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A New Year's Message From Dean George | |
Happy New Year and welcome to 2023! I hope you enjoyed a wonderful holiday season with family and friends.
While we have reached the midpoint of the academic year, our leadership is changing. As President Kelly transitions to his new role as University President Emeritus, we welcome Interim President Stacy Volnick. The college looks forward to working with her and continuing our journey of academic excellence. I am also pleased to announce that Dr. Katherine Chadwell has been appointed as permanent Assistant Dean of Graduate Practice Programs.
The college is excited about many upcoming endeavors in the coming months. Among them are the Concert-4-Kindness on Sunday, Jan. 15, to promote peace and unity which the College is co-sponsoring, as well as the White Coat Ceremony on Thursday, March 16.
In an effort to better support our hard-working students and communities, Florida Atlantic kicked off the public phase of its first comprehensive campaign in more than 20 years. “Transcend Tomorrow: The Campaign for Florida Atlantic University” is an ambitious plan that will address the needs of the future by prioritizing support for FAU Health, the environment and scholarship/student success.
Together, we can “Transcend Tomorrow,” and there is no better time to get involved. To learn more about the campaign, visit fauf.fau.edu/TranscendTomorrow or contact Marci Hall, our chief development officer, at mhall27@health.fau.edu about giving opportunities.
Thank you for your continued support. Here’s to a happy, healthy and prosperous new year!
Dean Safiya George
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Wearable Belt With Sensors Accurately Monitors Heart Failure 24/7 | |
Researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s College of Engineering and Computer Science in collaboration with FAU’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing have developed a prototype of a novel wearable device that can continuously monitor all of the physiological parameters associated with heart failure in real time.
The technology is based on sensors embedded in a lightweight belt conveniently worn around the waist to monitor thoracic impedance, electrocardiogram (ECG), heart rate and motion activity detection. The system uses different sensors for sensing these parameters.
“Approximately 1 in 4 patients with heart failure are readmitted within 30 days of discharge from the hospital and about half are readmitted within six months,” said Mary Ann Leavitt, Ph.D., co-author and an assistant professor in FAU’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing. “Health care wearable devices such as the prototype we have developed have the potential to decrease hospital readmissions in a cost-effective way that also is safe and convenient for the wearer.” Read More
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College of Nursing Will Participate in Concert-4-Kindness With Montana Tucker | |
The College of Nursing has signed on as a co-sponsor for the Concert-4-Kindess to be presented on Sunday, Jan. 15, at 4 p.m. in FAU's Carole and Barry Kaye Auditorium. Dean Safiya George will be among the speakers. The initiative was conceived by Bonnie and Jon Kaye, long-time FAU supporters and organizers of the White Coats.
Award-winning performer, songwriter, actress, and mega social media influencer and South Florida native Montana Tucker will perform at the event. Tickets range from $10 to $20 and can be purchased at www.fauevents.com or by calling 561-297-6124.
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Registration for Spring 2023 courses is open. Register early to reduce your stress levels and get the classes you want. Be sure to check the schedule and register as soon as possible. Spring classes begin January 7.
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Save the date! The White Coat Ceremony will take place on Thursday, March 16, at 6 p.m., in the Carole and Barry Kaye Auditorium on the Boca Raton campus.
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The FAU Career Center has the latest job listings. Career coaches are also available to help with practice interviews, resume reviews and more! Make an appointment today or check out the latest jobs in Handshake.
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The College's December Pinning Ceremony for our Fall 2022 graduates was a wonderful gathering of faculty, family and friends to recognize our talented students. We are so proud of you!
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Save the date for Saturday, Feb. 4! Join the College of Nursing, Sigma Iota Xi Chapter at-Large, and the Student Nurses Association to team up for the Make-A-Wish Southern Florida Walk for Wishes 5K Walk/Run in Broward County. To join or donate, click here.
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The Boca Woods Women's Club awarded scholarships to College of Nursing students Jada Melvin, Freshman Direct Admit BSN, Christine Bruno-Garcia, Working Professionals Second-Degree BSN and Neikah Etienne, Freshman Direct Admit BSN. Women's Club co-presidents Debra Dvorkin and Karen Ellin announced the scholarships during a reception and dinner on Jan. 9, at the Boca Woods Country Club.
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The College was pleased to induct the newest members into Sigma Theta Tau, Iota Xi at-Large Chapter, during its December ceremony. These students are tomorrow's leaders who are committed to transforming and improving health care.
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Congratulations to the Fall 2022 graduates of the Second Degree Part-Time BSN track for Working Professionals! During Pinning Ceremony on Dec. 14, the following awards were given:
The Excellence in Caring Award: Liana Leja
The Excellence in Leadership Award: Marsha Jacas
The Excellence in Scholarship Award: Kelsey Latimer
The Excellence in Service Award: Julia Bartolon Loaiza
CAPE-V Scholars Award:
Sabrina Clayton (RN-BSN)
Lina Torres Cortez
Eric Wilson
Julia Bartolon Loaiza (PTBSN graduate)
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Judy Frum, BSN, RRT, MBA
Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing alumna Judy Frum was one of five people appointed to the Board of Nursing last December by Governor Ron DeSantis. Frum received her bachelor's degree in nursing from Florida Atlantic. She is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Broward Health Imperial Point, and she also serves on the Board of Directors of the Pompano Beach Chamber of Commerce and is an Advisory Board Member for Sheridan Technical School.
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Dean Safiya George was the guest speaker at the Rotary Club of Hallandale Beach-Aventura on Jan. 11. Her presentation was titled, "A Caring Science Framework to Facilitate Development of Predictive Models for COVID-19 and Other Health and Health Outcomes."
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Florida Atlantic University will be closed on Monday, Jan. 16, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. All University offices will be closed and no classes will be held.
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FAU's 2023 Faculty and Staff Diversity Symposium will take place on Monday, Jan. 30, at 8 a.m., in the Student Union on the Boca Raton campus. Registration is now open for this half-day interactive symposium. To view the schedule of events and to register, click here.
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The College's Initiative for Intentional Health will host a free self-care CE entitled, "Come Tap With Me: Emotional Freedom Technique," on Monday, Jan. 30, from noon to 1 p.m. The session is available in-person in the College of Nursing's Yoga Room and online. Register here.
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The application deadline for the FAU New Horizons in Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) Pilot Funding Program has been extended to Tuesday, Jan. 31, by 5 p.m. Read the full application guidelines and learn more here.
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Terry Fedele, Chair of the College of Nursing's Advisory Board, is among the Rotary Club of Boca Raton's 2023 OPAL award honorees. The awards recognize outstanding people and leaders (OPAL) in Boca Raton who demonstrate an on-going commitment to serve their neighbors. Christine E. Lynn is serving an OPAL Honorary Chair for the event on Saturday, Jan. 14.
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The College of Nursing will serve as a Southern Nursing Research Society Gold Host School for the upcoming annual March conference. Several College faculty members will present and volunteer during the event.
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Florida Atlantic University Northwest Community Health Alliance (FAU/NCHA) Community Health Center welcomed elected officials and community members on Jan.10, for an Open House to raise awareness of the primary care and behavioral health services available to underserved populations in West Palm Beach. (Left to right: James Green, director, Palm Beach County Community Services Department; Dr. Karethy Edwards, executive director FAU/NCHA CHC; and Ron Davis, Northwest Community Health Alliance (NCHA) Board member)
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Thank you to all who donated to this year's toy drive for Boca Helping Hands. We are grateful for your generosity! On Christmas Day, the organization delivered the gifts to children from newborns to 16-year-olds throughout Palm Beach County.
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Palm Health Foundation Funds FAU NCHA/CHA and PMHNP Student Opportunities | |
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Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, mental health issues have sky rocketed. The good news is that more people are seeking mental health care services. However, access to these services remains a challenge for many of them. This is particularly true for people who reside in under resourced communities. Some may not be able to find qualified mental health professionals in the area, and those who find them may have to wait several weeks or even months for an appointment. Others do not have the financial resources to pay for the services.
In the Northwest neighborhood of West Palm Beach, where FAU's Northwest Community Health Alliance Community Health Center (FAU NCHA/CHC) U.B. Kinsey site clinic is located, there is a dire need for mental health services. Over the past few months, the clinic has seen a significant increase in patients seeking and requiring these services. Some examples of patients who need immediate care are women enduring domestic violence, unemployed adults, young adults residing in transitional housing and school age children dealing with anxiety, depression and behavioral problems. With the funding from Palm Health Foundation, the clinic was able to increase access to services for these residents regardless of their ability to pay. Additionally, thanks to the recent funding, students in the Psychiatric-Mental Health Practitioner (PMHNP) program have the opportunity to learn from the faculty/PMHNP provider in FAU's own nurse-led clinic.
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Faculty and Staff Spotlights | |
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Dr. Debra Hain's book, "Textbook of Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nursing: Evidence-Based Patient Care for Adolescents to Older Adults," was the third-place winner in the adult/primary care category of the American Journal of Nursing's 2022 Book of the Year Award. Well done!
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Congratulations to Dr. Cheryl Krause-Parello and the C.P.A.W.W. team for receiving a $1,000 Community Engagement Project Grant from FAU's Office of Community Engagement. Their project which is titled, "Veteran Canine Rescue Mission," aims to match veterans with dogs and provide an eight-week dog training program to promote improved mental health and enable veterans to take better care of themselves and their families.
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Save the date for Wednesday, Feb. 8! The ninth annual Brain Bowl luncheon will take place at West Boca County Club, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The event will raise awareness and support community members and their families who are affected by neurocognitive disorders. Learn more here.
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Dr. Tarsha Jones is featured on the front page of the South Florida Hospital News and Healthcare Report's January issue for her work to improve outcomes for young breast cancer survivors. Read Article
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Dr. Debra Hain recorded a NephU Voices from the Community podcast with Jessica Prohn, RD, a certified specialist in renal nutrition, to discuss dietary challenges and concerns underserved CKD patients often face. (Dec. 21, 2022) Listen Here
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Dr. Shirley Gordon contributed to a Dec. 15, 2022, WLRN article that warned about the health risks of blue-green algae following Hurricanes Ian and Nicole. Read Article
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Longtime Memory and Wellness Center volunteer Beatrice Weiser passed away peacefully at home on November 23, 2022, at the age of 101. Beatrice, or Bea, as she was known by friends, moved to Boca Raton in 1987, where she became an active part of the community and developed a strong network of friends.
In her later years, Bea was a dedicated volunteer at the College of Nursing's Louis and Anne Green Memory and Wellness Center for over 14 years. She served as a volunteer front desk receptionist who warmly greeted center attendees who struggle with Alzheimer's disease and other related dementias along with their caregivers. She volunteered three afternoons a week, but was always available to help out on additional days.
"Bea provided a welcoming atmosphere where she was loved and respected by staff, students, volunteers, participants and caregivers," said María de los Ángeles Ordóñez, DNP, associate dean of Clinical Practice in FAU’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and director of the Green Memory and Wellness Center.
In 2019, at the age of 98, Beatrice was featured in an WPTV segment celebrating her 14 years of volunteerism and calls to action for people to become more involved in their community. She was also highlighted in a FAU News Desk story that same year. She was honored several times by Palm Beach County for her consistent and dedicated volunteer endeavors.
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BOOK CHAPTERS:
Gengo e Silva Butcher, R.C., Peres, H.H.C., Tsukamoto, R., Oliveira, N.B. & Ortiz, D.C.F. (2023). Nursing theories, process, and classifications in adult and older adult health. In Y.A.O. Duarte, M.F.F. Vattimo, & K. Sichieri. Nursing in adult and older adult health (pp. 47-66). Atheneu.
Lima, G.S., Gengo e Silva Butcher, R.C., Maia, F.O.M., Duarte, Y.A.O., & Salvetti, M.G. (2023).
Resilience and self-efficacy in the older adult. In Y.A.O. Duarte, M.F.F. Vattimo, & K. Sichieri. Nursing in adult and older adult health (pp. 785-798). Atheneu.
PEER-REVIEWED PAPERS: (* = data-based; # = caring science):
*Ayala, K., Kagan, O., Littlejohn, J., Koszalinski, R. & Nadel, H. (2022). Nurse’s Contributions to Collaborative Problem Solving, Entrepreneurship and Innovation at virtual MIT
Hackathons During the Covid-19 Pandemic. Canadian Journal of Nursing Informatics,
17(3-4). https://cjni.net/journal/?p=10468
*Ayala, K., Kagan, O., Littlejohn, J., Koszalinski, R., & Nadel, H. (2022). Nurses' Contributions to Collaborative Problem Solving, Entrepreneurship and Innovation at virtual MIT Hackathons during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Online Journal of Informatics, 17(3-4).
Koszalinski, R., Sturdevant, D., Smith, P., Myers, J., Yellseagle, D., Olmos, B., & Netter, M. (2022). Impact of Social Isolation on Older Adults in Nursing Homes During the Pandemic Lockdown: Informing policy. Innovation in Aging, 6(1),10. https://doi.org.10.1093.geroni/igac059.033
# Love, T., Wiese, L. A. K., Duncan, V., & Bertrand, H. (2022). Does self-directed learning address gaps in nursing student knowledge of Alzheimer’s disease?. Educational Gerontology, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/03601277.2022.2148445
# Wiese, L., Abel, K., Park, J., & Williams, I. (2022). Perceptions about discrimination in a rural, older, racially and ethnically diverse cohort. Online Journal of Rural Nursing and Healthcare, 22(2). https://rnojournal.binghamton.edu/index.php/RNO/article/view/712
Suriaga, A. & Tappen, R. (2022). Characteristics of older adults who died from opioids as a cause of death during the COVID-19 pandemic. Innovation in Aging, 6 (IS1), 365-366. https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igac059.1445
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