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September 2023

FAU College of Nursing Releases Annual

Community Engagement Report

The Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing is pleased to announce the release of its fiscal year 2022-23 Community Engagement Report. The report highlights the numerous activities of its student organizations, as well as the extensive volunteer work and philanthropy of the College’s faculty, staff and Advisory Board.

The report also features the array of services provided by the Louis and Anne Green Memory and Wellness Center, as well as the FAU/Northwest Community Health Alliance Community Health Center, and their impact in our local communities. We invite you to read the report and learn how we are putting caring science into action. Read More

Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Visits FAU Davie Campus

U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) visited the nursing program at FAU's Davie campus on Aug. 24, to share news about her work in Congress to improve black maternal health and cancer treatment, lower prescription drug costs, expand access to health care, advance measures to support the nursing workforce and more. She praised FAU College of Nursing students, faculty and researchers for their dedication to the profession and caring approach to patient-centered care. Read More

FAU Lands $4.2 Million NIH Grant for Air Quality, Alzheimer's Study

People who live in the rural communities along Lake Okeechobee are subjected to repeated, intermittent exposures to air pollution during agricultural fires. Not only is the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) among aging residents of these communities from repeated air pollution a concern, but smoke exposure also is associated with an anxious, irritable and depressed mood, which could lead to social isolation and thereby impact mental health in general.

To better understand this issue, researchers from Florida Atlantic University have received a five-year, $4.2 million R01 grant from the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in collaboration with the University of Miami, Colorado State University and Washington State University.

The project, “The Role of Air Quality and Built Environment in Social Isolation and Cognitive Function Among Rural, Racially/Ethnically Diverse Residents at Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease," will involve an interdisciplinary team from nursing, social work, urban and regional planning, and epidemiology. They will examine the effects of smoke-related air pollution during agricultural burn and non-burn seasons on social isolation, cognitive function and risk of ADRD in rural residents at the southern end of Lake Okeechobee in Palm Beach County.

“Our research team will use mobile devices and AI to explore how momentary changes in smoke from agricultural burns could lead to anxiety, depression and irritability, resulting in decreased physical activity, movement and social activity outside the home and in various built and social environments,” said Lisa Kirk Wiese, Ph.D., principal investigator and an associate professor in FAU’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing. “We will be gathering real-time data from our study participants that will provide detailed insights to immediate changes to behaviors and mood that occur when they encounter low air quality or distressed environments and how this translates to cognitive performance.” Read More

Call for CCNE Accreditation Third-party Comments

The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) has scheduled an accreditation review for Florida Atlantic University Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing’s baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master's degree program in nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, and Post-Graduate APRN Certificate program this fall. The on-site evaluation is scheduled for November 1 to 3, 2023.

As part of the accreditation process, there is an opportunity for program constituents and other interested parties to submit written comments concerning a program’s qualifications for accreditation. Written third-party comments will be received by CCNE until 21 days before the scheduled evaluation.

For more information about CCNE accreditation, click here. The deadline to submit comments to CCNE is October 11, 2023. All third-party comments must be emailed to: [email protected].

Student News

Meet SNA President Paolina Ignacio-Juan

Paolina Ignacio-Juan, a senior in the College of Nursing’s Freshman Direct Admit program, will serve as the Student Nurses’ Association president for the 2023-24 academic year. She already has many fun activities planned in the coming months.

“My executive board and I are very excited for some of our events we are working on, such as the annual Halloween party, winter party, and self-care activities to de-stress before finals,” Ignacio-Juan shared.

SNA will also take part in several community events, like walks in support of breast cancer awareness, a Make-A-Wish 5K walk and helping with diabetes and blood pressure screenings throughout the community.

“My goal as the new SNA president is to help create an environment where nursing students can feel at home,” she stated. “I want to make SNA feel like a family where students can connect with each other no matter which cohort they are from.”

For the fall semester, SNA will hold meetings on the last Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. in NU 201, along with an option to attend via Zoom.

SNA always accepts new members! Complete a Google form here; dues can be paid via PayPal on the same site.

News and Events

Research News

Over the summer, FAU College of Nursing Associate Professor Dr. Rebecca Koszalinski began transitioning into her new role as the principal investigator on the “Long-term Effects of Exposure to Harmful Algal Blooms” (LEE-HABs) study, made possible by a grant from the Florida Department of Health (FLDOH). The first-of-its-kind evaluation aims to examine the potential long-term health effects exposure to these blooms among Florida residents by using a collaborative, multisite approach. The study expands upon a pilot study conducted in 2018, and a study funded by FLDOH in 2019-2020. The change comes from the nearing retirement of long-time College of Nursing Professor Dr. Shirley Gordon.

Briefly explain your transition as principal investigator for the study.

R.K. I willingly accept the role of PI as Dr. Shirley Gordon retires. Dr. Gordon has been an exceptionally effective leader of this research team, as well as a gracious mentor. This opportunity matched a strong synergy with my own research trajectory, as my research focus lies within FAU’s Institute for Human Health and Disease Interventions (I-Health) Pillar. The I-Health pillar includes a focus on older adults to understand their health needs and to provide unique care that is not available elsewhere. Additionally, the I-Health Pillar supports clinical trials, clinical and translational research and training for health care professionals to meet South Florida’s diverse needs.

I am a certified rehabilitation nurse (ARN) and am being inducted as an ARN Fellow (FARN) on August 18. I was also fortunate to be selected for a National Institutes of Health (NIH) training award in the Summer Genetics Institute (SGI), Class of 2015. That training has informed my research about persons who have genetic predisposition for disease processes. The LEE-HABs study offers an opportunity to study the older adult population and their needs in the context of our unique State of Florida and the long-term health outcomes when exposed to harmful algal blooms.

Why is this research important?

R.K. The unprecedented algae blooms currently occurring in Florida presents an important public health concern that requires an urgent response from the public health community. To fully address the risk and potential preventative measures associated with these blooms, we are continuing a novel and timely research survey. 

Does the study involve any undergraduate or graduate student researchers?

R.K. Yes, an undergraduate student has been selected to serve as an office manager and will participate in manuscript development and publication. We are also seeking a graduate student who can occasionally travel to study sites and learn about sample collection. They will also be offered an opportunity to participate in manuscript development and publication. Both students will be offered clinical research training at FAU’s Clinical Research Unit’s (CRU). The CRU’s mission is to provide FAU researchers with the facilities, tools, training, services and guidance to conduct high-quality clinical research.

How is the College of Nursing supporting scientific research overall?

R.K. We have an amazing team of professionals ready to assist researchers! We have an interim associate dean of research with an impressive research and funding record informed by her extensive military experiences. The College of Nursing has an Office of Research and Scholarship with pre-and -post award experts, and we have a dean who is a visionary in nursing science, leadership and caring data science. FAU’s College of Nursing is truly a community of scholars and educators, innovators and leaders.

Dr. Laurie Martinez (PI) and team were awarded a grant from the American Legion Child Welfare Foundation, Inc. The award is a total of $6,561 over one year. The pilot study is titled “Pet Dogs, Resilience, and Well-being in Military Adolescents.” Adolescents in military families face normal teen stressors and unique military challenges such as separation from deployed family member(s), role changes within family dynamics during parental deployment, worry about deployed parental injury or death, lack of social connections due to high rates of residential mobility, and stressors of reintegration with return of injured/non-injured military parents(s). The study aims to explore the potential impact of family pet dogs on resilience and well-being among military-connected adolescents. The study team includes Drs. Cheryl Krause-Parello (Co-I) and Alicia Gill Rossiter (Co-I) of USF College of Nursing. 

Additionally, Dr. Martinez (PI) and her team were awarded a $11,029 grant from the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) for their pilot study, “The Role of Pet Dogs: Examining Resilience and Well-being in Military Adolescents.” The goal of this study is to examine the association of resilience and well-being in military adolescents (MAs) that have a pet dog compared to MAs that do not have a pet dog. The study team includes Dr. Cheryl Krause-Parello (Co-Investigator). 

Faculty and Staff

In the Media

Faculty Publications

Articles:

Batista, L. de C., Nóbrega, M. do P. S. de S., Salvetti, M. de G., & Butcher, R. de C. G. e S. (2023). Reducing cardiac catheterization-related anxiety: acceptability of a complex intervention. Acta Paulista De Enfermagem, 36, eAPE00743. https://doi.org/10.37689/acta-ape/2023AO007433

Costa, A.C., Conceição, A.P., Butcher, H.K., & Butcher, R.C.G.S. (2023). Factors that exert an influence on health literacy in patients with coronary artery disease. Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem,31 e3879. https://doi.org/10.1590/1518-8345.6211.3879

#Datta, D., Dalmida, S. G., Martinez, L., Newman, D., Hashemi, J., Khoshgoftaar, T. M, Shorten, Cl., Sareli, C., & Eckardt, P. (2023). Using Machine Learning to Identify Patient Characteristics to Predict Mortality of In-Patients with COVID-19 in South Florida. Frontiers in Digital Health, 5. https://doi.org/10.3389/fdgth.2023.1193467

#Mora, Y.C., Arias Lopez, B.E., & Butcher, H.K. (2023). Biographical narrative research from the perspective of the Science of Unitary Human Beings: A methodological approach. Nursing Science Quarterly, 36(3), 221-231. https://doi.org/10.1177/08943184231169959  

Tappen, R. M., Sopcheck, J., Southard, K., Hain, D., & Suriaga, A. (2023). Regional workshops to disseminate decision guide to reduce potentially preventable hospital transfers: Application of the diffusion of innovation model. The Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions, 10.1097. https://doi.org/10.1097/CEH.0000000000000510

Books:

Wagner, C.M., Butcher, H.K., Bulechek, G.M., Dochterman, J.M., & Clark, M. (2024). Nursing interventions classification (NIC). (8th ed.). Elsevier.

(* = data-based, # = Caring Science)

Employment Opportunities

• Associate Professor/Professor in Nursing, Boca Raton
• Instructor/Nursing Workforce Development Coordinator, Boca Raton
• Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Nursing and Caring Science, Boca Raton
• Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Nursing and Caring Science, Boca Raton
• Clinic Director and Nurse Practitioner - Community Health Center, Westgate

Invest in our nursing students today to prepare for Florida’s health care needs tomorrow.

FAU/NCHA Community Health Centers

Louis and Anne Green Memory and Wellness Center