual pain. Non-drug pain therapies, such as breathing techniques and distraction, also are emphasized in the computer program’s educational narrative. •

Assistant Professor Dr. Diane Andrews received a $10,500 Faculty Scholar Award from Florida Hospital for Children to support her study, “Exploration of Recent Graduates’ Expectations Using Grounded Theory.”

Dr. Andrews

Assistant Professor Dr. Steven Talbert received a $10,500 Florida Hospital for Children Doctoral Student Mentoring Award. Dr. Talbert used the grant to mentor Zulay Ritrosky, a 2010 graduate of UCF’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program, on her study, “Prevalence of Intraoperative Neonatal Non-Euglycemia Events.”

2011 |

Dr. Talbert

Nursing magazine

Research on the Move Why Adolescent Latinas? Latino adolescent birth rates have been the highest of any racial/ethnic subgroup since 2002. Early initiation of intercourse is associated with an increased risk for both pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. The healthcare costs associated with these risks can be staggering, making it essential to empower young Latinas (ages 10-14) with the skills they need to delay initiation of intercourse. Unfortunately, existing skill-building interventions may not be a good developmental fit for pre-puberty girls because they focus on partner resistance rather than peer group resistance. Yet research shows it is the peer group that has a profound impact on young girls’ decisions to initiate sex. What is Mixed Reality?

Avatars to Help Young Latina Girls Say “No” Using Mixed Reality to Build Peer-Resistance Skills Dr. Anne Norris, a professor in UCF’s College of Nursing, and Dr. Charles Hughes, a professor in UCF’s College of Engineering and Computer Science, have partnered with UCF’s Institute for Simulation and Training to develop an innovative computer game with life-sized avatars portraying real-life scenarios encountered by middle school students. The game is part of a two-year research project studying whether a mixed-reality game—through the virtual use of avatars and “inter-actors”—can build peer–resistance skills in Latina adolescents and teach them how to say “no” to risky behaviors, without jeopardizing peer relationships. The project has been funded by a $434,800 grant from the National Institute of Nursing Research, a division of the National Institutes of Health, for its potential to make a difference in reducing sexually transmitted diseases, teen pregnancy rates and premature birth

rates in a high-risk population. Ultimately, this translates into cost savings for the nation’s healthcare system. If the game is proven successful, the research team plans to develop a similar game for boys and girls of other ethnicities—and deploy the skill-building game nationwide as an adjunct to standard sex education curriculum taught in schools and/or community centers. Through virtual game play, girls will learn how to assertively handle social encounters—for example, how to respond when she’s invited to a party with no parental

The skill-building game is designed to complement an approved sex education curriculum taught in schools

University of Central Florida

Stands for Opportunity

Mixed reality is real-time, multi-sensory immersion, and is intended to engage (not capture or pacify) the audience’s imagination. Unlike traditional role play and typical role play games, mixed-reality players play themselves, not a character in a hypothetical situation, and they can do so without risking embarrassment or “loss of face” in front of peers. This technology allows us to provide a very close approximation to the interpersonal encounters that happen in young Latinas’ daily lives. How is the game played? This game is designed to complement a full sex education curriculum, and to support the work that parents are doing with their children. Unlike other commercially available computer games, the player does not play the game with other people. She practices peer-resistance skills in a private setting by sitting in front of a large screen and talking with her life-size “avatar friends” on the screen. The avatars are powered by a combination of artificial intelligence and a specially trained person (“inter-actor”) digitally puppeteering the characters in a remote location. She gets points for resisting her avatar friends’ peer pressure to make risky choices. Points are accumulated faster when she resists in a cool way that maintains friendships and social standing — because friends are everything in middle school! The game creates a very powerful learning environment for the girls and helps them find their voice.

supervision or how to respond when an older boy asks her to engage in sexual behavior. The girls interact with realistic computergenerated characters (see image 1) that speak and respond to them in real-life scenarios. To make the game as realistic as possible, the avatars are controlled by the actions of a skilled “inter-actor” using motion-capture technology (see image 2) from a remote location. The game is intended to be played in afterschool and youth outreach programs run by trained teachers and counselors. To develop the game, Dr. Norris expanded her team to include two well-respected researchers, Drs. Michael Hecht and Nilda Peragallo (see bios on page 12), and sought creative input from parents, Latina high school students with middle-school age siblings, undergraduate and graduate nursing students, and several community partners like Brenda Christopher-Muench, who oversees the approved sex education curriculum for Orange County Public Schools (OCPS), and Lisa Murano at the Orlando Office of Planned Parenthood. She has also added a feminist and has plans to add a pastor from the Latino community (see list of partners on page 13). Phase one of the study began in March 2010 and phase two began in January 2011. The study will conclude in March 2012. The UCF researchers are conducting the study with Latinas attending the After-School AllStars and Summer Camp Programs held at a middle school in Orlando, Florida. The researchers visited the school to explain the study to parents and recruit participants. Before students could participate in the research, parents signed consent forms. Students and parents were informed that they can decide to stop participating at any time during the project.

Phase 1: Game Prototyping & Production 1. Identify real-life incidents involving pressure to engage in sexual intercourse; effective resistance responses that preserve peer relationships; and patterns of verbal and nonverbal communication occurring during these real life incidents. 2. Pinpoint aspects of game play and the visual and auditory characteristics of avatars that have the greatest appeal for our targeted study population.

1 Image 1: “Vicki” is an example of one of the 3-D avatar characters developed by UCF’s Institute for Simulation and Training for the skill-building game used in the study.

2 Image 3: A student teacher at the UCF College of Education responds to a virtual student (an avatar puppeteered by the remote “inter-actor”) while playing the TeachME™ game.

“As a result of on-going parent meetings, we developed a pre-game curriculum teaching choices and consequences, what’s considered risky behavior, refusal and avoidance skills, and media influences,” said Dr. Norris. “The short, five-lesson ‘Girl Power’ curriculum teaches the girls important skills and techniques, and the game provides an opportunity to practice them.” To develop the game characters, the research team conducted initial focus groups with Latina middle school students using interactive performance techniques. The girls provided the UCF researchers with real-world scenarios, as well as words, phrases and gestures they actually encounter at school and in social circles. “Our female researchers role played, and the girls often laughed as they gave us feedback,” Dr. Norris said. “They might tell us, ‘We’d never say that!’ The girls were comfortable, even though the topic was sensitive.” Additional focus groups later helped the researchers develop and refine the survey questions for the game testing.

Image 2: An “inter-actor” wears a motion-capture suit for the TeachME™ game. Her arm and head motions are captured and mapped, in real time, to the virtual character she is controlling. Her display monitor includes a virtual view (with characters that can be controlled), a live video feed of the participant, and an instant message box that is used to convey any dynamic issues in the classroom. TeachME™ technology was further developed for the new skill-building game.

“We had so much fun,” Dr. Norris said. “The girls loved being in the role of the ‘experts’ and having the opportunity to tell us how to fix our questions.” At the end of phase one, the research team held two preliminary game demonstrations for Orange County Public Schools, the Orlando After-School All-Stars Program, and Planned Parenthood. Response to the game has been very positive, reports Dr. Norris. “We were invited by OCPS to bring our game into any middle school,” said Dr. Norris. “Most importantly, our community partners reported that we captured the drama of middle school.” Raymond Crump of Orlando’s After-School All-Stars Program believes the game will be effective because it’s realistic and the avatars speak the same language and are dressed in the same fashions as his current students. “I (Continued on page 13) The project described is supported by Award Number R15NR012189 from the National Institute of Nursing Research. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institute of Nursing Research of the National Institutes of Health.

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Nursing magazine

Research on the Move Creating The Interdisciplinary Research Team >>> The avatar project team includes national and international experts, and has the support of Latino parents and several community agencies. They aim to create a game embraced by all. Anne Norris, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, Co-Principal Investigator As one of two principal investigators and the team leader on the study, Dr. Norris is trained as both a social psychologist and a nurse, and brings these varied perspectives to her work regarding adolescent sexual behavior. Over the past 20 years, she has conducted a variety of research regarding the sexual behavior of adolescent and young adult Latinos, African Americans, and Anglos.

As the second principal investigator on the study, Dr. Hughes has 47 years of experience in developing simulations and simulation technology. He and his team have developed software to produce and deliver a large variety of mixed-reality experiences, including: military and teacher training, cognitive and physical assessment/rehabilitation, free-choice learning, environmental economics and cultural heritage.

Her research focuses on factors that the individual brings to the situation (structure of information in memory, cultural values, socioeconomic status) and situational factors (peer influences, alcohol, partner behavior). Her interest is in what interferes with people making good choices. She has a long tradition of examining these factors in an interdisciplinary context.

All of these applications have the ability to create “real-feeling” virtual worlds that highly engage participants and challenge them to build new skills. One such example is the successful TeachMe™ technology utilized by UCF and Utah State University. The technology employs virtual characters (avatars) which are digitally puppeteered by specially trained “inter-actors” to give student teachers an opportunity to practice teaching and responding to stressful classroom situations. This technology has been further developed for the current avatar study.

Dr. Norris has used both experimental and descriptive survey research designs to study risky and safer sex behavior, and employed qualitative research methods to develop appropriate and valid measures of psychological constructs related to these behaviors. Dr. Norris is a professor in UCF’s College of Nursing. A fellow in the American Academy of Nursing, she also serves as the statistician and methodologist for the college’s Office of Research.

Michael L. Hecht, Ph.D., Co-Investigator

His extensive research in cultural and health communication has been supported by a series of National Institute on Drug Abuse grants and has led to the development of a multicultural drug prevention program for seventh graders, called “keepin’ it REAL.” The program is listed on the National Registry of Effective Programs for its ability to influence adolescent drug use. It is used by middle schools throughout the world and its curriculum has been adopted by D.A.R.E. America. Moreover, Dr. Hecht has developed a substance abuse treatment program for incarcerated youth (PADRES) and has been invited by a Latino/Hispanic community organization to evaluate their comprehensive Drug Abuse Treatment Programs for Adolescents. Dr. Hecht is a distinguished professor of Communication Arts and Sciences, and Crime, Law and Justice at Penn State University. University of Central Florida

Dr. Hughes is a professor of computer science in UCF’s College of Engineering and Computer Science. He also serves as director of the Media Convergence Laboratory in UCF’s Institute for Simulation and Training. There, he oversees a team of Ph.D. students conducting research, as well as modelers, programmers and experienced designers.

Nilda P. Peragallo, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, Consultant

Dr. Hecht is considered an international expert on health, intercultural, and interpersonal areas of communication. He has been involved with many community-based research programs and collaborations, conducting evaluation research for federally funded drug abuse and treatment programs, crime prevention organizations, and mental health institutions.

Charles Hughes, Ph.D., Co-Principal Investigator

Dr. Peragallo is renowned as one of the nation’s foremost researchers in HIV/AIDS risk reduction and prevention in Latinos and is recognized internationally for her leadership in the areas of health disparities and cultural competency. She has studied Latina reproductive health for more than 25 years and has extensive experience designing and testing HIV/AIDS risk reduction and prevention interventions for Latinas. Dr. Peragallo was recently appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services to serve on the National Advisory Council to the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities. She is currently the principal investigator on a study testing an HIV intervention for Hispanic women for the Center. Dr. Peragallo is the dean of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences at the University of Miami (Fla.). A fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, she holds a joint appointment in the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She is immediate past president of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses and co-editor of Hispanic Healthcare International.

Stands for Opportunity

University of Central Florida: • Nursing Professor Anne Norris, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, Co-Principal Investigator • Computer Science Professor Charles E. Hughes, Ph.D., Co-Principal Investigator • Statistics Professor Dave Nickerson, Ph.D., Co-Investigator • Study Project Manager: Roxana Delcampo Thalasinos • Jeff Wirth and Ken Ingraham, Director of Inter-actors (Rebekah Lane, Heather Leonardi, Morgan Russell) • University High School Students: Heidy Esquivel, Shirley Correa (game story)

Phase 2: Game Prototype Testing 1. Use tests of the following hypotheses to investigate value of adding a peer group resistance skill-building game (SBG) to standard sex education as compared against standard sex education with a game control: a. Girls in the SBG condition will report higher levels of peer group resistance selfefficacy and behavior, and lower sexual intentions and behavior than girls in the game control condition.

• Nursing Undergraduate Students: Ellita Williams, Karina Moreno, Stefanie Warren (B.S.N. ‘10) (survey development)

b. The effect of the SBG on intentions and behavior will be mediated by changes in selfefficacy.

• Computer Science Undergraduate Student: Diego Velasquez (survey development)

c. The higher the perceived realness of game play, the greater the change in selfefficacy, intentions, and behavior observed post-intervention among participants in the SBG condition.

• Women’s Studies Undergraduate Students: Dominique Gelin, Anna Eskamani (game story) • Nursing Graduate Students (Ph.D., D.N.P., M.S.N. Nurse Educator): Sylvia Torres-Thomas, Ashley Williams, Jannia Mendez (survey development, curriculum development)

Renowned Experts: • Michael Hecht, Ph.D., Co-Investigator: Distinguished Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences and Crime, Law, and Justice, Department of Communication Arts & Sciences, Penn State University • Nilda Peragallo, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, Consultant: Dean & Professor, School of Nursing and Health Studies, University of Miami (Fla.)

Community Partners: • Orlando After-School All-Stars Program: Raymond Crump, Tyler Chandler, Greg Hawn, Barbara Lopez • Orange County Public Schools CDC HIV Cooperative Agreement Project Coordinator: Brenda ChristopherMuench • Grupo de los Padres Consejeros (Parent group at the middle school) • Orlando Office of Planned Parenthood Director of Education & Public Affairs: Lisa Murano • Attorney and Feminist: B.J. Star • Pastor from Latino community (TBA)

2. Obtain preliminary data regarding game appeal in middle school Latinas and at the community level. 3. Use project experiences to refine prototype, develop additional scenarios for teaching peer resistance and argue for future testing with a larger randomized control trial.

“Our research is powered by a unique integration of Social Cognitive Theory, the communication competence model, and Piaget’s theory of cognitive development. This unique integration allows us to create a novel pregnancy prevention game tailored to the abilities, needs and concerns of middle school girls, thereby increasing the likelihood that the game will be effective.” —Dr. Anne Norris was most impressed with the verbal response and movement of the characters,” he noted. Currently, the research team is busy with the game prototype testing and curriculum delivery to the study participants. Early posttest results will provide feedback on the curriculum, and early effects of game play. The girls’ progress will be studied two, four and six months after they play the game to look at later effects. “The technology is so powerful. We can already see applications for bullying and for substance use prevention—and that’s just for middle school children,” said Dr. Norris. “If we start thinking about applications for adults, the possibilities range from parenting to negotiating for safe sex.” •

National Attention! Hundreds of print, online and TV outlets around the country featured the innovative research of Nursing Professor Dr. Anne Norris and Computer Science Professor Dr. Charles Hughes. Carol King of Ms. Magazine believes Dr. Norris and her research team are on to something. King wrote,

“She is using some of the successful strategies in the field of drug and alcohol resistance and adapting them for middle schoolers. Her goal is to empower girls and young women to resist peer pressure and ‘be strong and not cave in’.”

King interviewed Patrick Malone, director of communications for sexuality information and education council of the United States, to get his opinion on the project. “It’s a new technology and we want to reach out to young people and do it in relevant ways. We can’t be afraid of virtual reality,” said Malone. “She and Charles Hughes’ research is on the cutting edge. It’s an innovative way to teach the subject area.” King concluded, “I think they have a fresh take on sex education and may just help young girls and women find their voice and make it heard.”

2011 |

Nursing magazine

Images provided by get active Orlando

Research on the Move

NIH Awards UCF $1.3 Million to Study Get Active Orlando Programs

he University of Central Florida received a $1.3 million federal grant to study whether Get Active Orlando’s walking, bicycling and community gardening programs effectively help older individuals and lower-income, minority adults become more physically active. The two-year study was funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, an agency of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). With support from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or federal stimulus money, it also created five two-year jobs.

Dr. Karen Dennis, a professor in UCF’s College of Nursing, and Get Active Orlando are investigating the effectiveness of “Adult Bike Giveaway,” “Community Gardening,” and “Senior Walking.” These three programs, conducted by the multi-disciplinary, multi-agency Get Active Orlando partnership, were designed to promote physical activity among people at risk for health problems resulting from sedentary lifestyles. “We needed to add a research component to Get Active Orlando to determine whether these programs are really working to get Orlando residents physically active,” said Dr. Dennis, who is the principal investigator of the study. The study is examining the effectiveness of strategies designed to encourage physically active lifestyles in sustainable, communitybased programs. If proven successful, these strategies can be readily adopted by cities across the nation to promote health and potentially lower healthcare costs.

Nearly 200 study participants, equally divided among the three activities, are enrolled in the project. Researchers are gathering data on the participants’ physical activity over the course of two years (2009 - 2011). The “Senior Walking” program features groupled walking sessions twice a week, and includes safety and physical activity instruction. The “Bicycle Giveaway” program targets low-income minority adults who receive a free bicycle, accessories, safety instruction and maintenance clinics. They also go on weekly group rides. In the “Community Gardening” program, participants create and tend to their own individual gardens located within a larger fenced garden site developed by Get Active Orlando. These participants also receive educational sessions and hands-on demonstrations. Get Active Orlando is a partnership of more than 20 community organizations led by the City of Orlando that encourages all Orlando citizens to be physically active as a part of daily living. Initially funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in 2003, Get Active Orlando serves as the Orlando Mayor’s Advisory Committee on Physical Activity. The Get Active Orlando partners have worked collaboratively to establish innovative approaches to community design, public policies, programs, and communication strategies to increase physical activity among Orlando residents.

munity,” said Orlando’s Mayor Buddy Dyer. “I applaud Get Active Orlando, UCF’s College of Nursing and the many partners that made receiving this grant possible.” Dean Grandin, City of Orlando’s planning director and Get Active Orlando’s project director, described the grant as an opportunity to gather much-needed feedback and evaluation. “This grant will help us ensure that Get Active Orlando programs are helping Orlando’s at-risk residents stay healthy and maintain physically active lifestyles.” This is the second NIH-funded R01 research grant awarded to Dr. Dennis. In 2003, she received a $2 million federal grant to study “Home vs. Center-Based Weight Loss and Exercise in Menopause.” • —The Get Active Orlando project was featured in a February 2010 article released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

“Healthy activities such as walking, cycling and gardening should be made part of our everyday lives. Making active living choices accessible to Orlando’s residents enhances the quality of life for everyone in our com-

University of Central Florida

Dr. Karen Dennis

Stands for Opportunity

Get Active Orlando’s 2010 Partners • •

Dr. Betsy Guimond, an

American Heart Association

instructor in the UCF College of Nursing, has

Arlington-Concord Neighborhood Association

•

Bike Works Orlando

•

City of Orlando

•

Community Concepts Services, Inc.

•

Early Learning Coalition of Orange County (Fla.)

•

Florida Bicycle Association

•

Florida Freewheelers

•

Florida Hospital

•

Florida Nurses Association

•

Fritz Communications

•

Health Council of East Central Florida

•

Hebni Nutrition

•

Martial Arts Center for Health

•

MetroPlan Orlando

•

Nemours

•

Orange County Health Department

•

Orlando Neighborhood Improvement Corporation

•

Orlando Health

•

Orlando Housing Authority

•

Parramore Kidz Zone

•

University of Central Florida, College of Nursing

•

USA Dance

focused her research on simulation technology.

Promoting the Use of Simulation Technology in Florida Nurse Education

wo UCF College of Nursing faculty members, Drs. Mary Lou Sole and Betsy Guimond, are working with the Florida Center for Nursing on a two-year study investigating the use of simulation as a possible solution to the nursing shortage.

According to their published white paper, “Many individuals are interested in nursing as a career. However, schools and colleges in Florida turn away about half of the qualified nursing applicants each year because enrollment capacity is reached. Lack of sites for clinical training is a major barrier to increasing enrollment in nursing programs. Another barrier to increasing enrollment is a lack of funds to hire additional faculty members to accommodate higher enrollment.”

To explore possible solutions, The Blue Foundation for a Healthy Florida and the Florida Center for Nursing are serving as the project leaders for a Partners Investigating in Nursing’s Future (PIN) grant. The PIN program is a national initiative led by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Northwest Health Foundation to address the nursing shortage. The purpose of the two-year project is to evaluate how simulation technology is being used to provide clinical experiences for both educating new nurses, and in retention of nurses through re-training in new skills. The state of Florida permits the use of simulation to substitute up to 25 percent of clinical practice hours in a basic nursing education program. Knowledge of issues, barriers, and effective strategies related to use of simulation is critical in designing best practices for using simulation to address nursing workforce issues. In addition, options for the creation of regional simulation centers to promote excellence and efficiency are being explored. •

Advising Members: •

Harry P. Leu Gardens

•

Orlando Magic

•

Winter Park Health Foundation

2011 |

Nursing magazine

Academics on the Move UCF’s first Class Earns Doctor of Nursing Practice Degrees The first class of post-master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice students graduated from UCF’s College of Nursing on August 7, 2010. Some traveled as far away as Ft. Myers, Leesburg and Ocala to attend UCF’s commencement ceremony for their official doctoral “hooding.” UCF’s post-master’s D.N.P. program prepares advanced practice nurses to perform at the highest level of practice for the current health care environment based on a strong scientific foundation for practice; flexibility and emphasis on evidence-based practice, leadership and organizational analysis; and analysis of practice including completion of the Doctoral Thesis during their clinical residency semesters.

Introducing our first class of D.N.P. graduates and their Doctoral Thesis titles. Congrats! Ivonne Johnson, DNP, ANP, PNP

Chianta Shaw Lindsey, DNP, ARNP

“Advanced Practice Nursing in the Faith Community Setting: A Case Study”

“The Incidence and Epidemiologic Factors of Community-Acquired Methicillian Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a Suburban Family Practice in Florida”

Marva EdwardsMarshall, DNP, ARNP-BC

“Effectiveness of Probiotics in Preventing Antibiotic Associated Diarrhea and Clostridium difficile in Long Term Care”

Deborah Crandall Chandler, DNP, ARNP, MSCN

“A Comparison of ARNP and Physician Malpractice in States With and Without Controlled Substance Prescribing Authority”

Joanna Sloan Gerry, DNP, ARNP

“The Impact of Pre-operative Mupirocin Prophylaxis on Surgical Site Infections in Same-Day Admission Open Heart Patients”

Marchina Tolbert Jones, DNP, ARNP, GNP

“Assessing Adult Attitudes Toward Endof-Life Issues and the Execution of Advanced Directives”

University of Central Florida

Stands for Opportunity

ShellyAnn Scott Castell, DNP, ARNP-C

“Retrospective Analysis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Cirrhotic Patients”

Herma Lee Baker, DNP, ARNP, FNP-BC

“The Experiences of Health Care Providers Providing Comfort for Nursing Home Patients at the End of Life”

Zulay Ritrosky, DNP, CRNA

“Prevalence of and Risk for Interoperative Non-Euglycemia Events in Premature Neonates <2500 Grams”

New Doctor of Nursing Practice Program Earns Maximum Five-Year Accreditation UCF Among First in State to Obtain Accreditation

The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) has accredited UCF College of Nursing’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) program for five years—the maximum allowed for a new program. The commission granted the accreditation with “no issues or concerns,” the best-possible grade, until December 31, 2015. “The five-year accreditation speaks to the fact that we have an excellent program, solid curricula, that we’re open to peer review and that we have outstanding faculty, staff and students,” said college Dean Jean Leuner. The accreditation process, including preparations by the college, took more than a year. A team from the commission visited the college in April 2010 and spent several days reviewing the program and interviewing faculty, students, alumni, staff, administrators and members of partner organizations such as Orlando Health and Florida Hospital. According to the commission, accreditation contributes to the overall improvement and protection of the public’s health. As a voluntary, self-regulating process, CCNE accreditation supports and encourages continuing selfassessment by nursing education programs and supports continuing growth and improvement of collegiate professional education. Achieving the five-year status is also important because it assures applicants of the high quality and integrity of the D.N.P. program, Dr. Leuner said. UCF College of Nursing launched its D.N.P. program in 2007 as a post-master’s clinical doctorate. This track prepares advanced practice nurses as leaders in the care of vulnerable populations with an emphasis on organizational and systems leadership, information systems, technology and health care policy for advocacy in health care, and clinical prevention and population health for improving the nation’s health. The first cohort of students graduated in Summer 2010. “Because we sought early accreditation of our program, all graduates, including our first cohort, are earning degrees from an accredited program that meets national guidelines for excellence and scope,” said Dr. Susan Chase, the college’s associate dean for graduate affairs. In accordance with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s recommendation to have all advanced practice nurses prepared at the doctorate level by 2015, the college began offering a post-baccalaureate D.N.P. track in Fall 2010. Previously offered as a master’s degree, students with a B.S.N. degree are now admitted directly into the D.N.P. program to prepare for advanced practice certification as either a nurse practitioner (adult/gerontology or family) or clinical nurse specialist (adult/gerontology). The association asserts, “The changing demands of the nation’s complex health care environment require that nurses serving in specialty positions have the highest level of scientific knowledge and practice expertise possible.” Research supports this claim and shows a clear link between higher levels of nursing education and better patient outcomes. •

Dr. Deborah Chandler, Nurse Practitioner, MS Comprehensive Care Center, Dr. P. Phillips Hospital, Orlando Health

In her own words >>> Deborah Crandall Chandler What do you do? I’m an advanced registered nurse practitioner (ARNP) for Dr. P. Phillips Hospital Neurology Associates. I see patients with various neurologic disorders, but primarily multiple sclerosis. What has changed since earning your D.N.P.? It has given me more confidence in my ability to make a difference in our neurology center. Prior to obtaining my D.N.P. degree, I would have never thought about, or even considered, writing a grant. UCF’s D.N.P. program helped me realize that I could. As a result, I decided to write a $20,000 grant to fund a part-time social worker for our center. I’m proud to say it was funded by the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation. UCF’s D.N.P. program also helped me realize that writing for publication should be an integral component of my nursing practice. What does a D.N.P. mean to your patients and to your employer? My patients and my employer are getting a better ARNP, which (hopefully) equates to better patient outcomes. My employer was very supportive during the three years I was in school, and since graduating, has encouraged expansion of my role. What would you say to someone interested in advanced practice, but feels a little Intimidated by the D.N.P.? Just take the first step. Attend the orientation, apply, interview and see what happens. I was thinking the same thing because of the time commitment involved, and because technology has changed the way people learn so much, I wasn’t sure I could adapt. I can honestly say that I barely blinked and the next thing I knew I was walking up to the podium to accept my diploma. You develop such a wonderful network of colleagues who become your support system during the program and your friends for life as well. The faculty is also very supportive, inspiring and very clinical, which is so reassuring to a clinical person. I’m so glad I took the first step!

UCF’s first class of post-master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice students

2011 |

Nursing magazine

Academics on the Move

Congratulations class of 2010 !

University of Central Florida

Stands for Opportunity

Co m mence m e n t 2 01 0 422

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) graduates*

115

Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) graduates^

3 Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (Ph.D.) graduates 9 Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) graduates+ 11 Nursing Specialty Certificates# 549

Total Nursing Graduates (CY 2010)

Activ e Enr ol l m en t 2 01 0 Nurse Pending Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.)* Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.)^ Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (Ph.D.) Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.)+ Nursing Specialty Certificates

934 1,043 376 45 64 25

Total Active Enrollment (Fall 2010)

2,487

*Includes Basic B.S.N., Accelerated Second Degree B.S.N., Concurrent A.S.N.-B.S.N., R.N.-B.S.N. and R.N.-M.S.N. programs. ^Includes Nurse Educator, Nursing Leadership & Management, Clinical Nurse Leader, Clinical Nurse Specialist, and Nurse Practitioner tracks +Includes Post-Masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s D.N.P. students and Post-Baccalaureate D.N.P. students in Clinical Nurse Specialist and Nurse Practitioner tracks. #Not included in total.

2011 | â&#x20AC;&#x201A;

Nursing magazine

Academics on the Move UCF Regional Campuses extends seamless access to high-quality, affordable and convenient educational opportunities throughout Central Florida with UCF Regional Campuses in partnership with many Florida community and state colleges. FLAGLER

LEVY

MARION Daytona Beach Ocala

VOLUSIA CITRUS LAKE SUMTER

Visit UCF College of Nursing At:

Altamonte Springs

ORANGE

UCF Cocoa (Basic B.S.N., R.N. to B.S.N.) UCF Daytona (Basic B.S.N., R.N. to B.S.N.)

SEMINOLE

Orlando

Valencia West Cocoa

UCF Ocala (R.N. to B.S.N.) UCF Orlando–main campus (Basic B.S.N., Accelerated Second Degree B.S.N., R.N. to B.S.N., R.N. to M.S.N., M.S.N., D.N.P., Ph.D.) UCF Sanford/Lake Mary–classes in Altamonte Springs (Concurrent A.S.N. to B.S.N.)

BREVARD OSCEOLA

UCF Valencia West (Concurrent A.S.N. to B.S.N., R.N. to B.S.N.) UCF Center for Distributed Learning–classes online (R.N. to B.S.N., R.N. to M.S.N., M.S.N., Graduate Certificates)

Regional news >>> Concurrent Program expands UCF College of Nursing has partnered with Valencia College to bring its successful Concurrent A.S.N. to B.S.N. program to Valencia’s West campus. The pilot program began with 28 students in Fall 2010. The next class will be admitted in Fall 2011 with 20 students from Valencia and 20 students from the University of Central Florida. Debra Hunt is the full-time UCF nursing adviser and instructor assigned to Valencia’s West campus. UCF initiated its Concurrent A.S.N. to B.S.N. program in 2003 with a similar pilot program at Seminole Community College, now Seminole State College. Today, the program on Seminole State’s Altamonte Springs campus has doubled in size with 70 percent of Seminole’s nursing students participating. The program at Seminole admits about 70 students twice a year in Fall and Spring, and UCF selects approximately half of the students. UCF added a second adviser/instructor on this campus in Spring 2011. Susan Ricci and Angela Ritten are the full-time UCF nursing advisers and instructors assigned to Seminole’s Altamonte campus.

Students in both programs have the opportunity to learn from other UCF faculty members through online courses that are scheduled to accommodate the students’ varying clinical rotations. As a limited-access program, UCF College of Nursing invites students who meet or exceed its admission requirements to apply for the Concurrent A.S.N. to B.S.N. program at Seminole State College and Valencia College. It offers students an additional option for obtaining their baccalaureate degree from UCF. By completing the two programs at the same time, students earn their B.S.N. degrees sooner—making them more competitive in the workforce. Nicole McConnell said she decided to enroll in UCF’s Concurrent program to increase her knowledge in nursing, plus she feels it gives her an advantage. “All of the hospitals in Central Florida are moving toward ‘Magnet Status’ so it’s important and beneficial to have a bachelor’s degree in nursing.” UCF’s Concurrent A.S.N. to B.S.N. program is a first of its kind in the state and serves as a national model for increasing the number of baccalaureate-prepared nurses. •

University of Central Florida

Stands for Opportunity

Advising Team >>> Welcome! Heather Williams, our newest undergraduate academic adviser, joined the college in October 2010. Williams has worked in an advising capacity at various private and public institutions in Florida. She earned her master’s degree in educational leadership from UCF in 2008.

We have a dedicated team ready to advise you. Undergraduate AdvisErs: Send email to: ucfnurse@ucf.edu • Alton Austin • Heather Williams Graduate AdvisEr: Send email to: gradnurse@ucf.edu • Robert Stephens

Nursing@Nike: UCF’s First Major-Specific Housing Community

reshman nursing hopefuls now have an on-campus housing community designed specifically for them.

Nursing@Nike, the university’s first housing community for a specific academic major, will help freshmen “adjust to college life and prepare them to be strong candidates for the UCF College of Nursing when they apply as juniors,” said Dr. Linda Hennig, the college’s associate dean for undergraduate affairs. Nursing@Nike houses as many as 36 freshmen who will take most of their prerequisite courses together during their freshman and sophomore years. The community offers residents presentations and seminars from nursing faculty members, a three-day team-building retreat, tutoring and other resources. “Research shows that living-learning communities result in higher student success,” said Dr. Jean Leuner, dean of UCF’s College of Nursing. “Our Nursing@Nike residents will experience a sense of community, bond as a team and gain a built-in support network.”

When the residents complete their freshman year, they will move out of the Nursing@Nike community and live elsewhere, but they will continue to take classes together. Nursing@Nike was initiated by Alton Austin, an undergraduate adviser in the College of Nursing, and developed in partnership with UCF’s Department of Housing and Residence Life. Residents are required to take a Student Life Skills (SLS) course tailored for nursing hopefuls. The course is designed to help freshmen successfully transition to college life. Class topics include study habits, time management, wellness and campus resources. The course also includes team-building and leadership development programs. To sign up for Nursing@Nike, incoming freshmen must select this community on their preferences in the UCF online housing agreement prior to May 1. In Greek mythology, the Greek goddess Nike is the goddess of Victory. •

Nursing@Nike residents participate in a series of challenges during a Threeday team-building retreat

2011 |

Nursing magazine

Academics on the Move Sixteen Community Nursing Coalitions, Serving 5 Counties The College of Nursing has a long-standing history of being communityfocused. All baccalaureate and many graduate students are assigned to Community Nursing Coalitions (CNC). Each CNC is supervised by a UCF College of Nursing faculty member and is comprised of 12-15 nursing students. The student nurses receive important “real-world” education while working in public schools, community centers, Boys and Girls Clubs, and senior centers, to name a few. They provide vital health education and screenings to some of Central Florida’s most economically disadvantaged residents. By providing these services in the heart of these underserved communities, UCF nursing students are also learning to deliver culturally competent care to diverse populations. UCF College of Nursing currently has 16 CNCs actively serving Brevard, Flagler, Orange, Seminole, and Volusia counties. This commitment to the Central Florida community and our partners represents a robust service-learning approach to nursing education. •

Nursing student Jaime Bigler shows compassion with the elderly.

Partnership for tobacco prevention

undreds of UCF nursing students poured into a crowded ballroom donning their signature blue and white community uniforms, ready for a special training seminar. The purpose was to learn the tobacco training curriculum for implementation in the community.

ercise shows poisons and carcinogens and pairs them with their common use in the real world. Middle school students are taught to make the connection that arsenic is used to kill rats and other pets, but is also a key ingredient in cigarettes. According to Majka, a one-liter bottle filled with molasses and hair gel simulates the amount of nicotine and phlegm built up in a smoker’s lung in just one year.

The training is conducted by the Central Florida Area Health Education Center (CFAHEC) through funding obtained by the Florida Department of Health, available through the master tobacco settlement. Offering tobacco-related trainings to current and future health care professionals is one of the major goals CFAHEC’s tobacco program has committed to providing in the local community. The lessons are presented by UCF nursing students in their clinical group teams in local middle schools and Boys and Girls Clubs. The various classroom activities are designed to stress the importance of tobacco abstinence while highlighting the negative implications of tobacco use such as emphysema, blackened lungs and the cost of this addiction. “Middle school kids need to know it’s not okay to use tobacco products just because their parents or siblings do,” said UCF nursing

UCF nursing students Stacey Grant and Daniel Bedos take turns teaching the tobacco prevention program at a middle school in rural Bithlo, Fla. This exercise demonstrates that a smoker’s heart has to beat twice as fast as a non-smoker’s heart.

student Tarin Newill. “Hopefully they will share what they have learned from the program and encourage their loved ones to quit.” The CFAHEC trainer, Bethany Majka, demonstrated some of the exercises the students will implement in their classrooms. The nursing students were asked to carry cards labeled with various toxins found in cigarettes. Students held cards that read “carbon monoxide,” “arsenic,” “formaldehyde,” and many others. This matching ex-

University of Central Florida

Stands for Opportunity

“Visuals like these will help the nursing students impress upon the young children how dangerous it is to start smoking; no matter how ‘cool’ they might think it is,” said Majka. “We are so grateful for this partnership with the UCF College of Nursing. With their students, we are able to impact many more young lives in our community,” she added. “The positive feedback that UCF’s nursing students receive is truly inspirational.” •

UCF Nursing is... Touching Lives, Leading by Example, Making a Difference!

Teaching Children to Breathe Easy Math. English. Art. All of these areas of education are essential—but what about teaching kids to stay healthy? UCF College of Nursing’s partnerships with Central Florida schools bring health programs to k-12 students across the region. Through the American Lung Association’s “Open Airways for Schools” (OAS) program, UCF provides asthma education to children ages 8 to 11 about the disease, proper use of medication and how to prevent episodes. OAS’ 40-minute segments, which are presented at local schools and other community centers, educate students about self-management techniques. Additionally, a Central Florida Area Health Education Center grant allows the college’s undergraduate students to train middleschool students on tobacco prevention. A one-hour session is taught in various public schools and community centers across Central Florida and includes information about the effects of tobacco and its harmful ingredients on the body (see page 22). •

(Left/Above) Students practice their community nursing skills by performing vision and hearing tests in Boys & Girls Clubs and in public schools throughout the region.

(Below) Sigrid Ladores, a clinical instructor for the Parramore CNC, and her students demonstrate chair exercises at a senior center.

(Above) All nursing students are required to take public transportation to tour their assigned communities.

(Right) Nursing students enrolled at UCF Daytona work a health promotion and prevention booth at Flagler County’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.

2011 |

Nursing magazine

Students on the Move

Honors In the Major

Established in 1989, Honors in the Major (HIM) is the oldest and most prestigious undergraduate research program at UCF. Designed to encourage students to undertake original and independent work in their major f ield, each student selected into the HIM program must research, write, defend and publish an original honors thesis that serves as the capstone project of their undergraduate career. The research is then eligible to be presented in competitive research events such as UCF’s Showcase for Undergraduate Research Excellence (SURE).

(L to R) SURE award winners Corrine Caswell-Riley, Maureen Woodman, Lydia Watkins and Jamie Bigler

Corrine Caswell-Riley collaborated with former assistant professor Dr. Pamela Ark in exploring “Nursing Interventions for Adolescent Substance Abuse Use.” Caswell-Riley placed second.

Vicki Loerzel, Ph.D., RN, OCN HIM Program Coordinator (as of Spring 2011)

honors in the major, Class of 2009-2010 Main Campus, Orlando

Tasnim JaganiM

Nicole Arend

Krista JensenS

Maureen WoodmanS Julie Wunderlich

Lydia Watkins and Maureen Woodman were awarded honorable mention. Watkins, a student on UCF’s Cocoa campus, worked with nursing instructor Stephen Heglund on “Improving Nonverbal Communication Between Nurses and Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children,” and Woodman worked with nursing instructor Dr. Betsy Guimond and associate professor Dr. Maureen Covelli on “Fertility Awareness-Based Methods of Avoiding and Achieving Pregnancy: An Effective Means of Family Planning and Promoting Women’s Empowerment.”

Erica Basora Campbell

Elizabeth Laporte

Cocoa Beach Campus

Sarah Barry

Mallory Maxwell

Jessie CameronC

Christi Merritt

Giselle Hively

Melissa MoreyS

Lindsey Kimmerling

Chelsea Bramley

Dominic PhamM

Mindy KlaprothM

Jennifer Carden

Shannan Sherman

Kelly Sullivan

SURE is hosted annually by the University of Central Florida’s Office of Undergraduate Research. The event provides an outlet for undergraduate students to present their research and to practice their communication skills to a broader audience. The Showcase demonstrates how student research builds upon and enriches the UCF undergraduate experience. •

Corrine Caswell-Riley

Emily SmithM

Lydia Watkins

Angela CollierC

Tara Thomas

Jennifer Watts

Erin Dench

Carol Touhy

Daytona Beach Campus

University of Central Florida

Jamie Bigler Juliana Borges

M S

Joseph Eichorn

Brandon Tucker

Kaylee Braddock

Amber Finiels

Stefanie Warren

Luke Eddy

Stacy Howard

Allyson Weaver

Julie HogelandM

Stands for Opportunity

cum laude; M magna cum laude; S Summa cum laude

Jamie Bigler, who was mentored by assistant professor Dr. Victoria Loerzel, won first place. Her research explored “Interventions to Improve Psychological Sequelae in Women with Ovarian Cancer.”

he College of Nursing’s Honors in the Major (HIM) students swept all four awards given in the Health Sciences category at the university’s Showcase for Undergraduate Research Excellence (SURE) on April 1, 2010. Out of 22 entrees in the Health Sciences category, 10 were from the College of Nursing, and four won awards.

The College of Nursing has grown its Honors in the Major program steadily since transitioning from a school to a College of Nursing in 2007. Starting with just three students enrolled in the Class of 20062007, now our HIM students account for 20 percent of the entire Class of 2009-2010.

Key:

Four Undergraduate Nursing Students Sweep UCF ’s Health Science Research Awards

Michell Berry (L) and Cody Hudgens, 2010-2011 VALOR students

Graduating with...

va lo r

Students gain unique perspective through va’s learning opportunities residency

Each academic year, the Orlando VA Medical Center selects two to three senior baccalaureate nursing students to participate in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ competitive, nationwide Learning Opportunities Residency (VALOR) program. UCF students, Michell Berry and Cody Hudgens, were chosen for the 2010-2011 academic year. The VALOR program is an intensive, year-long paid residency where nursing students receive hands-on clinical experience in a nearby VA healthcare facility. After orientation and training, the students focus their work in the Primary and Ambulatory Surgical Care units and the Community Living Center, with the occasional opportunity to observe in other units to learn and practice various procedures. The students essentially become a part of the Orlando VA Medical Center healthcare team, performing many of the facility’s daily tasks. These range from duties such as completing admission assessments and evaluation reports to more direct patient care which involves conducting EKGs and prepping patients for ambulatory surgery. To aid the learning process, each student works with a qualified RN preceptor who acts as an adviser and guide. To graduate from the program, the students must present a special project to nursing administration and management at the Orlando VA Medical Center. The students research evidence-based methods and best-practice recommendations on topics like patient safety.

After a hiatus, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs began offering the VALOR program again in 2008 to baccalaureate nursing students studying in Orlando. UCF is currently the only program in the area preparing baccalaureate nursing students, thus making them eligible to compete for the limited spots. “With the building of Orlando’s new, state-of-the-art VA Medical Center, we hope the Department of Veterans Affairs will further grow the VALOR program in our area, allowing more of our students to participate,” said Dr. Linda Hennig, associate dean for undergraduate affairs at UCF’s College of Nursing. “The program provides a valuable learning experience and also exposes our students to the vast career opportunities available to nurses through the VA and the armed forces.” •

VALOR Program Graduates: 2009-2010: Patricia Morales and Jonathan Reid 2008-2009: Sarah Dickerman, Zaineh Khalil and Ashley Ross The new Orlando VA Medical Center will be located on a 65-acre campus in southeast Orange County, Fla. The 1.2 million square foot facility, opening in fall of 2012, will cost $665 million to construct. The medical center will have a large multispecialty outpatient clinic, 134-inpatient beds, 120-community living center beds, a 60-bed domiciliary and administrative and support services. The VA will be co-located with the University of Central Florida College of Medicine, the Burnham Institute, the University of Florida Academic and Research Center and Nemours Children’s Hospital in the Lake Nona area known as the “Medical City.” UCF’s College of Nursing aims to eventually relocate to join them, providing proximity to clinical partners.

Cocoa Student receives Founders’ Award Several University of Central Florida students were honored with Founders’ Awards for their commitment to excellence in academics, leadership and community service on April 7, 2010 at UCF’s annual Founders’ Day Honors Convocation. Among them was Jennifer Watts, a nursing major at UCF’s Cocoa campus. Award Recipient Profile: Watts had already earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology when she enrolled in the nursing program. She had worked as a case manager for the Children’s Home Society, and that sparked her desire to become a nurse and provide more help for disadvantaged families. She has helped to organize walks for several charities. A former UCF cheerleader, she also coordinated Angels Baskets, an effort to provide food, clothing and toys to families. She completed her honors thesis about how nursing interventions help patients with critical brain injuries and graduated with her bachelor’s degree in nursing this past August. •

2011 |

Nursing magazine

Image Courtesy of Arden Monroe-Obermeit

Students on the Move

Former “Dr. G” Cast Member becomes Nurse

n the popular reality TV show, “Dr. G: Medical Examiner,” Arden Monroe-Obermeit battled a rare disease while working as a morgue technician.

On August 7, 2010, she graduated with a nursing degree from the University of Central Florida. She’s eager to help others stay healthy so they don’t become the medical examiner’s next case. Monroe-Obermeit’s eight years of performing more than 3,000 autopsies and 500 death scene investigations, as well as a life-changing experience with a nurse practitioner, drove her to enroll in UCF’s College of Nursing.

“

It was a nurse practitioner who finally ordered radiological studies that helped her obtain the Cushing’s diagnosis and get treatment. Medical specialists then surgically removed a tumor from her pituitary gland. After treatment, she quickly lost 80 pounds. Her TV fans noticed and applauded her in fan mail and blogs.

A nurse practitioner made a huge impact on my life by helping me obtain a very difficult and rare diagnosis.

“I saw too many deaths caused by people ignoring their diabetes or their heart conditions,” said Monroe-Obermeit. “In nursing, I absolutely love teaching patients how to avoid becoming a case at the morgue.” During her four years on the Discovery Channel television show, Monroe-Obermeit battled her own health issues, which she said many doctors were not able to diagnose. She long suspected Cushing’s syndrome, a rare disorder that causes high levels of the hormone

cortisol and results in a myriad of symptoms, including fatigue and weight gain.

”

“A nurse practitioner made a huge impact on my life by helping me obtain a very difficult and rare diagnosis,” she said. “The impact she had on me was inspiring. My dream is to be able to do that for just one of my patients.”

Monroe-Obermeit, who already holds a bachelor’s degree in biological anthropology from the University of Florida, entered UCF’s new post-baccalaureate Doctor of Nursing Practice program in Fall 2010 to begin preparing for advanced practice certification as a family nurse practitioner. • —Arden’s story was featured in several publications including Advance for Nurses and The Florida Nurse.

University of Central Florida

Stands for Opportunity

Vice Admiral/U.S.Navy (Ret.) Al Harms presents Lt./U.S.Navy Jervia Fickens with his award

Navy Nurse Honored For Military Service Graduate student Jervia Fickens was awarded a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal in a campus ceremony. The award honors and recognizes Fickens’ achievements as a clinical nurse manager at the Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, Va., from July 2005 to July 2009. Fickens was recognized for his managerial ability and personal initiative, including his collaborative work that led to more than 100 infants receiving frenectomies to improve their ability to feed. Fickens is an active duty Lieutenant in the Navy Nurse Corps. Fickens is one of only seven Navy Nurses selected nationwide in 2009 for the Navy’s Duty Under Instructions (DUINS) program, enabling him to complete an adult health clinical nurse specialist program as his active duty assignment. Fickens is the first member of the Navy Nurse Corps to enroll in the college’s master’s degree program. He is expected to graduate in Summer 2011 with a Master of Science in Nursing degree as a clinical nurse specialist and a post-master’s certificate as an adult nurse practitioner, making him eligible for board certification in both specialty areas. •

Dean Leuner presents Andrea Long (BSN ‘10) with a mock diploma celebrating the 200,000th degree awarded in UCF’s history.

UCF ’s 2 0 0,0 00 TH De gr e e Go e s to Nu rs in g G r ad, Glo b a l C itize n

aring for her grandfather, who suffered from polio, inspired Andrea Long to enter nursing school.

locity nursing.” She also is drawn to public health, global health and disease prevention.

She graduated May 7, 2010 with the 200,000th degree that the University of Central Florida has awarded since classes began in 1968. Her parents traveled from their home in rural China to see her receive her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.

She plans to move to Asia after a few years of professional nursing experience in the United States.

Long’s graduation concluded a UCF career rich with academic excellence, demonstrated leadership and outstanding community service. She was inducted into UCF’s Order of Pegasus, the highest honor an undergraduate can receive. She served as vice president of the Student Nurses Association and vice chair of the President’s Leadership Council, a group of students who serve as ambassadors for the university. During the summer of 2008, she completed a five-week, 1,000 mile philanthropy bike ride through China, Vietnam and Laos with a group of friends. Together, the group raised $25,000 for Save the Children Foundation to help build schools in China and Sierra Leone. At UCF, she joined LEAD Scholars, a selective, two-year leadership development program that emphasizes community outreach. She volunteered for Helping Hands, making sandwiches and delivering them to homeless people every week in Daytona Beach. “It wasn’t about feeding them,” she said. “It was about having meaningful social interaction with them and putting them in touch with the resources they needed.” As a nurse, Long is most interested in acute adult care, intensive care and emergency care — which she calls “high-impact, high-ve-

“I’m drawn to Asia, having spent so much of my childhood and teen years there,” she said. Originally from Stuart, Fla., her parents relocated to Taipei, Taiwan, when she was in the sixth grade. She completed grades 10 through 12 at an American high school in Singapore. To escape the Singapore heat, Long did her homework in the air-conditioned offices of her friends’ mothers who were nurses. They encouraged her to consider a nursing career. She also was inspired by her grandfather, whose physical disability from polio was complicated after he broke his hip. “He needed a lot of care, and I helped provide that care ever since I was a little kid,” she said. Long had wanted to attend UCF ever since her sister, Cassandra, enrolled eight years ago. She’s pleased with her choice, as she praises UCF’s nursing faculty for being “so passionate about their field” and for helping students become leaders who care about their patients. “We are proud to recognize Andrea for her leadership, dedication and compassion with the university’s 200,000th degree,” said Dr. Jean Leuner, dean of the College of Nursing. “Her global outlook and philanthropic spirit will be a great asset to any community she serves now and throughout her professional nursing career.” •

2011 |

Nursing magazine

Faculty on the Move News Highlights >>> Christina Amidei, a UCF nursing instructor and doctoral student, was inducted as a 2009 Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN)—the highest professional honor for the field of nursing. She joins six other UCF College of Nursing faculty members who are esteemed Academy Fellows, including: Drs. Karen Aroian, Angeline Bushy, Jacqueline Byers, Karen Dennis, Anne Norris and Mary Lou Sole. She also received the 2010 Nurse Leader Clinical Practice Award from the Florida Nurses Association. Dr. Diane Andrews, an assistant professor in UCF’s College of Nursing, was elected president of the Florida Medical Association Alliance and completed her one-year term in 2009. Dr. Christopher Blackwell, an assistant professor in UCF’s College of Nursing, is shaping the field of nursing by contributing to the professional standards of advanced practice. He is serving as an exam writer and content expert for the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), specifically for the national certification exam for adult nurse practitioners. Although the appointment is renewable, his current fiveyear appointment ends in 2015. Dr. Blackwell has also been accepted as an academic panelist for the National Council for Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN®). He was appointed to this position by the National League for Nursing and can be called upon to serve as an exam writer. Additionally, he continues to serve as an appointed member of the medical expert panel for the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA), representing the profession of nursing through public service announcements and other forms of communication outreach. He also works with GLMA’s mentorship program and assists beginning nurse scholars who share a similar research interest in the development of their professional program of research.

Drs. Talbert, Wink, Chase and Leuner are working with UCF College of Medicine faculty and community partners on a federal grant from the Dept. of Health & Human Services to assist primary care providers to adopt electronic health records. Dr. Betsy Guimond, a UCF nursing instructor, received one of three Debra Spunt Research Mini Grants from the International Association of Clinical Simulation and Learning. The grant supported her dissertation, “Evaluation of a Simulation-Enhanced Obstetric Clinical Experience on Learning Outcomes for Knowledge, Self-efficacy, and Transfer,” which she’ll present at the association’s national meeting in June, 2011. Dr. Guimond successfully defended her dissertation and earned her Ph.D. in nursing from UCF in December 2010. Dr. Linda Hennig, associate dean for undergraduate affairs for UCF’s College of Nursing, was named in 2009 one of “100 Great Nurses” in Florida by the Florida Nurses Association. Debra Hunt, a UCF nursing instructor and doctoral student, received the first Martha Manuel Emerson Investigator Award from the Lupus Foundation of Florida and a Community Action Award from the Florida Nurses Association. She has also been elected to serve as president of the Board of Directors of the South Lake Hospital Foundation. Previously, she served two terms on the South Lake Hospital District Board of Trustees. She has been recognized as an advocate for and volunteer with the South Lake Health Clinic, which provides free health care services to low-income, uninsured residents of south Lake County. Hunt has also been re-elected as second vice president of the Florida Nurses Association Board of Directors. Dr. Jean Leuner, dean of UCF’s College of Nursing, was invited to participate in national nursing accreditation training by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The training was held in June 2010 in Washington, D.C. She now joins three other UCF nursing faculty members (Drs. Susan Chase, Judy Ruland and Mary Lou Sole), who can be called upon to serve as on-site evalua-

University of Central Florida

Stands for Opportunity

tors in the CCNE’s accreditation process of a nursing program. She was also selected to co-lead the Nursing Education Capacity Team for the state of Florida, one of 18 original teams selected nationally by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Center to Champion Nursing in America to promote best practices and innovative strategies to expand nursing education capacity in the state. The Orlando Business Journal named her a 2010 “Women Who Mean Business” finalist and the Florida Nurses Association honored her in 2009 as one of the state’s “100 Great Nurses.” Dr. Leuner has also been elected to the Board of Trustees of Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, N.H. Dr. Anne Norris, a UCF nursing professor, was nominated by her students and featured as a 2010 Notable Nurse in the October 2010 issue of Central Florida’s LIFESTYLE magazine. Susan Ricci, an instructor in UCF’s College of Nursing and coordinator of the college’s Concurrent A.S.N. to B.S.N. program with Seminole State College, was recognized by the Florida Nurses Association with a 2010 Nurse Educator in Undergraduate Nursing Award. Dr. Mary Lou Sole, a UCF nursing professor, was named the 2010 Distinguished Research Lecturer by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses and presented her research in May 2010 at the National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition in Washington, D.C. AACN established the Distinguished Research Lecturer Award in 1982 to honor nationally known nurses who make significant contributions to acute and critical care research. The AACN’s National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition represents the world’s largest educational conference and trade show for nurses who care for acutely and critically ill patients and their families. Dr. Sole was also honored by

Welcome new Faculty members >>> her alma mater with its 2010 Distinguished Alumna Award from the University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing. In 2009, she received the Flame of Excellence Award from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses and was inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Critical Care Medicine. Dr. Sole continues to lend her expertise as a legislative-appointed member of the Florida Biomedical Research Advisory Council. Dr. Diane Wink, a UCF nursing professor, was inducted into the prestigious American Association of Nurse Practitioners as a 2010 Fellow. The FAANP program was established in 2000 to recognize nurse practitioner leaders who have made outstanding contributions to health care through nurse practitioner clinical practice, research, education, or policy. A limited number of nurse practitioners are selected for this highly coveted distinction each year. She is the first member of the UCF College of Nursing to be selected for this great honor. â&#x20AC;˘

With the consistent growth of our college, we are pleased to have welcomed several new members to our dynamic nursing faculty in 2010 and 2011. Debra J. DiChiara, MSN, RN

Susan K. Chase, Ed.D., ARNP, FNP-BC, FNAP

Instructor, Daytona

Associate Dean, Graduate Studies; and Professor

Joyce Burr, Msn, RN, AHN-BC

Norma E. Conner, Ph.D., RN

Visiting Instructor, Cocoa

Assistant Professor and Coordinator, Community Nursing Coalitions

Jon Decker, Ph.D., ARNP, FNP-bc

Kimberly Dever, MSN, RN-BC

Assistant Professor

Instructor

Angela Ritten, MSN, ARNP, FNP-BC

Elizabeth Loika, MSN, RN

New Appointments >>> Stephen D. Heglund, MSN, ARNP Instructor, Cocoa; and Coordinator, R.N. to B.S.N. and R.N. to M.S.N.

Victoria lOERZEL, Ph.D., RN, ocn Assistant Professor and Coordinator, Honors in the Major (HIM)

Visiting Instructor

Instructor, Seminole/UCF Concurrent A.S.N. to B.S.N.

Julee Waldrop, DNP, ARNP, PNP-BC, FNP-BC

Patricia Weinstein, Ph.D., ARNP Assistant Professor

Associate Professor

2011 | â&#x20AC;&#x201A;

Nursing magazine

Faculty on the Move Dr. Sole’s Introduction to Critical Care Nursing was named the 2010 American Journal of Nursing Book of the Year!

Faculty Publications 2009-2010 Kelly Allred, Ph.D., RN-BC Allred, K., Byers, J. F., & Sole, M. L. (2010). The effect of music on postoperative pain and anxiety.

Diane Randall Andrews, Ph.D., RN Andrews, D. R., Burr, J. & Bushy, A. (in press). Con-

Pain Management Nursing, 11(1), 15-25.

cerns regarding patient care quality may impact a

Christina Stewart-Amidei, MSN, RN, CNRN, CCRN, FAAN

of Nursing Care Quality.

Stewart-Amidei, C., Villanueva, N., Schwartz, R. R.,

nurse’s self-concept: a qualitative analysis. Journal

Duvall, J. J., & Andrews, D. R. (2010). Using a struc-

Delemos, C., West. T., Tocco, S., et al. (2010). Ameri-

tured review of the literature to identify key factors

can Association of Neuroscience Nurses scope and

associated with the current nursing shortage. Jour-

standards of practice for advanced practice nurses.

nal of Professional Nursing, 26(5), 309-317.

Journal of Neuroscience Nursing, 42(3), E1-E8.

Andrews, D. R., Richard, D., & Aroian, K. (2009).

er-child adjustment in Arab Muslim Immigrants to the U.S., Social Science and Medicine, 69, 1377-1386. Andrews, D., Richard, D., & Aroian, K. J. (2009). Factor structure of the Denyes self-care practice instrument. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 31(6), 799-811. Ramaswamy, V., Aroian, K. J., & Templin, T. N. (2009). Adaptation and Psychometric Evaluation of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social

Sole, M. L., Desmarais, P., Galura, S., Amidei, C.,

Factor structure of the Denyes self-care practice

Support for Arab American Adolescents. American

& LaManna, J. (2009). Evolve Electronic Instructor

instrument. Western Journal of Nursing Research,

Journal of Community Psychology, 43, 49-56.

Resources for Introduction to Critical Care Nursing.

31(6), 799-811.

Christopher W. Blackwell, Ph.D., ARNP, ANP-BC

(5th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Saunders.

Andrews, D. R., & Wan, T. T. W. (2009). The impor-

Sole, M. L., Desmarais, P., Galura, S., Amidei, C., &

tance of mental health to the experience of job strain:

Blackwell, C. W. (in press). Addressing alcohol abuse in gay men. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine.

LaManna, J. (2009). Evolve Online Student Study

An evidence guided approach to improve retention.

Guide for Introduction to Critical Care Nursing. (5th

Journal of Nursing Management, 17, 340-351.

ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Saunders.

Karen Aroian, Ph.D., RN, FAAN Chatlos Endowed Professor of Nursing Director of Nursing Research

in gay men: Clinical recommendations from conflict-

(2010). Adaptation and psychometric evaluation

Service Research.

Stewart-Amidei, C. (2009). Assessment of neurologic function. In S. Smeltzer, B. Bare, J. Hinkle (Eds.), Brunner & Suddarth’s textbook of medicalsurgical nursing (11th ed., pp. 1828-1856). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins. Klein, D., Stewart-Amidei, C. (2009). Nervous system alterations. In M. L. Sole, D. G. Klein, M. J. Moseley (Eds.), Introduction to Critical Care Nursing (5th ed.,

Aroian, K. J., Templin, T. N., & Ramaswamy, V.

of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support for Arab Immigrant Women. Health Care for Women International, 31, 153-169.

pp. 371-438). Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders.

Aroian, K. J., Hough E. S., Templin, T. N., Kulwicki, A., Ramaswamy, V. & Katz, A. (2009). A model of moth-

University of Central Florida

Stands for Opportunity

Blackwell, C. W. (in press). Reducing alcohol abuse ing research. Journal of Social Service Research. Blackwell, C. W., & Dziegielewski, S. F. (in press). Using the Internet to meet sexual partners: Research and practice implications. Journal of Social

Blackwell, C. W. (2010). The relationship among population size, requests for bareback sex, and HIV serostatus among men who have sex with men using

the Internet to meet sexual partners. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 20(3), 349-360. Blackwell, C. W. (2009). Requests for safer sex among men who have sex with men who use the

Bushy, A. (2009). Vulnerability: An overview. In

Chase, S. K. (2009). Cardiovascular anatomy and

K. Saucier-Lundy & S. Jaynes (Eds.), Community

physiology. In S. R. Hardin & R. Kaplow (Eds.), Car-

health nursing: Caring for the public health (2nd

diac surgery: Essentials for critical care nursing (pp.

ed., pp. 614-631). Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett.

13-26). Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett.

Internet to initiate sexual relationships: Implications

Bushy, A. (2009). Community health nursing in

Chase, S. K. (2009). Circulatory system. In P.

for healthcare providers. Journal of Lesbian, Gay, Bi-

rural areas. In C. Smith & F. Maurer. Community

Tabloski (Ed.), Gerontology: The essential guide

Health Nursing: Theory and Practice (4th ed., pp.

to clinical practice (2nd ed., pp. 442-474). Upper

809-830). Philadelphia, PA: W.B. Saunders.

Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall Health.

sexual, and Transgender Health Research, 5(1), 4-9. Blackwell, C. W. (2009). Screening adult clients for HIV using point of service tests. The American Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 13(7/8), 50-54. Blackwell, C. W. (2009). Domestic violence among gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons: Populations at risk. In L. Ross (Ed.) The war against domestic violence (1st ed., pp. 129-138). New York, NY: Taylor.

Joyce Burr, MSN, RN, AHN-BC Andrews, D. R., Burr, J., & Bushy, A. (in press). Concerns regarding patient care quality may impact a nurse’s self-concept: a qualitative analysis. Journal of Nursing Care Quality.

Angeline Bushy, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, (PHCNS-BC) Bert Fish Eminent Scholar Endowed Chair

Bushy, A. (2009). Contributor to text supple-

Norma E. Conner, Ph.D., RN

ments and instructor resources. In R. Murray, J.

Thielemann, P., & Conner, N. (2009). Social sup-

Zentner, & R. Yakimo (Eds.), Health promotion

port as a mediator of depression in caregivers of

strategies through the life span. Upper Saddle Riv-

patients with end-stage disease. Journal of Hos-

er, NJ: Prentice Hall.

pice and Palliative Nursing, 11(2), 82-90.

Jacqueline Fowler Byers, Ph.D., RN, NEA-BC, CPHQ, FAAN

Leslee A. D’Amato-Kubiet, MSN, ARNP

Mehlado, L., & Byers, J. F. (in press). Patients’ and sur-

D’Amato-Kubiet, L. (in press). Health and well-

rogates’ decision-making characteristics: Withdrawing,

ness. In B. L. Yoost & L. R. Crawford (Eds.), Fun-

withholding, and continuing life sustaining treatment.

damentals of nursing: Building blocks of practice.

The Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing.

Burr Ridge, IL: McGraw-Hill.

Allred, K., Byers, J. F., & Sole, M. L. (2010). The ef-

D’Amato-Kubiet, L. (in press). Physical assess-

fect of music on postoperative pain and anxiety.

ment. In B. L. Yoost & L. R. Crawford (Eds.), Fun-

Pain Management Nursing, 11(1), 15-25.

damentals of nursing: Building blocks of practice.

Sole, M. L., Penoyer, D. A., Su, X., Jiminez, E., Kalita,

Burr Ridge, IL: McGraw-Hill.

Paul L. Desmarais, Ph.D., RN, CCRN

Andrews, D. R., Burr, J., & Bushy, A. (in press). Con-

S., Poalillo, E., Byers, J. F., Bennet, M., Ludy, J. E.

cerns regarding patient care quality may impact a

(2009). Assessment of endotracheal tube pressure

nurse’s self-concept: a qualitative analysis. Journal

by continuous monitoring: A pilot study. American

of Nursing Care Quality.

Journal of Critical Care, 18(2), 133-143.

& LaManna, J. (2009). Evolve Electronic Instructor

Susan K. Chase, Ed.D., Arnp, FNP-BC, FNAP

Resources for Introduction to Critical Care Nursing.

Bushy, A. (in press). Health issues of women in rural United States: An overview view. In B. Leipert (Ed.). Rural Women’s Health in Canada. Toronto, Ontario: Toronto Press. Bushy, A. (in press). Population-centered nursing

Dyess, S. M., & Chase, S. K. (in press) Caring for

Sole, M. L., Desmarais, P., Galura, S., Amidei, C., & LaManna, J. (2009). Evolve Online Student Study

ties of faith. International Journal of Human Caring.

Guide for Introduction to Critical Care Nursing. (5th

Drumm, J., & Chase, S. K. (in press). Learning car-

Lancaster (Eds.), Community Health Nursing (8th

ing: The student’s experience. International Journal

Ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby Publishers.

of Human Caring.

Bushy, A. (in press). Contributor to text supple-

Chase, S. K. (in press) Faith-oriented communi-

ments and instructor resources. In S. Tucker, Nu-

ties. In R. Demarco and G. Harkness (Eds.). Com-

trition and diet therapy for nurses. Upper Saddle

munity and public health nursing: An epidemiologi-

River, NJ: Pearson Publishers.

cal approach.

Bushy, A. (2010). Rural health and migrant health. In

Dyess, S. M., Chase, S. K., & Newlin, K. (2009).

M. Stanhope & J. Lancaster (Eds.), Foundations of com-

State of research for faith community nursing 2009.

munity health nursing: Community-oriented practice

Journal of Religion and Health, 49(2), 188-199. Chase, S. K. (2009) Decision-making and knowing

Bushy, A. (2009). American Nurses Credentialing

in nursing: The essentiality of meaning. In R. C. Loc-

Center (ANCC) Pathway to Excellence™ Program: Ad-

sin & M. J. Purnell (Eds.), A contemporary process of

dressing Meeting the Needs of Small and Rural. Online

nursing: The (un)bearable weight of knowing persons

Journal of Rural Nursing and Health Care, 9(1), 6-10.

in nursing (pp. 251-279). New York, NY: Springer.

Bushy, A. (2009). A Landscape View of Life and

(5th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Saunders.

adults living with chronic disease through communi-

in rural and urban environments. In V. Stanhope & J.

(3rd ed., pp. 400-418). Elkridge, MD: Mosby/Elsevier.

Sole, M. L., Desmarais, P., Galura, S., Amidei, C.,

Chase, S. K. (2009). Clinical judgment in critical

Health Care in Rural Settings. Interactive online

care. In S. R. Hardin & R. Kaplow (Eds.), Cardiac sur-

handbook for rural health care ethics: A practical

gery: Essentials for critical care nursing (pp. 1-12).

guide for professionals, (pp. 15-40). Hanover, NH:

Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett.

ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Saunders. Desmarais, P. (2009) Instructor Manual/Test Bank for: Potter & Perry (2009). Clinical Nursing Skills & Techniques (7th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Mosby.

Mary Elizabeth (Betsy) Guimond, Ph.D., RN, WHNP-BC Guimond, M. E., Salas, E., & Sole, M. L. (in press). Getting ready for simulation-based training: A checklist for nursing educators. Nursing Education Perspectives. Sole, M. L., & Guimond, M. (2010, February). Addressing the nursing shortage through simulation. White paper published by the Florida Center for Nursing, Orlando, FL. Guimond, M. E., & Salas, E. (2009). Linking the science of training to nursing simulation. Nurse Educator, 34(3),105-106. Guimond, M. E., Sole, M. L., & Salas, E. (2009). TeamSTEPPS. American Journal of Nursing, 109(11), 66-68.

Dartmouth College.

2011 |

Nursing magazine

Faculty on the Move Stephen D. Heglund, MSN, ARNP

Anne E. Norris, Ph.D., RN, FAAN

Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health

Heglund, S., & Wink, D. (in press). Evaluation of

Ahern, N., & Norris, A. E. (in press). Examining

knowledge retention from double testing. Journal

factors that increase and decrease stress in ado-

of Nursing Education.

lescent community college students. Journal of

Jacqueline LaManna, MSN, ARNP-BC, ADM, CDE

Pediatric Nursing.

back-to-basics, collaboration, discovery. American

Elizabeth M. Rash, Ph.D., ARNP, FNP-C

Journal of Critical Care, 19, 326-334.

Sole, M. L., Desmarais, P., Galura, S., Amidei, C., & LaManna, J. (2009). Evolve Electronic Instructor

Rash, E. M. (2010). Thinking about thinking-re-

Resources for Introduction to Critical Care Nursing.

lated diagnostic errors. The American Journal for

(5th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Saunders.

Nurse Practitioners, 14(9/10). Retrieved from www.

Sole, M. L., Desmarais, P., Galura, S., Amidei, C., &

webNPonline.com.

LaManna, J. (2009). Evolve Online Student Study

Winton, M.A., & Rash, E. M. (2010). Physical child

Guide for Introduction to Critical Care Nursing. (5th

abuse, neglect, and domestic violence. In L. Ross

ed.), Philadelphia, PA: Saunders.

(Ed.), The War Against Domestic Violence (pp. 71-

LaManna, J. (2009). End-of-life in the critical care unit. In M. L. Sole, P. Desmarais, S. Galura, C. Amidei & J. LaManna (Eds.), Instructor manual to accompany introduction to critical care nursing (5th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier. LaManna, J. (2009). Endocrine alterations. In M. L. Sole, P. Desmarais, S. Galura, C. Amidei & J. LaManna

87). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

Susan Scott Ricci, MSN, M.Ed., ARNP Ricci, S. S. (2010). The prenatal period. In C. L. Edelman & C. L. Mandle (Eds.), Health promotion throughout the life cycle (7th ed., pp. 379-414). St. Louis, MO: Mosby Elsevier.

(Eds.). Instructor manual to accompany introduction

Ricci, S. S. (2010). Infant. In C. L. Edelman & C. L. Man-

to critical care nursing (5th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.

dle (Eds.), Health promotion throughout the life cycle

Jean D’Meza Leuner, Ph.D., RN, CNE

(7th ed., pp. 415-454). St. Louis, MO: Mosby Elsevier.

Ruland, J. P., & Leuner, J. D. (2010) Master’s programs preparing nurse educators: What is the current state of affairs? Nurse Educator, 35(6), 248-253.

Victoria Wochna Loerzel, Ph.D., RN, OCN Loerzel, V. W., & Meneses, K. (2010). Cancer survivorship: A critical aspect of care. In C. H. Yarboro, M. H. Frogge, & M. Goodman (Eds.), Cancer principles and practice (pp. 1744-1754). Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett. Meneses, K., McNees, P., Azuero, A., & Loerzel, V. W., Su, X., & Hassey, L. A. (2009). Preliminary evaluation of psychoeducational support interventions on quality of life in rural breast cancer survivors during post-treatment survivorship. Cancer Nursing, 32(5), 385-387 Meneses, K., McNees, P., Loerzel, V. W., Su, X, Hassey, L. (2009). Transition from treatment to survivorship: Effects of a psychoeducational intervention on quality of life in breast cancer survivors. In G. LoBiondo-Wood & J. Haber (Eds.), Nursing research: Methods and critical appraisal for evidence based practice (pp. 464-482). St. Louis, MO: Mosby Elsevier.

Ricci, S. S. (2009) Essentials of maternity, newborn and women’s health nursing (2nd ed.), Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins. Ricci, S. S. & Kyle, T. (2009) Maternity and pedi-

Services, 48(2), 17-20. Sole, M. L. (2010). How I learned my ABCs: Action,

Allred, K., Byers, J. F., & Sole, M. L. (2010). The effect of music on postoperative pain and anxiety. Pain Management Nursing, 11(1), 15-25. Vollman, K., & Sole, M. L. (2010). Endotracheal tube and oral care. AACN Procedure Manual for Critical Care (6th ed., pp. 31-38), Philadelphia, PA: Saunders. Sole, M. L., & Guimond, M. (2010, February). Addressing the nursing shortage through simulation. White paper published by the Florida Center for Nursing, Orlando, FL. Guimond, M. E., Salas, E., & Sole, M.L. (2009). TeamSTEPPS: Training Nurses need to ask for. American Journal of Nursing, 109(11), 66-68. Schaus, J. F., Sole, M. L., McCoy, T. P., Mullett, N., & O’Brien, M. C. (2009). Alcohol screening and brief intervention in a student health center: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, (Suppl. 16), 131-141. Schaus, J. F., Sole, M. L., Mullett, N., McCoy, T. P., O’Brien, M. C., Bolden, J., & Siva, J. (2009). Screening for high-risk drinking in a college student health center: Characterizing students based on quantity,

atric nursing. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott, Williams

frequency, and harms. Journal of Studies on Alco-

& Wilkins.

hol and Drugs, (Suppl. 16), 34-44.

Judith P. Ruland, Ph.D., RN, CNE

sessment of endotracheal cuff pressure with con-

Ruland, J. P., & Leuner, J. D. (2010) Master’s programs preparing nurse educators: What is the current state of affairs? Nurse Educator, 35(6), 248-253.

Mary Lou Sole, Ph.D., RN, CCNS, CNL, FAAN, FCCM Orlando Health Distinguished Professor in Nursing

Sole, M. L., Talbert, S., Su, X., et al. (in press). Eval-

uation of an intervention to maintain endotracheal tube cuff pressure within therapeutic range. American Journal of Critical Care. Guimond, M. E., Salas, E., & Sole, M. L. (in press). Getting ready for simulation-based training: A checklist for nursing educators. Nursing Education Perspectives. Ahern, N. R., & Sole, M.L. (2010). Drinking games and college students-Part II: Nursing implications. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services. 48(4), 15-18.

Ahern, N. R., & Sole, M. L. (2010). Drinking games and college students-Part I: Problem description.

University of Central Florida

Stands for Opportunity

Sole, M. L., Aragon, D., Su, X., et al. (2009). Astinuous monitoring: A pilot study. American Journal of Critical Care, 18, 133-43. Sole, M. L., Klein, D. G., & Moseley, M. (Eds.), (2009). Introduction to Critical Care Nursing. (5th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Saunders. Sole, M. L., Desmarais, P., Galura, S., Amidei, C., & LaManna, J. (2009). Evolve Electronic Instructor Resources for Introduction to Critical Care Nursing (5th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Saunders. Sole, M. L., Desmarais, P., Galura, S., Amidei, C., & LaManna, J. (2009). Evolve Online Student Study Guide for Introduction to Critical Care Nursing (5th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Saunders. Sole, M. L. (2009). Overview of critical care nursing. In M. L. Sole, D. G. Klein, & M. J. Moseley (Eds.), Introduction to Critical Care Nursing (5th ed., pp. 3-10). Philadelphia, PA: Saunders.

Hosmanek, M., & Sole, M.L. (2009). The critical care experience. In M. L. Sole, D. G. Klein, & M. J. Moseley (Eds.), Introduction to Critical Care Nursing (5th ed., pp. 11-25). Philadelphia, PA: Saunders. Nohrenberg, J. L., Moseley, M. J., & Sole, M. L. (2009). Hemodynamic monitoring. In M. L. Sole,

Journal Editors & Editorial Boards Kelly Allred, Ph.D., RN-BC Editorial Board, Pain Management Nursing, since 2008

D. G. Klein, & M. J. Moseley (Eds.), Introduction to

Christina Stewart-Amidei, MSN, RN, CNRN, CCRN, FAAN

Critical Care Nursing (5th ed., pp. 141-171). Philadel-

Guideline Reviewer, American Heart Association, since 2009

phia, PA: Saunders.

Angeline Bushy, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, (PHCNS-BC) Bert Fish Eminent Scholar Endowed Chair

Pierce, L. N. B., & Sole, M. L. (2009). Ventilatory assistance. In M. L. Sole, D. G. Klein, & M. J. Moseley (Eds.), Introduction to Critical Care Nursing (5th ed., pp. 173-229). Philadelphia, PA: Saunders.

Steven R. Talbert, Ph.D., RN Sole, M. L., Talbert, S., Su, X., et al. (in press). Evaluation of an intervention to maintain endotracheal tube cuff pressure within therapeutic range. American Journal of Critical Care. Talbert, S. (2009). Changing physiological status predicts need for trauma center resources. Journal of Trauma Nursing, 16(1), 2-7.

Julee Waldrop, DNP, ARNP, PNP-BC, FNP-BC Houston, K., Waldrop, J., & McCarthy, R. (in press). Evidence to guide primary care providers in counseling Latino parents on feeding their infants and young children. Journal for Nurse Practitioners. Bauer, L., & Waldrop, J. (2009). Trans fat intake in children: Risks and recommendations. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 36(6), 1-6. West, L., Brunssen, S., & Waldrop, J. (2009). Evidence for treatment of autistic children with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Journal for Specialists in Pediatric Nursing, 14(2), 83-91. West, L., Waldrop, J., & Brunssen, S. (2009). Pharmacologic treatments for the core deficits and as-

Editorial Board, Family and Community Health, since 1991 Editorial Board, Journal of Nursing Quality Care, since 1990

Jacqueline Fowler Byers, Ph.D., RN, NEA-BC, CPHQ, FAAN Editorial Board, Heart & Lung, since 2005 Editorial Board, Journal for Healthcare Quality, 2007-2010

Karen E. Dennis, Ph.D., RN, FAAN Editorial Board, American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, since 2007

Jean D’Meza Leuner, Ph.D., RN, CNE Editorial Board, Journal of Information Fluency, since 2010

Anne E. Norris, Ph.D., RN, FAAN Statistical Reviewer, Nursing Research, since 1998

Mary Lou Sole, Ph.D., RN, CCNS, CNL, FAAN, FCCM Orlando Health Distinguished Professor in Nursing

Editorial Board, AACN Advanced Critical Care (formerly AACN Clinical Issues), since 2006 Editorial Board, Nursing Consult, since 2004 Editorial Board, American Journal of Critical Care, since 2000 Editorial Board, Heart & Lung, since 1992

Julee Waldrop, DNP, ARNP, PNP-BC, FNP-BC Editorial Board & Contributing Editor, The Clinical Advisor, since 1998 Editor, NP News (the newsletter of the North Carolina Nurse Practitioner Council of the North Carolina Nurses Association), 2006-2009

Diane M. Wink, Ed.D., FNP-BC, ARNP, FAANP Editorial Board, Nurse Educator, since 1994 Editorial Board, Journal of Nursing Education, since 2000 Editorial Board, Advance for Nurses, Florida Edition, since 2000

sociated symptoms of autism in children. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 23(2), 75-89. Waldrop, J., & Miles, M. (2009). Sources of distress for southern African American mothers with HIV. The Source, 19(2), 12-15.

Diane M. Wink, Ed.D., FNP-BC, ARNP, FAANP Heglund, S., & Wink, D. (in press). Evaluation of knowledge retention from double testing. Journal of Nursing Education. Wink, D. (in press). Teaching with technology: Optimizing use of course management systems. Nurse Educator. Ahern, N., & Wink, D. (2010). Teaching with technology: Second Life. Nurse Educator, 35, 225-227.

Wink, D. M. (2010, October). Service-learning in nursing education. Faculty Focus, pp. 12-13. Wink, D. (2010). Clinical teaching in diverse settings. In K. Gaberson, M. Oermann (Eds.), Clinical teaching strategies (3rd ed., pp. 307-339). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company. Wink, D. (2010). Teaching with technology: Automatically receiving information from the internet and web. Nurse Educator, 35, 141-143. Wink, D. (2010). Teaching with technology: Lectures in a can. Nurse Educator, 35, 95-97.

Wink, D. (2009). Teaching with technology: Collaboration tools. Nurse Educator, 34, 235-237. Wink, D. (2009). Teaching with technology: Communication tools. Nurse Educator, 34, 180-183. Wink, D. (2009). Teaching with technology: Sources of fully developed course materials on the web. Nurse Educator, 34, 143-145. Wink, D. (2009). Teaching with technology: Finding information on the Internet. Nurse Educator, 34, 51-53. Wink, D. (2009). Teaching with technology. Com-

puter basics. Nurse Educator, 34, 3-5. •

Wink, D. (2010). Teaching with technology: Social Networking. Nurse Educator, 35, 49-51.

2011 |

Nursing magazine

Alumni on the Move Alumni Awards >>> Each college at the University of Central Florida selects an outstanding alumna or alumnus to recognize with the college’s Professional Achievement and Rising Star Awards. The awards are presented at the university’s Black & Gold Gala held each year during Homecoming Week.

Professional achievement 2010: Capt. Ginny Giroux, MSN, FNP-BC From her education and training as a nurse at UCF and Florida Hospital to her Air Force medical career, Capt. Virginia A. “Ginny” Giroux (B.S.N. ‘89) is a seasoned health care provider, taking the health and welfare of our nation very personally. Capt. Giroux is the deputy director and senior supervisory health promotion officer for the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), a division of the Food and Drug Administration, in Silver Spring, Md. She is also a Captain in the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, one of the seven uniformed service agencies in the United States. At the CDER, she provides leadership, program direction and general oversight for the Center’s science, regulatory, leadership and professional development programs. She also manages the only accredited Continuing Education program in the FDA. To that end, she has developed online continuing education courses in collaboration with the FDA Offices and the National Institutes of Health, as well as a Public Health Certification Program through Georgetown University and a graduate certificate in Patient and Product Safety from the University of Southern California. Her duties in the PHS are broad and have included deployments to areas devastated by Hurricanes Ike, Katrina and Ivan. She also served at the Reagan State Funeral in 2004. •

Capt. Ginny Giroux

Deputy Director, Training, FDA/Center for Drug Evaluation and Research

2009: Maj. Edie Ruiz, MSN, RN Maj. Editha “Edie” Dulce Ruiz (B.S.N. ‘95) of Alexandria, Va. serves as the education and training officer for the Army Nurse Corps branch, where she oversees the professional development, career counseling and management of more than 3,400 Army Nurse Corps officers. She manages all Army nurse health education and training programs, and advises senior leadership on nursing educational requirements. She often describes her role as creating “life plans” for the Army Nurse Corps members.

Maj. Edie Ruiz

Education Officer, Human Resource Command, Army Nurse Corps Branch

Maj. Ruiz completed her undergraduate education at UCF 1995, earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. As a proud alumna, Maj. Ruiz provides global outreach and awareness and serves as an ambassador for UCF’s nursing programs. With great honor, she incorporates the UCF logo on all of her presentations and has encouraged Army Nurse Corps officers to pursue their degrees at UCF — including one of the college’s first Ph.D. graduates. “Edie is not only committed to serving our country and the field of nursing, she is truly a nurse leader,” said Dean Leuner as she presented Maj. Ruiz with her award in 2009. Maj. Ruiz is currently stationed in Italy. •

University of Central Florida

Stands for Opportunity

Past Recipients:

2008: Sanford “Bucky” Boaz, ARNP-C

(B.S.N. ‘94, M.S.N. ‘98) Co-founder of The miniER Adult and Pediatric Urgent Care Center in Orlando, Fla.

2007: Kenneth W. Dion, RN, MSN/MBA (B.S.N. ‘91)

Founder and CEO of Decision Critical, Inc. in Austin, Texas

Rising Stars 2010: Josh Harman, BSN, RN Robert “Josh” Harman (B.S.N. ‘09) works as an RN in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C. He was recently accepted into the Nurse Anesthesia program at the Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va. Prior to becoming a nurse, Harman earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Va. He began his professional career working in financial services and in research and development. His corporate job allowed him to travel extensively, which he loved, but a promotion soon relegated him to a cubicle.

Past Recipient: His father, an emergency department nurse, encouraged him to consider nursing. At first, Harman wasn’t sure how to switch from a corporate career track to nursing — that is, until he found UCF’s Accelerated Second Degree B.S.N. program. “The program was the perfect fit and prepared me for my new career in nursing,” said Harman. When asked if he misses the corporate world, he replied, “I haven’t looked back. I have zero regrets!” •

2009 Jenna Benyounes (B.S.N. ‘09) graduated in December 2010 from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. with her master’s degree in Nurse Midwifery and Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner. She recently passed her boards and has founded Insightful Pregnancy, offering private childbirth classes and other services. She will pursue a doctorate degree in the Fall. Benyounes is engaged to Chris Ulrich and the couple will marry May 29, 2011 in south Florida. Danielle Briggs (B.S.N. ‘09) is working in pediatric/hematology at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando, Fla. She writes, “I’m now a preceptor for new employees on our unit, a pain resource nurse, and a member of both the pain improvement committee and the magnet committee. I continue to volunteer at Camp Boggy Creek as well.” 1 Sarah Dickerman (B.S.N. ‘09) is an RN in the emergency department of Florida Hospi-

Brandie Hollinger, RN (B.S.N. ‘07)

Works in the special care unit at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando, Fla.

2009: Brian Ligad, BSN, RN, PCCN, CCRN After graduating from UCF, Mark “Brian” Ligad (B.S.N. ‘08), was accepted into Duke University’s premier Cardiothoracic program in Durham, N.C. As a certified progressive care nurse, he provides post-operative care to patients undergoing invasive cardiac and thoracic surgical procedures. In addition to his clinical duties, Ligad serves as a nurse preceptor where he trains and orients newly hired registered nurses and nursing students. He also serves on Duke’s Preceptor Development Council. Ligad has also been recognized with Duke’s “Hope, Strength, Caring” Award. •

Harman says he didn’t feel fulfilled in the corporate world and sought a career change that would allow him to make a difference.

Class Notes >>>

2008:

tal Altamonte and a member of the Emergency Nurses’ Association. She and her husband Doug welcomed their first child, Wyatt, on Dec. 27, 2010. Wyatt weighed 8 lbs. 12.9 oz. Josh Harman (B.S.N. ‘09) is pleased to announce his engagement to Jacqueline Charney. The couple plan to marry in July, 2011 in Washington, D.C. (See award profile above) Allie Hocking (B.S.N. ‘09) and Bryan Ramey are pleased to announce their engagement. The couple plan to marry in February, 2012. Hocking is an RN in the Level 3 NICU at Winnie Palmer Hospital in Orlando, Fla. 2 Caroline Muthaisu (B.S.N. ‘09) married Wambua Mwanth on December 18, 2010. Muthaisu works in the Cardiac ICU department at Lakeland Regional Medical Center in Lakeland, Fla.

2008 Maria Stahl (M.S.N. ‘08) was honored with a 2009 Public Health Leadership Award from the Florida Association of Public Health Nurses for her work as the nursing director at the Brevard County Health Department. Stahl is a graduate

of the college’s M.S.N. Nurse Educator program and teaches undergraduate courses in UCF’s College of Nursing as an adjunct instructor. • 1

Send us your professional and personal announcements. We welcome your photos, but they must be high-resolution, printer quality. Contact us if you have any questions. nursingmag@ucf.edu We reserve the right to edit all text & photo submissions. Items will not be returned.

2011 |

Nursing magazine

Alumni on the Move

Where Are They Now? Our first class graduated in 1981 with their Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees. Humble beginnings: UCF College of Nursing began as a department in 1978 with a small group of students. Our first class graduated in 1981 with their B.S.N. degrees. Celebrating 30 years: 2011 marks our program’s 30-year anniversary at UCF! We’d like to hear from our inaugural class of B.S.N. students (pictured below).

Send your current contact information, recent photos and feedback to nursingmag@ucf.edu.

University of Central Florida

Stands for Opportunity

calling class of 1981... Tell us: • Where are you now and what are you doing? • How has the profession changed since you earned your B.S.N. degree? • What advice do you have for the next generation of nursing students? • Help us identify your classmates below.

Nursing School

remember hearing her talk during her middle school years about wanting to be a nurse one day. Even before then, she was fascinated with watching medical shows—especially the ones where surgery was taking place. I tended to turn my head or leave the room during the most graphic parts of such shows, but not our Ashley. She, her brother and her father were always intently watching. Caring for others also included the four-legged animal variety. Whether it was taking care of our family dog or getting involved with caring for sheep through the Future Farmers of America program at school, it was always obvious Ashley had a caring heart. And it became abundantly clear she was leaning toward the healing end of animal husbandry when she was heartbroken over the sale of her precious lamb at the end of the annual Volusia County Fair. She won’t even eat in a restaurant that serves lamb chops to this day. Having a clear view of what she wanted early on made the choice of high schools easier. New Smyrna Beach High School has a Medical Academy that is a wonderful preparatory program for those who believe they are interested in eventually entering the medical profession. The second of our children to apply and be accepted into this program, Ashley was provided with as much insight into the field of medicine as possible at this age. If students apply themselves fully, they can plan their college career with a better grasp of what will be expected of them as a health care student, or with the realization medicine is NOT what they want to pursue. For our son, it became the stepping stone to deciding he preferred the mathematical side of science. For Ashley, it intensified her desire to enter college on track for nursing.

A Image Courtesy of Kelly Faulkenham

By Kelly Faulkenham

from a proud parent’s point of view

The application process takes place in the fall of the students’ sophomore year and we were told from the very beginning that students would need to keep their grades well above a 3.2 grade point average during their first two years to even be considered for the nursing program. Advisers and faculty warn both students and parents from the onset that many students will apply more than once and be prepared for the process to take more than the four years most people associate with obtaining a bachelor’s degree. However, Ashley is not one to be satisfied with drawing the process out more than absolutely necessary. She likes to keep busy, have a plan, work that plan, and move on.

“The journey to become a nurse has similarities and differences for each who chooses that path. In our family, it has been both a joy and a struggle to see our daughter work toward fulfilling this particular dream.” —Kelly Faulkenham

pplying to college is a milestone. An excellent student, Ashley was accepted at the University of Central Florida and began her next four years on a hopeful note. Because we have always believed the college experience is more than what students learn from textbooks, we helped our daughter to find housing closer to school. It was hard to be away from our child; especially when she called crying over something she was struggling with. As parents, hearing the phone ring past a certain time at night can cause heart palpitations that I’m certain most can relate to.

Though she had a rough start with her first roommate, Ashley adjusted to college life and put her emphasis on making good grades. Being accepted in the university does not automatically grant the student with acceptance into their specific college program of choice. Nursing school admission is highly competitive with more students requesting entry than actual slots available.

As her mother, I have often noticed that she has been a handful to keep up with. It’s not just her level of energy; it’s her seemingly insatiable desire to keep moving. I can get exhausted just hearing about her schedule. But, on the other hand, it has served her very well as she not only was accepted into the UCF College of Nursing on her very first try but she was elected to various positions within the Student Nursing Association. We’ve had numerous conversations through the years about her various grade concerns, course load, budget deficits and issues with other students. There have been times when she has needed encouragement to keep putting one foot in front of the other. But, pushing through the tears, she never quit and made her parents proud of her growth both as a student and as an adult.

e watched our daughter graduate May 7, 2010 with her bachelor’s degree from the College of Nursing. While it signifies the end of this particular journey, Ashley looked beyond that date and applied for positions in hospitals she was most interested in obtaining.

It should come as no surprise: she got the job she wanted most. While it didn’t always seem fast enough when we were in the midst of applications, tests and various dramas, the years have flown by. We look at our daughter today and marvel at her perseverance and determination to make her dream come true and have no doubt she will continue to make us proud. And we have no doubt that any patient who is lucky enough to be in her care will have the best our Ashley has to offer! • —Kelly Faulkenham wrote her Proud Parent’s Point of View of Nursing School as a tribute to her daughter, Ashley Faulkenham (B.S.N. ‘10). Reprinted in its entirety with permission from The Daytona Beach News-Journal © 2010.

2011 |

Nursing magazine

Giving on the Move Yo u r G e n e r o s i t y:

M ov i n g t h e

Co l l e g e F o r wa r d Have you considered a gift to the UCF College of Nursing? There are many ways you can support the college and future nurse leaders. Annual Fund Investments: These annual gifts allow you to have an immediate and direct impact on the daily lives of students and faculty. Your contribution is used to address the college’s most critical needs: rewarding talented and promising students, recruiting and retaining distinguished faculty members, modernizing labs and classrooms with state-of-the-art resources, connecting our programs to the community, and much more. Use the envelope provided in this publication to support the College of Nursing today—gifts of all sizes are welcomed and appreciated. Endowment Investments: Your endowment contribution is a gift that the College of Nursing holds in perpetuity. Your donation is invested in the university’s long-

range investment pool, and a portion of annual earnings are allocated to provide ongoing funding for student scholarships, academic chairs, professorships, and/or academic programs. Endowments can honor individuals and perpetuate shared values—these scholarships, professorships, programs, and chairs add a discernable difference in quality, financial stability, and value to the UCF campus and community. Endowment opportunities begin at the $25,000 level ($5,000 per year for five years). Capital Investments: Capital gifts fund projects that are critical to our physical infrastructure. Capital gifts to the College of Nursing will help the college build a new building to educate future nurse leaders, located in the new “Medical City” at Lake Nona. Planned Gift Investments: A variety of gifting methods are available that allow a donor to maximize their investment, increase their current income, provide tax savings, and leave a legacy for future generations at the College of Nursing. Give Today: If you are interested in supporting the College of Nursing or would like to learn more about ways you or your company might best invest in the college, please contact: Kara Fleharty Schultz, Director of Development, College of Nursing, 12201 Research Parkway, Suite 300, Orlando, FL 32826-3208, 407-882-1361, kflehart@mail.ucf.edu •

“

VITAS Endows nursing scholarship Across three UCF campuses

athleen LaPorte (B.S.N. ‘91) knows that when it comes to patient treatment, every second matters—especially when dealing with end-of-life care. After receiving her B.S.N. at the University of Central Florida, Kathleen ultimately moved on to work for VITAS, a company specializing in Hospice care. Now, in order to enable more UCF nursing students to effectively serve in the growing program, VITAS has partnered with UCF to create the Innovative Hospice Care Endowed Scholarship.

tiple recipients over the next five years—a gift the College of Nursing feels exceptionally grateful for. With this kind of incentive, LaPorte hopes that it will encourage students to further consider Hospice as a possible path in their nursing careers.

“One of the things that VITAS is committed to is giving back, and we recognize that UCF has been a strong presence in three communities,” LaPorte said, noting that the scholarship will equally go to UCF students at the Daytona, Cocoa and Orlando campuses—something she says is truly unique. “We really feel it’s important as health care professionals to ensure that we help to grow good, strong nurses, and UCF has a great reputation for that.”

“We hope the students utilize this scholarship to certainly support them in their growth in this career, but we also hope for them to use Hospice as an avenue,” LaPorte said. “We hope to put that knowledge in the forefront of their minds and let them know what’s out there for their patients and their families.”

Dean Leuner with Kathleen LaPorte, VITAS

We really feel it’s important as health care professionals to ensure that we help to grow good, strong nurses, and UCF has a great reputation for that.

VITAS has committed over $100,000 to be distributed to mul-

University of Central Florida

”

“End-of-life care is extremely important for our current and future College of Nursing students. The population of the United States is aging, and the odds of living longer are greater,” said Dr. Jean D’Meza Leuner, dean of UCF’s College of Nursing. She also stated that as U.S. demographics shift and longevity increases, the need for nurses in programs like Hospice becomes greater. Dean Leuner added, the VITAS scholarship “helps underscore this importance and recognizes the college’s current and future commitment to end-oflife care.” •

Stands for Opportunity

Three Professors Nurture Nursing Education

“ Your generosity is a light in society helping guide those who need a little help to do something that will benefit society as a whole. The ripple effect is endless. I thank you for all the help you have provided.” —Christina Faculty and Staff Campaign

(Left) Dr. Diane Wink; (Center) Dr. Linda Hennig; (right) Dr. Jean Kijek, retired

hree College of Nursing faculty members have established endowed scholarships, deepening their legacies to UCF: Drs. Diane Wink, Jean Kijek and Linda Hennig.

Together with her husband, Dr. Wink established the Diane and Lawrence Wink Endowed Nursing Scholarship for undergraduate nursing students. Dr. Wink remembers the excitement of being a nursing student—and is glad to see it continue at UCF and in her work as a nurse practitioner. “Nursing is a field where you can, during your career, do a wide variety of different things and still be doing the core mission of the profession, which is helping people maintain and improve their health,” Dr. Wink said. Dr. Kijek attended nursing school at New York University (NYU) at the same time Drs. Wink and Hennig did, but had a special friendship with Dr. Hennig—they were roommates. Sharing an interest in acute trauma, Drs. Kijek and Hennig met in NYU’s rehabilitation nursing program. Throughout her career, Dr. Kijek has been an advocate for professional advancement through political action. The Kijek Doctoral Student Endowed Scholarship is for students who are enrolled in nursing’s Ph.D. program at UCF. “I always wanted to be a teacher, so I’m in education,” she said. “But my mother was once a patient when I was in high school, and I saw some things that made me want to go into nursing.”

Dr. Hennig chose to focus on rehabilitation because she was drawn to the longterm patient-nurse relationships the field offered—but technology excited her, as well. In 1998, she helped develop a web-based R.N. to B.S.N. program at UCF—the first of its kind in the state of Florida. The Drs. Linda M. and E. Glenn Hennig, Jr. Endowed Scholarship is awarded to students in the graduate nurse educator program—and it’s also in honor of her late husband, Dr. E. Glenn Hennig, Jr., a neuropsychologist who supported nursing education. “It’s in his memory and is a part of my legacy that I wanted to have as an ongoing endowment,” she said. “Of all the things I’ve done in nursing, I think nursing education is where I’ve found my fit.” Dr. Hennig hopes that her scholarship will help reduce stress for nursing students, help them work fewer hours outside of school and feel recognized academically. “I’m very pleased that I’m able to do this,” Dr. Hennig said. •

“ Your contribution will make a huge difference in our lives. How can I ever repay everything that has been given to me? My dream is to give back to others as you have given to me. Thank you, again.” —Marie

No one understands the mission of the college and the importance of educating future nurse leaders better than the faculty and staff. One of the greatest measures of success, is the “seal of approval” provided by current faculty and employees who go above and beyond their everyday job and financially support the college through the Faculty and Staff Giving Campaign. In 2010, UCF’s College of Nursing was once again a leader on campus. Of 66 employees, 53 members collectively contributed over $57,000—ranking the College of Nursing as #1 across campus for total amount raised. •

Nirvana Establishes Scholarship in Nursing and Physical Therapy The UCF Colleges of Nursing and Health and Public Affairs are pleased to announce a new partnership with Nirvana Health Services, Inc. Recognizing the importance of nurses and physical therapists and the role they play in health care, Nirvana Health Services has established a $25,000 endowed scholarship at UCF. The scholarship will be available to students enrolled in the accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Doctorate in Physical Therapy programs. The first scholarship was awarded in fall 2010. Leo Mendez, president and CEO of the company, said “Nirvana Health Services is excited to establish this scholarship to aid nursing and physical therapy students with on-going financial assistance. It will also present students with the choice of a different avenue of pursuit within the healthcare field since students will receive better knowledge about home care, the alternative to employment in a hospital or skilled-nursing facility.” This scholarship program will provide the framework for a lasting lucrative and challenging career in home care, he added. •

2011 |

Nursing magazine

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P r o g r a m s Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) • B.S.N. • Accelerated Second Degree B.S.N. • Registered Nurse (R.N.) to B.S.N. • R.N. to M.S.N.  - Clinical Nurse Leader  - Nurse Educator 

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