Nursing Students and Faculty Deliver Care in Guatemala | | |
Nine nurse practitioner students from the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) programs, along with faculty from Florida Atlantic University's Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, recently returned from a February service trip to Guatemala.
Through the college’s ongoing partnership with Nursing Heart, Inc. (NHI), a nurse-led community health organization that serves rural and Indigenous populations, the team worked in San Juan Alotenango and Los Jometes, Chimaltenango, where they treated a combined total of 385 patients. Read More
| | College of Nursing to Recognize BSN Students at Annual White Coat Ceremony | | |
The Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing will host its annual White Coat Ceremony on Thursday, March 26, at 5 p.m., in the Carole and Barry Kaye Auditorium, on the Boca Raton campus. The traditional ceremony marks a commitment to provide compassionate care and the pursuit of nursing excellence among the incoming Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students. Alumna Taren Ruggiero, MSN '07, RN, vice president and chief nursing officer at Holy Cross Hospital, will deliver the keynote address. Read More
It's not too late to make a difference in a nursing student's life by donating to the Lamplighter and White Coat Scholarship funds. Please consider gifting a white coat to our students and making an investment in the next generation of nursing students. Give Here
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FAU's Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA) Research Day applications are now open. Share your research, connect with peers and win scholarship prizes. This event is open to all active and enrolled degree-seeking graduate students from every academic discipline. The 17th annual Graduate Research Day will be held Friday, March 27, on the Boca Raton campus. Deadline to apply is Friday, March 13. Learn More
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Call for abstracts! Florida Atlantic University's Sigma International Honor Society of Nursing invites all Sigma Iota Xi At-Large Chapter members, nursing faculty, nursing students and community/clinical partners to submit abstracts for the 2026 Nursing Scholarship Showcase on Thursday, April 16. Deadline to submit is Sunday, March 26. Send submissions and questions to: asuriaga2016@health.fau.edu.
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The Boca Woods Women’s Club awarded scholarships to three Florida Atlantic University College of Nursing graduate students during its "Sock It To Me" gala on Feb. 2. The 2026 recipients, Medine Yucesoy Isler, Megan Dingman and Marlen Aldana, spoke during the event to express their heartfelt gratitude to the more than 100 attendees.
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First year College of Nursing student Yocelin Santisoa (at right) was one of three FAU undergraduates who was recognized at the Path to College Shine and Dine Gala on Jan. 24, at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach. Founded in 2017 by Christine Sylvain, the Path to College Fellowship supports high-achieving, low-income Palm Beach County high school students with long-term guidance and resources to attend top-tier universities with minimal to no debt.
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The College of Nursing and Florida Atlantic's Career Center hosted their annual Nursing Career Fair on Feb. 10, which welcomed more than 130 nursing students and alumni for an afternoon of networking and professional development. This year’s event also featured an interactive event with Roadtrip Nation and its new documentary series that aims to help students explore career pathways. Read More
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Meet Advisory Board Member
David Kurlander '14
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Attorney David Kurlander joined the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing’s Advisory Board as a bylaws committee member in November 2025. Kurlander graduated from Florida Atlantic in 2014 with a degree in healthcare administration and business management.
Q: What inspired you to get involved with the College of Nursing as an advisory board member?
A: I was inspired to get involved because the College of Nursing is shaping professionals who will influence the most vulnerable moments in people’s lives. Supporting an institution that elevates both clinical excellence and human connection felt like a meaningful way to give back and to invest in the future of health care in our community.
Q: How do you plan to support the college’s nursing education program as a board member?
A: My goal is to serve as both an advocate and a bridge. I plan to support the College of Nursing through strategic guidance, community engagement and help expand relationships with professionals and organizations that can create opportunities for students.
Q: What do you admire most about our students?
A: Nursing students commit to one of the most demanding academic and emotional paths available. They choose to enter environments where people are afraid, grieving, healing or fighting for their lives. It requires courage, empathy and discipline. Our students are resilient with a sense of purpose.
Q: What is your hope for the future of the college?
A: My hope is that the College of Nursing continues to expand its influence while remaining rooted in its core. I would like to see continued innovation in clinical education, research leadership in patient centered care and growing scholarship support so that financial barriers never prevent a talented student from becoming a nurse.
Q: Would you please share some of your professional and personal interests?
A: Professionally, I am deeply interested in leadership development, strategic growth and systems that improve accountability and outcomes. I value high standards, ethical decision making and long term thinking. Personally, I enjoy community engagement, continuous learning and spending time with family and friends. I believe in resilience, personal responsibility and showing up fully in whatever role I am serving.
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The college's Nursing Professionals Alumni Network, in collaboration with Florida Atlantic University’s Alumni and Community Engagement team, invites you to join us on Thursday, April 2, at Duffy’s Sports Grill in Boca Raton (near Town Center) at 6 p.m. for great food, wonderful company and the opportunity to reconnect and make new connections with fellow alumni, faculty and students. Space is limited, register today!
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The College of Nursing has partnered with Cross Country Healthcare to present the fifth annual "Future of Nursing" survey. The survey is now live for Florida Atlantic University College of Nursing students and faculty to complete. The findings will help health care leaders make smarter, nurse-informed decisions. Share your perspective and help shape the future of nursing! Take Survey
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Our new Advanced Holistic Practice & Nurse Coach certificate program offers those with a BSN degree or higher the tools to care for others and themselves. The fully online, 12-credit course is open to non-degree seeking students and upon completion, students are eligible to apply for board certification in both Holistic Nursing and Nurse Coaching. Apply by Wednesday, April 15 for Summer 2026! Learn More
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Advance your education! The College of Nursing offers a range of professional development courses, all based in the caring philosophy of our college, which are designed to fit your schedule and your life. Learn more about our certificates including Caring Science, Telehealth and Telemetry/Progressive Care here.
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Dr. Armiel Suriaga, assistant professor, and Linda Casale, a FAU College of Nursing clinical instructor, volunteered to provide blood pressure screenings at the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in West Palm Beach on Feb. 22. Organized by Integrated Healthcare System, Inc., the event sought to advance healthy lifestyles, emphasize the importance of preventive care and support the effective management of heart disease.
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Call for manuscripts! Baptist Health is seeking manuscripts for Volume 9 of its Nursing & Health Sciences Research Journal. Contributions covering the topics of research studies, quality improvement/evidence-based practice and case studies are strongly desired. The submission deadline is Monday, June 8. Learn More
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Associate Dean for Research and Scholarship Dr. Candy Wilson has been named the inaugural Dr. Elizabeth E. Force Chair for Healthcare Research. This endowed position recognizes Dr. Wilson’s outstanding contributions to advancing the college’s research mission, as well as her continued leadership in strengthening our scholarly impact.
The Dr. Elizabeth E. Force Endowed Chair was established through Dr. Force’s estate with the specific purpose of supporting the college’s associate dean for research. Dr. Force enjoyed a distinguished career as a biomedical researcher in the pharmaceutical industry, and her connection to the college began when she attended faculty research presentations at Abbey Delray South, where she was a resident. Inspired by the work of our faculty and the relationships she formed with nursing researchers and college leadership, her meaningful engagement with our community ultimately led her to create this lasting legacy. Read More
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Dean Cameron Duncan sat down with Invest: Palm Beach to discuss expanding access to nursing education, strengthening community partnerships and advancing research (Jan. 5). Read More
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Dr. Alice Brumley was featured on the "You and Your Doctor" show to discuss geriatric primary care on Jan. 8. Her segment aired live on 95.3 FM, and it is now available to view on YouTube. Watch Here
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BOOK CHAPTERS:
#King, B. M., Banzhaf, S., & Alberts, L. (2025). Psychiatric-mental health advanced practice nurses: Extraordinary nurses in primary care practice. In Z. Wolf & M. E. Wright (Eds.), Extraordinary nursing practice (pp. 60–80). Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
#Parker, M. E., Barry, C. D., & King, B. M. (2025). The community nursing practice model. In M. Smith (Ed.), Nursing theories and nursing practice (6th ed., pp. 431–441). F. A. Davis Company.
PEER-REVIEWED PAPERS:
Chen, Y., Colgan, J., Ferguson, C., Hendriks, J. M., Keller, K., Cartledge, S., & Lin, F. F. (2026). A qualitative study exploring nurse educators’ experiences and views on nurses’ competency in electrocardiogram interpretation. Nurse Education in Practice, 92, 104751. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2026.104751
#Cowling, W. R. (2026). Holistic nursing scholarship again: A paradigm grounded in essential wholeness. Journal of Holistic Nursing. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/08980101251412036
*Jundeekrayom, S., Soonthornchaiya, R., & King, B. (2025). Lived experiences of recovery among persons with schizophrenia in Thailand: A qualitative study. Belitung Nursing Journal, 11(4), 452–458. https://doi.org/10.33546/bnj.3885
#Koszalinski, R., Wilson, C., & Schaefer, A. M. (2026). Underpinning human health outcomes of harmful algal bloom exposure research: An analysis of the relationship and applicability of the Bureaucratic Caring Theory. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 40(1), e70199. https://doi.org/10.1111/scs.70199
Prestia, A. S., & Dyess, S. M. L. (in press). Current state: A nurse leaders guide to moral and ethical decision making. Nurse Leader, 1–8.
*Tolea, M. I., King, B. M., Wilson, C., & Wiese, L. A. (2026). Optimizing rural community health to increase interdisciplinary detection and care: The ORCHID study. Journal of Planning Practice & Research, 1–27. https://doi.org/10.1080/02697459.2025.2612478
*#Wolf, Z., King, B., Alberts, L., Donohue-Smith, M., & Zheng, H. (2025). Perception of coercive actions by nurses’ scale: Instrument development study. Journal of Nursing Measurement, 33(4), 509–524. https://doi.org/10.1891/JNM-2025-0060
Wolf, Z., & King, B. (2025). Circuitous path to the perception of coercive actions by nurses scale [Editorial]. Journal of Nursing Measurement, 33(4), 507–508. https://doi.org/10.1891/JNM-2025-0123
(* = Data-based, # = Caring Science)
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