A N N UA L R E P O R T 2021-2022
EMINENCE I N H E A LT H C A R E E D U C AT I O N
TRUTH. FREEDOM. RESPECT. RESPONSIBILITY. EXCELLENCE. COMPASSION. CARING. INNOVATION. INTEGRITY. COLLABORATION. CULTURAL COMPETENCE.
N I C O L E W E R T H E I M C O L L E G E O F N U R S I N G & H E A LT H S C I E N C E S
OUR MISSION: To prepare diverse healthcare professionals who are providers
and leaders in the delivery of high-quality, accessible, culturally competent, and compassionate care within a highly technological and global environment. To teach, conduct research, and practice in service to the community through interprofessional collaboration.
To create, promote, expand, and validate scientific knowledge and evidence-based practice through interdisciplinary research.
OUR VISION: To be globally recognized as the higher education destination organization that is innovative, inquiry-driven, and technologically advanced.
To draw diverse top-class faculty, students, staff, and others for positive transformation of society with a focus on the healthcare needs of underserved populations.
About the College..............................4 Message from the Dean......................5 Leadership & Research.....................6-9 Dr. Ora L. Strickland Dr. Tami Thomas Dr. Trudy Gaillard Dr. Ellen Leslie Brown Distinguished Faculty...................10-29 Athletic Training Dr. Jeff Konin
Our Donors..................................30-37 Diane Ramy Faulconer HCA Healthcare Raul A. Chavez & Dr. Angela M. Martinez Hartley Family Memorial Healthcare System The Donor Wall Real Achievements ......................38-39
Communication Sciences & Disorders Dr. Monica S. Hough Health Services Administration Dr. Chanadra Young-Whiting & Dr. Mariceli Comellas Nursing Dr. Nola Holness Dr. Lucie Dlugasch Dr. Derrick Glymph Occupational Therapy Dr. Lynne Richard Physical Therapy Dr. Edgar Ramos Vieira
Annual Report 2021-2022 3
Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences
ABOUT
The College FUELED BY INTELLECT AND DRIVEN BY INNOVATION AND CARING, the FIU Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences has earned a national reputation for academic excellence propelled by a philosophy that embraces diversity, technology, evidence-based practice, and research to prepare leaders across various healthcare disciplines. The College has graduated more than 20,000 alumni in nursing, athletic training, communication sciences and disorders, health services administration, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. Our alumni embody the College’s ideals for delivering culturally competent and compassionate care, and fostering interprofessional collaboration.
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1,935 Total Student Enrollment (in and out of state)
A MESSAGE FROM THE
Dean
Dear Students, Faculty, Staff, Alumni and Supporters,
887
For those who appreciate professional sports, induction into a Hall of Fame is
Degrees Awarded (total)
considered the pinnacle of an athlete’s career. The distinction is one that reflects an unmatched fervor for their chosen field and enduring determination to use their talents and abilities to forever change the way the game is played.
97%
Doctorally Prepared Faculty
Following a similar path are some of our faculty at the Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences, whose professional accolades we heralded this past academic year. With Dr. Tami Thomas’ deserved induction into the
86
Sigma Theta Tau International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame, she joins the recently retired Dr. JoAnne Youngblut and Dr. Dorothy Brooten, and myself, as
Full-Time Faculty
FIU Nursing faculty to reach that echelon. We celebrate another four College educators as esteemed fellows in the professional associations of their respective practice specialties. And we recognize the work of highly regarded faculty who
Programs in
are leading programs of distinction. Across the College, we have no shortage
Nursing
of Hall of Fame caliber faculty, for whom it will just be a matter of time before
Athletic Training Communication Sciences & Disorders
their names are etched alongside their peers as national and global achievers in nursing and healthcare education.
Health Services Administration Occupational Therapy
Unlike induction ceremonies for sports Hall of Fame organizations, there are no jackets to wear, no speeches to make before adoring crowds, and no
Physical Therapy
bronze busts in someone’s likeness. Instead, the legacy that will be left by Student Body Diversity
79
%
Female
21
%
Male
27.1
the distinguished faculty of our College and those who support our efforts will extend beyond the walls of the brick-and-mortar buildings where they teach. The measure of excellence will be embodied by the nursing and health professions graduates of this College as they go on to become exceptional healthcare providers, practitioners, researchers, and leaders who will change the face of healthcare and become agents of lasting and positive change for the communities they serve.
Average Age
55% Hispanic 19% Black Non-Hispanic 15% White Non-Hispanic 6% Asian/Pacific Islander
Most sincerely,
Ora L. Strickland, PhD, DSc (Hon), RN, FAAN Dean and Professor FIU Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences
5% Other
Annual Report 2021-2022 5
Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences
Member, Board of Directors — American Association of Colleges of Nursing
Ora L.
Strickland PhD, DSc (Hon), RN, FAAN Dean & Professor — Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences
D
r. Strickland has been a significant force for change and progress in nursing research, practice, and
education for the past 50 years. In the late 1970s, she spearheaded a movement that encouraged nurse researchers to focus on measuring and documenting outcomes of nursing interventions when she conceptualized, initiated, and directed the Measurement of Clinical and Educational Nursing Outcomes Project. Through this project funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Dr. Strickland mentored 195 nurse researchers from across the nation in developing and testing more than 200 nursing clinical and educational outcome measures and instruments. She also developed the Nursing Citation Index, which was subsequently integrated into the Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), the leading nursing and allied health literature computer search engine. Dr. Strickland’s extensive research contributions include having been the first person to document the existence of Couvade Syndrome in expectant fathers in the U.S. and their relationship with social determinants of health, paternal emotional state, and pregnancy planning. This research was featured in more than 80 major newspapers and 1,200 radio stations internationally. As a consultant and co-principal investigator, Dr. Strickland assisted the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the design of the $346 million Women’s Health Initiative — a landmark study involving over 500 multidisciplinary
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LEADERSHIP & RESEARCH
“
Developing new knowledge that is applicable and provides solutions for day-to-day health problems, as well as elevating the quality of people’s lives through better health, is a very powerful responsibility. As a clinician, researcher, and educator, I welcome every opportunity to guide the next generation of health professionals to reach their full potential and expand their capacity to effect meaningful, positive, and lasting change on the lives they will impact as excellent practitioners delivering
“
quality healthcare services and as leaders who will shape the future of healthcare.
investigators that greatly expanded the
Premier Mikhail Gorbachev’s senior
column, which appeared weekly in
knowledge base and approaches for
cabinet ministers on their approach
The Baltimore Sun, won two health
women’s healthcare. She oversaw research
to international openness and
journalism awards.
and measurement methods to ensure
cooperation in healthcare; she
they were culturally and age appropriate;
assisted five African countries in the
set research policies; and monitored
development of their nursing practice
research procedures of the 40-site national
acts; and she served as the nursing
study, which conducted post-menopausal
consultant to Botswana where she
research on 168,000 women over the
advised on approaches to nursing
course of nearly a decade.
education, practice, and licensure.
Dr. Strickland is one of the founders of
Dr. Strickland is the founding editor
Researcher Hall of Fame in 2016. And
today’s National Institute of Nursing
and was senior editor for 20 years of
among her many professional distinctions,
Research; was the first nurse to serve on
the Journal of Nursing Measurement
Dr. Strickland is proud of having been
the Advisory Committee to the Director of
— the first measurement journal in the
selected as a Kellogg National Fellow;
the NIH, and the first nurse member of the
nursing profession. She also served on
an American Nurses Association Minority
U.S. Congressional Black Caucus Health
the editorial boards or review panels of
Doctoral Fellow; a Ford Foundation
Brain Trust; and she assisted in the writing
several professional journals including
Doctoral Fellow; “Trailblazer Award”
of the first nurse practitioner practice act
Advances in Nursing Science, Nursing
recipient and Institute of Excellence
for her home state of North Carolina.
Outlook, Journal of Professional
inductee by the National Black Nurses
Nursing and the American Journal of
Association; and recipient of the Mary
Public Health.
Elizabeth Carnegie Award from the
Dr. Strickland is frequently called upon as an internationally known expert
Dr. Strickland was recognized early in her career for her outstanding contributions to nursing through her election to the American Academy of Nursing at age 29. Her contributions to nursing research were lauded when she was inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Nurse
Southern Council on Collegiate Nursing.
in nursing research, measurement,
She is a prolific author who has won ten
evaluation, and maternal and child health
American Journal of Nursing Book of
As a member of the American
and parenting. She has served as a
the Year Awards; contributed more than
Association of Colleges of Nursing
distinguished visiting professor or lecturer
100 measurement and research articles
Board of Directors, Dr. Strickland will
at more than 35 leading universities
to professional journals; and has written
draw on her lifetime experiences,
and traveled to more than 45 countries
or contributed to 30 books to date.
working alongside academic peers
to advise on research, leadership
Dr. Strickland co-authored Measurement
to establish and maintain quality
approaches, and health policy. In 1987,
in Nursing and Health Research, which
standards for nursing education for
she traveled to the then-Soviet Union
was the first measurement textbook
more than 850 public and private
with a team of U.S. experts to advise
in nursing. Her “Nurse’s Station”
nursing programs across the country.
Annual Report 2021-2022 7
Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences
“
Ensuring equitable healthcare has been the driving force for me as a professional nurse, pediatric nurse practitioner, and nurse scientist. This passion emerged from my earliest experiences in clinical practice at the bedside and later as a pediatric nurse practitioner working with children and their families who resided in underserved areas and experienced health disparities. It is my strong belief that the inequities in healthcare access and the resulting poor outcomes for children can be avoided by transforming education, practice, and research.
“
D
r. Thomas’ illustrious 40-year nursing career
Theta Tau International, National Institutes of Health
reached another milestone in July 2022
(NIH), and $7 million in awards from the U.S. Health
when she was inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame. She joins an elite group of only 270 nurse researchers worldwide who have achieved international recognition for research that has improved the profession of nursing and the people it serves. Dr. Thomas is the College’s Dr. Herbert and Nicole Wertheim Endowed Chair in Prevention and Family Health. An award-winning nurse scientist with a background in epidemiology, she is an esteemed thought leader whose work has touched thousands of families, including survivors of sexual violence. Her research and community-engaged scholarship
Resources and Services Administration, among others. Over her academic career, she has published numerous manuscripts focused on research, evidence-based practice, and health policy while disseminating her research findings at nearly 120 international, national, and regional conferences. Dr. Thomas’ national service includes roles as a scientific abstract reviewer for the Council on the Advancement of Nursing Science and for the NIH; a grant reviewer by invitation for the National Cancer Institute; and as an expert content reviewer for research proposals in several prominent nursing journals.
is built on 20+ years as a bedside nurse in hospital
Dr. Thomas served for eight years as the only nurse
settings and a pediatric nurse practitioner in primary
on the National HPV Vaccine Round Table Steering
care clinics. Her work has a sustained impact on
Committee established by the President’s Cancer Panel
children, adolescents, and families by focusing
and supported by the American Cancer Society and
on health promotion; HPV vaccination and cancer
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She
prevention; reduction of health disparities; access to
currently serves as a member of the American Academy
care for sexual assault survivors in rural areas; and
of Nursing’s Expert Panel on Children, Adolescent and
training nurse practitioners to serve in primary care
Families providing input on health policy and nursing
clinics in rural and underserved communities.
care standards.
Dr. Thomas has served as a principal investigator
Dr. Thomas is a Fellow of the American Academy of
conducting more than 13 funded studies through grants
Nursing and a Fellow of the American Association of
from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Sigma
Nurse Practitioners.
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LEADERSHIP & RESEARCH
Sigma Theta Tau International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame — 2022 Inductee Dr. Herbert and Nicole Wertheim Endowed Chair in Prevention and Family Health
Tami L.
Thomas
PhD, RN, APRN-CPNP, FAANP, FAAN Associate Dean of Research & Faculty Development Director of the PhD in Nursing Program & Professor
Annual Report 2021-2022 9
Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences
Dr. Vanessa Von Wertheim Endowed Chair in Chronic Disease Prevention and Care
Trudy
Gaillard PhD, CDCES, FAHA Associate Professor — Undergraduate Nursing
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LEADERSHIP & RESEARCH
“
As an educator, nurse scientist, and healthcare provider, my greatest impact and strength has been in sharing my knowledge of the importance of lifestyle in the management of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive impairment. I give my students the knowledge and skills that I have as a professional and a researcher. To my patients and community, I impart my knowledge to help them make informed decisions regarding lifestyle choices to improve their health.
“
D
r. Gaillard is a nurse scientist and career
Dr. Gaillard has enjoyed a distinguished 40-year career
academic whose history of service through
that involves health disparities research, education,
research endorses her recent appointment to
and mentoring students and junior faculty. She is a
one of three endowed chairs established for the
subject matter expert for her research examining ethnic
College by the transformational gift in 2013 from
differences in the development of type 2 diabetes,
Dr. Herbert Wertheim, which named the College.
cardiovascular disease, and cognitive impairment.
She is the principal investigator of a $2.9 million
In April 2022, as part of the 20th-anniversary
grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH),
celebrations of the Network of Minority Health
National Institute on Aging, to establish the Florida
Research Investigators (NMRI), Dr. Gaillard received the
Statewide Registry for Aging Studies. Dr. Gaillard
Outstanding Contributions to NMRI Award presented
aims to increase the recruitment and retention of
by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive
culturally diverse older adults for aging research
and Kidney Diseases.
by incorporating the influence of family members; increasing awareness of and willingness to participate in aging research; and implementing a statewide registry of older adults educated and ready to participate in aging research.
In addition to being a Fellow of the American Heart Association, Dr. Gaillard was inducted in June 2022 into the inaugural class of the UsAgainstAlzheimer’s Center for Brain Health Equity Fellowship. Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that created
Dr. Gaillard also helped secure NIH funding for
a partnership with the National Black Nurses Association
a related R24 project titled, “Meet ALEX: Agent
and National Association of Hispanic Nurses, the
Leveraging Empathy for eXams.” This work will
fellowship was designed to empower African American
explore mobile application impact on reducing
and Hispanic nurses with the knowledge and public
health inequities related to clinical trial participation
health leadership skills to promote brain health in
among racial/ethnic minorities, Spanish-language
communities with a high risk for Alzheimer’s disease
participants, and rural patients.
and related dementias.
Annual Report 2021-2022 11
Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences
“
I am very proud of having assembled an interdisciplinary team of researchers and clinicians to develop and test the integration of health information technology in dementia clinical care and caregiving. These talented investigators from multiple universities and clinical sites bring a wealth of knowledge spanning the fields of nursing, social work, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, geriatric psychiatry, neurology, and computer science. Collectively, they have conducted multiple studies focused on one common mission: to leverage technology to support people living with dementia, and their care partners, to live their best lives.
“
D
r. Brown is the College’s first-ever Erica
research is an expansion on the CareHeroes web
Wertheim Zohar Endowed Chair in Community
and smartphone app she helped develop in 2013
Mental Health. Her research focuses on the
to improve dementia care coordination between
emotional health and wellbeing of older adults,
family caregivers and medical practitioners.
especially those in cognitive decline, and their caregivers. Her goal is to support the choices of adults who want to age in place through personcentered care delivery.
In 2021, Dr. Brown was recognized as a Distinguished Educator in Gerontological Nursing by the National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence. The accolade recognizes Dr. Brown for
She has been a licensed registered nurse for nearly
her skills as a nurse educator who shows exceptional
40 years, holding a gerontological nurse practitioner
competence fostering positive attitudes toward older
certification for almost three decades. Dr. Brown
adults in the next generation of nurses.
has earned national recognition and funding for her
In 2011, the year she became a Fellow of the
groundbreaking research in geriatric depression
American Academy of Nursing, Dr. Brown received
care, caregiver education, and service delivery,
the Academy’s Raise the Voice “Edge Runner”
including funding from the National Institutes of
distinction for creating the TRIAD (Training in the
Health (NIH) National Institute of Mental Health and
Assessment of Depression) model that helps home
National Institute on Aging.
healthcare nurses more effectively identify late-life
Dr. Brown is currently co-leading a multidisciplinary
depression in their patients.
research team on an NIH R01 project studying how
Dr. Brown has served on multiple NIH Study Section,
families and memory centers can use technology
Center for Scientific Review Panels; she is a founding
to share information that will help them make
editorial board member for the journal Research in
better decisions about the care of adults with
Gerontological Nursing; and is an editorial board
Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. This
member for the Journal of Applied Gerontology.
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LEADERSHIP & RESEARCH
Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing — Class of 2011 Erica Wertheim Zohar Endowed Chair in Community Mental Health
Ellen Leslie
Brown
EdD, MS, RN, FAAN Associate Professor — Graduate Nursing
Annual Report 2021-2022 13
Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences
DISTINGUISHED FACULTY CLAIM TO FAME
National Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame — 2020 Inductee
Jeff
Konin
PhD, ATC, PT, FACSM, FNATA Director & Clinical Professor — Doctor of Athletic Training Program
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ATHLETIC TRAINING
“
I have always gravitated toward “fuzzy edge” ideas that I feel can make a difference because opportunity, and ultimately success, does not come without risk. We live in a fast-paced world, and to be able to be successful in our profession and our life
“
requires us to adjust on the fly and respond favorably to change.
D
r. Konin is a 30-year veteran of athletic training who has staked a unique position of influence to advance the future of the discipline professionally and academically.
answered for tomorrow, the next phase of Dr. Konin’s journey was in higher education. He was responsible for launching athletic training programs at several universities, and his prolific scholarly writings focused on textbooks in the areas of proper documentation, leadership, management, and administration, which were the first of their kind.
Early on, Dr. Konin was a full-time clinician working with elite athletes while simultaneously engaged in injury prevention, injury evaluation, and rehabilitation education and research. His clinical experiences included serving at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Centers and on the medical staff for the 1996 Olympic Games. During this time in his career, he helped create new techniques and special tests to assess acute sports injuries that led to his allied health best-selling book, Special Tests for Orthopedic Examination.
Dr. Konin joined the College in 2019 as director of the Doctor of Athletic Training program, one of only eight in the U.S. and the first in the southeast. He made an immediate impact redeveloping the 16-course curriculum to focus on the areas of entrepreneurship, academic leadership, and international perspectives in athletic training practice.
With a great passion to ask the important questions today that need to be
Dr. Konin is a highly regarded expert and proponent of cannabis research and
education for healthcare providers. He serves as the chair of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Cannabis-Related Resources Task Force, and regularly speaks about the use of cannabis in sports and the care of active individuals in an effort to dispel the many myths surrounding its application. Such speaking engagements include invited lectures to the medical staffs of major universities and for professional sports teams. Dr. Konin established a multidisciplinary initiative at FIU to spearhead evidencebased research and collaborative engagements for meaningful cannabinoid-focused studies. In early 2022, he hosted the first Cannabis in Sports Conference, which was designed to foster education and networking on the use of cannabis in sports to bear light on the proper use of cannabinoids as it relates to athletes.
INSIDE FIU ATHLETIC TRAINING MS-AT Student Body Diversity
CHAIR: Michelle Odai, PhD, LAT, ATC DIRECTOR: Jeff Konin, PhD, ATC, PT, FACSM, FNATA DAT program PROGRAMS: Master of Science in Athletic Training (MS-AT)
74% Female
26% Male
DAT Student Body Diversity
54% Female
46% Male
Doctor of Athletic Training (DAT) AT Services Clinic Student Enrollment (in and out of state)
35
Number of Graduates
28
(MS-AT)
14 12
(DAT)
100
%
Graduation Rate (MS-AT)
(MS-AT)
91
%
Ultimate Licensure Pass Rate (MS-AT)
40% Hispanic
25% Hispanic
34% Black Non-Hispanic
14% Black Non-Hispanic
20% White Non-Hispanic
46% White Non-Hispanic
0% Asian/Pacific Islander
4% Asian/Pacific Islander
6% Other
11% Other
(DAT)
6
Full-Time Faculty
23.6
Average Age
34.6
Average Age
ACCREDITATION: Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE)
Annual Report 2021-2022 15
Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences
“
Conducting research has always been of interest to me because I enjoy solving problems. The research process is a clear example of deductive thinking, allowing the investigator opportunities to understand or implement procedures that will lead to novel answers to experimental questions. Because my research involves examining different aspects of the speech and language problems encountered by adults with communication disorders of neurological origin, understanding the human condition also drives me to investigate.
“
D
r. Hough was inducted as a Fellow of the American Speech-LanguageHearing Association (ASHA) in 2012. This award represents a lifetime of scholarly and academic accomplishments that have enriched the field of communication sciences and disorders.
generated over 85 publications and 400 presentations. She was a co-investigator on the College’s research team on an R01 grant from the National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging, to enhance interaction and communication skills in family-centered dementia care.
Dr. Hough has been a practicing, nationally certified speech-language pathologist (SLP) for more than 40 years specializing in the area of adult neurogenic communication disorders with emphasis on various components of neurolinguistics and neuropathology. Her specific expertise is in word retrieval and semantic organization and categorization skills in older and brain-damaged adults from strokes, traumatic brain injuries, and dementia.
As an educator, Dr. Hough has been in the university setting for the last 30 years developing clinical programs for graduate students from diverse backgrounds. She has taught masters and doctoral level coursework on aphasia, clinical management, motor speech disorders, research design, and cognitive-communicative impairments; and mentored over 250 students on graduate-level projects, theses, and dissertations. In 2019, Dr. Hough was awarded the Clinical Career Achievement Award from the Florida Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
Dr. Hough’s research examining linguistic and communication functioning of adults with neuropathological impairments, specifically the identification, assessment, and treatment of these deficits, has
Dr. Hough has been chair of the FIU Department of Communication Sciences
and Disorders since 2011. Under her leadership, department outcomes have consistently shown close to a 100% rate of retention and graduation, as well as a 100% pass rate on the national PRAXIS exam among graduate students. She is also currently co-investigator of a $1.875 million U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration grant for Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students of the FIU SLP program through 2025. Dr. Hough has previously served as an academic SLP site visitor and academic SLP board member for ASHA’s Council for Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology. She was the program chairperson (2013), conference chairperson (2014), and currently serves on the steering committee for the annual Clinical Aphasiology Conference, which engages in the study and clinical management of persons with acquired neurogenic language disorders.
INSIDE FIU COMMUNICATION SCIENCES & DISORDERS CHAIR: Monica Hough, PhD, CCC-SLP PROGRAMS: Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (MS-SLP) Graduate Certificate in Communication Sciences & Disorders Student Enrollment (in and out of state)
92
MS-SLP Program
123
Graduate Certificate Program
44 91%
Graduation Rate
Student Body Diversity Number of Graduates
98%
First-Time Board Certification Pass Rate
7
Full-Time Faculty
100%
Overall Annual Pass Rate
97% Female
3% Male
82% Hispanic 7% Black Non-Hispanic 8% White Non-Hispanic 1% Asian/Pacific Islander 1% Other 1% Foreign Students
ACCREDITATION: Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
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25.2
Average Age
COMMUNICATION SCIENCES & DISORDERS
DISTINGUISHED FACULTY CLAIM TO FAME
Fellow of the American Speech-LanguageHearing Association — Class of 2012
Monica S.
Hough PhD, CCC-SLP
Chair & Professor — Communication Sciences & Disorders
Annual Report 2021-2022 17
Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences
DISTINGUISHED FACULTY CLAIM TO FAME
Leading FIU HSA Up the Rankings
Chanadra
YoungWhiting
EdD, MPH/HSA, CHES Chair & Clinical Associate Professor — Health Services Administration
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Mariceli
Comellas EdD
Director & Clinical Assistant Professor — Master of Health Services Administration (MHSA) Program
HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
“
What students learn from an educator should be what they take with them and build on in their academic and professional journeys. Which is why as an educator, ideas need to be innovative and continually changing with the times. — Chanadra Young-Whiting I have a moral, social, and ethical responsibility to the profession and the students we serve through the content we deliver by putting into practice what we’ve learned theoretically and practically from
“
our peers who are researchers and industry leaders. — Mariceli Comellas
D
rs. Young-Whiting and Comellas are the formidable pair behind the recent accolades for FIU’s Health Services Administration programs. These include the MHSA’s U.S. News & World Report #32 ranking among the top 50 public universities, and a #1 ranking by OnlineU.com for the Bachelor of Health Services Administration program. Together, they have spurred departmentwide evolutions such as the development of a minor in Long-Term Care Administration; Quality Matters third-party endorsements of online coursework; transformation of the hybrid MHSA to an accelerated program; and launch of an integrated digital residency for students who work full-time. Individually, each has made their impact as an academic influencer. Dr. Young-Whiting, one of Legacy South Florida’s Top Black Educators of 2021, has spent more than 15 years on the FIU HSA faculty. Her teaching
style combines politics, business, and science with managing the human and fiscal resources needed to deliver effective health services. Her research focuses on health services administration ethics and culture, healthcare education and promotion, healthcare finance, leadership in healthcare, and healthcare policy. Dr. Young-Whiting’s scholarly catalog features more than 25 papers published, in press, or submitted. She served on the editorial board of the International Journal of Education and Human Development, and was an associate editor for the International Journal of Health, Wellness and Society. She is also an invited reviewer for the Journal of Health Promotion Practice and manuscript reviewer for the Journal of Health Education & Behavior. Dr. Comellas, a health administrator who joined FIU in 2018, brings research experience ranging from cultural
competency in patient care to diabetes and cardiovascular care. Published in numerous journals, she is also a reviewer for the American Psychological Association, American Public Health Association, and American Medical Informatics Association. Dr. Comellas led FIU’s MHSA faculty team in designing and hosting a webinar for more than 380 clinician members and affiliates of the American Hospital Association on the new telehealth models and their effects on healthcare organizations in the post-COVID-19 world. She also assembled an analysis in press with the Journal of Health Management titled, “Future Perspectives: HSA Workforce, Challenges, and the Changing Healthcare Landscape in the United States.” The results will provide insights into industry trends, labor availability, and the market potential for growing industry educational programs for public healthcare organizations and practitioners in the sector.
INSIDE FIU HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION CHAIR: Chanadra Young-Whiting, EdD, MPH/HSA, CHES DIRECTOR: Mariceli Comellas, EdD • MHSA program PROGRAMS: Bachelor of Health Services Administration (BHSA) Master of Health Services Administration (MHSA) Minor in Health Services Administration
BHSA Student Body Diversity
80%
20%
Female
Male
61% Hispanic 25% Black Non-Hispanic 5% White Non-Hispanic
Student Enrollment (in and out of state)
Number of Graduates
5% Asian/Pacific Islander
491 182
189 80
4% Other
(BHSA)
(MHSA)
(BHSA)
(MHSA)
25.7
Average Age
7
MHSA Student Body Diversity
83% Female
17% Male
44% Hispanic 31% Black Non-Hispanic 9% White Non-Hispanic 7% Asian/Pacific Islander 5% Other 4% Foreign Students
27.7
Average Age
Full-Time Faculty
Annual Report 2021-2022 19
Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences
“
It is my desire to inspire and see learning taking place in an environment of discovery and passion. I am motivated by joy in acquiring that knowledge, imparting that knowledge, and building on that knowledge. I try to give everyone a voice for them to know that their lived experience is significant. Together we can build on that experience to make it worthwhile, practical, and livable.
r. Holness’ dedication to the practice, instruction, and advancement of nurse-midwifery was evident since graduating in 1990 as Jamaica’s Top Nurse-Midwife caring for women in the country’s rural communities. Upon coming to the U.S., she became a certified nurse midwife and practiced from 1996 to 2019 at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida, providing full-scope midwifery and gynecological services to high-risk women. Her teaching career began in 2007 as an obstetrics lecturer and nursemidwifery program director before joining the FIU Undergraduate Nursing faculty in 2015. She has taught more than 500 students maternity nursing and nurse-midwifery management of childbearing women. Dr. Holness’ international work to improve reproductive health is notable. As lead educator for the Dominican Foundation for Mothers & Infants, Dr. Holness worked with neonatologists, nurse midwives, and pediatricians on a year-long continuing education program to empower maternity nurses in the Dominican Republic. She volunteers one week annually providing full-scope clinical midwifery services at the Loma de Luz Hospital in Balfate, Honduras, and will do the same at Memorial Christian Hospital in Mahlumghat, Bangladesh.
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“
D
She is also collaborating with University of Ghana professors to create an online learning experience for nursing and midwifery students there and at FIU to explore telehealth care to improve maternal and neonatal health outcomes. Dr. Holness and a team of expert researchers are working on an FIU Wallace Gilroy Nursing Research Endowment Grant to improve maternal health by addressing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among pregnant African American women. For another pilot study, she has partnered with FIU’s Biomedical Engineering Department on developing a specialized camera to view cervical collagen changes in pregnant women with threatened preterm labor to determine actual risks for preterm birth. She is also currently conducting qualitative research studying Jamaican adolescent mothers’ lived perinatal experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Holness was inducted in 2022 as a Fellow of the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM). She is the ACNM representative on the Virginia Neonatal Perinatal Collaborative, for which she serves on the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health Fourth Trimester Committee. The Alliance launched the nation’s first patient safety bundle focused on perinatal care, reproductive health, and mental health for the 12-month period immediately after childbirth.
INSIDE FIU UNDERGRADUATE NURSING CHAIR: Maria Olenick, PhD, FNP, RN, FAAN PROGRAMS: Generic Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Accelerated Option (AO) BSN RN-to-BSN Online
392
234
97%
91.86%
Student Enrollment (in and out of state)
Graduation Rate
Number of Graduates
First-Time NCLEX (RN Licensure) Pass Rate
22
Full-Time Faculty Student Body Diversity
81% Female
19% Male
28.0
Average Age
68% Hispanic 13% Black Non-Hispanic 11% White Non-Hispanic 5% Asian/Pacific Islander 3% Other ACCREDITATION: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
UNDERGRADUATE NURSING
DISTINGUISHED FACULTY CLAIM TO FAME
Fellow of the American College of Nurse-Midwives — Class of 2022
Nola
Holness
PhD, CNM, APRN, ANP-C, CNE, FACNM Clinical Assistant Professor — Undergraduate Nursing
Annual Report 2021-2022 21
Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences
DISTINGUISHED FACULTY CLAIM TO FAME
Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners — Class of 2021
Lucie
Dlugasch PhD, MSN, APRN, ANP/FNP-BC, CNE, FAANP Clinical Associate Professor — Graduate Nursing
22 cnhs.fiu.edu
GRADUATE NURSING
“
I became a nurse in the first place to care for patients. Which is why in all my years as an educator, I’ve maintained an active practice. Doing so helps relate to students and provides them with cutting-edge clinical practice information.
“
This blend of practicing and teaching is what fuels me and is very gratifying.
D
r. Dlugasch is a practicing nurse practitioner (NP) and educator who has pioneered learning strategies that are immersive, interprofessional, and use innovative technologies that bridge theory and practice to educate the next generation of advanced practice nurses. Having joined the FIU Nursing faculty in 2007, Dr. Dlugasch developed the Technology Interprofessional (IP) Culturally Competent Education Program for the College in 2010. Over 700 students across five health programs participated in IP activities through virtual learning platforms, simulation, and clinical experiences that reflected the country’s growing racial and ethnic diversity. She was also co-principal investigator on a project to establish a simulation-based cardiovascular assessment curriculum that improved assessment and diagnostic reasoning skills in NP students.
The curricula for these projects were presented at national and international conferences and her research was published in Clinical Simulation in Nursing and Nursing Education Perspectives. Her academic expertise and passion to bring theoretical content to life led her to co-author Applied Pathophysiology for the Advanced Practice Nurse, the first pathophysiology textbook written exclusively for NPs.
With a specialty in adult-gerontology health, Dr. Dlugasch sits on the board of Assistance to the Elderly, Inc., serving as a clinical expert reviewing infection control policies for the nonprofit’s largest assisted living facility serving low-income Hispanic seniors. In her prior practice at Open Door Health Center, a clinic that provides free care to over 2,000 people annually whose income is 200% below federal poverty levels, she received an Avon Foundation grant to provide low-income women with free breast health services. She was also the director of a multi-year Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant to provide community support, education, and selfcare programs for low-income, high-risk adults with type 2 diabetes.
At FIU, she was the first faculty member to integrate observed structured clinical examinations, standardized patients, and virtual patient programs in the graduate nursing curriculum, which is now the standard. She also partnered with U.S. Southern Command and the Project HOPE global health education and humanitarian assistance organization to give nursing students valuable clinical experience working abroad on healthcare missions.
For these and other achievements, Dr. Dlugasch was inducted as a Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and awarded its 2021 Florida State Award for Excellence as a Nurse Practitioner.
INSIDE FIU GRADUATE NURSING INTERIM CHAIR: Rosa Roche, PhD, APRN, PPCNP-BC INTERIM DIRECTOR: Charles Buscemi, PhD, APRN, FNP-BC, CWCN • DNP Program CHAIR: Jorge Valdes, DNP, CRNA, APRN Dept. of Nurse Anesthesiology INTERIM ASSISTANT CHAIR: Ann Miller, DNP, CRNA, APRN Dept. of Nurse Anesthesiology PROGRAMS: Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Doctor of Nursing Practice — Nurse Anesthesia (DNP-NA)
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Degrees & Post-Graduate Certificates: Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
383
190
Student Enrollment (in and out of state)
Number of Graduates
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
78% Female
22%
Nurse Educator Dual MSN Degree/Nurse Educator Certificate
19
Full-Time Faculty
Student Body Diversity
Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Family Nurse Practitioner
86%
Graduation Rate
35.8
Male
50% Hispanic 22% Black Non-Hispanic 12% White Non-Hispanic 11% Asian/Pacific Islander 5% Other
Average Age
Dual MSN/DNP Degree(s) ACCREDITATIONS: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE); Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA)
Annual Report 2021-2022 23
Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences
“
I believe my greatest impact is with my students; to see a Black man in this nursing profession demonstrates that they can also do it. I am passionate about lifelong learning, and being an example of this for my
“
students can transform their perspectives.
D
r. Glymph’s contributions to
his 30 years of advocacy and research
nursing practice and leadership
focused on reducing opioid use
were doubly recognized in 2021 when
disorders, including recently obtaining
he was inducted into the inaugural
a PhD in Nursing Science focused
class of fellows of the American
on Opioid Use Disorder and
Association of Nurse Anesthesiology
Treatment Programs.
(AANA) and selected to be a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.
A former governor-appointed member Dr. Glymph led alliances with the
bear while serving with the U.S. Army
Florida Boards of Medicine and
Reserves, when he was awarded
Pharmacy to pass controlled substance
an Army Commendation Medal in
prescribing requirements for advanced
recognition of his expertise in pain
practice registered nurses (APRNs)
management during Operation
under Florida statutes. Nearly 35,000
Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.
APRNs in Florida have completed this
His experience as the sole anesthesia
requirement since taking effect in 2016.
attending on the battlefield prompted him to join the first Doctor of Nursing Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) cohort at Virginia Commonwealth University, from where he graduated in 2010 as the first African American with DNAP credentials.
DIRECTOR: Tami Thomas, PhD, RN, APRNCPNP, FAANP, FAAN TRACKS: Post-Master’s PhD in Nursing BSN-to-PhD in Nursing
of the Florida Board of Nursing,
These contributions first came to
provider on a forward surgical team
INSIDE FIU PHD IN NURSING
12
Student Enrollment (in and out of state)
1
Number of Graduates
19 Faculty/Dissertation Advisor Status
He is also a collaborator on a $2.5 million U.S. Health Resources
Student Body Diversity
and Services Administration grant directed at opioid responses for rural communities. For this project, he implemented the Safe Opioid Prescribing Strategies Micro-credential
58% Female
42% Male
36.8
Average Age
curriculum to ensure healthcare
He now holds the rank of Colonel and
providers with prescriptive authority
is Deputy Commander of Nursing
and nursing students are well-prepared
25% Hispanic
for the 7456 Medical Operations
in opioid pain management.
17% Black Non-Hispanic
Readiness unit, planning and directing nursing care practices and activities serving thousands of U.S. soldiers.
Dr. Glymph has been shaping the next generation of nurse anesthetists and advanced practice nurses through
From military service, Dr. Glymph
leadership in education, research,
transitioned to fighting the country’s
and clinical practice since coming to
opioid epidemic by championing
the College in 2011. He serves on the
professional development for all
editorial boards of the AANA Journal,
providers of pain management and
Journal of Nursing Regulation, and
opioid therapies. It has propelled
Current Reviews for Nurse Anesthetists.
24 cnhs.fiu.edu
17% White Non-Hispanic 8% Asian/Pacific Islander 33% Foreign Students
GRADUATE NURSING
DISTINGUISHED FACULTY CLAIM TO FAME
Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology — Inaugural Class of 2021 Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing — Class of 2021
Derrick
Glymph PhD, DNAP, CRNA, APRN, COL. USAR, FAANA, FAAN
Clinical Associate Professor — Graduate Nursing
Annual Report 2021-2022 25
Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences
DISTINGUISHED FACULTY CLAIM TO FAME
Fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association — Class of 2022
Lynne
Richard PhD, OT/L, FAOTA
Chair & Clinical Associate Professor — Occupational Therapy
26 cnhs.fiu.edu
“
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
I am fortunate to have discovered and chosen to be an occupational therapist. It has inspired and nurtured my lifelong professional career in service to others and to the profession. Here at FIU, our amazing OT faculty prepare our students to thrive in our special vocation. The diversity of our program prepares graduates to care for all who need us.
Her foray into OT began as a clinician for the voluntary inpatient psychiatric unit at the predominantly minorityserving Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center in Plainfield, New Jersey. Dr. Richard developed an acute care program focused on the evaluation and implementation of client-centered activities to assist in their successful return to the community. After a decade, Dr. Richard transitioned into adult rehabilitation working with individuals with physical and/or cognitive impairments including neurological, orthopedic, cardiac, cognitive-behavioral, and gerontological limitations. The call to academics began in the hospital setting, where she was also a primary supervisor for OT students and later became coordinator for OT student fieldwork hospital-wide. By the turn of the millennium, Dr. Richard had earned tenure at a public university in New Jersey. Since joining the FIU Occupational Therapy faculty in 2013, Dr. Richard has taught 11 distinct courses and interacted with more than 550 master’s students. She quickly rose to leadership positions in the department, first as interim chair and then chair. Under this combined time, she has led initiatives
“
D
r. Richard’s 45-year commitment to the occupational therapy (OT) profession encompasses leadership excellence in practice, teaching, research, and service.
that revised the curriculum and provided increased student support, faculty development, and holistic admissions. In 2018, she successfully led the FIU OT reaccreditation process to meet all Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education standards, culminating with a 10-year reaccreditation — a first for the department. In 2020, Dr. Richard secured a $1.8 million workforce diversity grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration to award scholarships to disadvantaged FIU OT students over the next five years. Dr. Richard’s accomplishments in research and scholarship include 14 peer-reviewed publications, two book chapters, and one book. She is currently the associate editor of Physical and Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics. She has overseen 20 research projects completed in collaboration with students, many resulting in published and presented work at the state, national and international levels. She has also been principal investigator for three funded research grants and two training grants. Dr. Richard became a Fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) in 2022. She has served several terms as a representative to the AOTA Representative Assembly; on AOTA’s Emerging Leaders Development Committee; and on the scholarship and development committees of the American Occupational Therapy Foundation.
INSIDE FIU OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY CHAIR: Lynne Richard, PhD, OT/L, FAOTA PROGRAM: Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MS-OT)
144
50
Student Enrollment (in and out of state)
98%
Number of Graduates
100%
Graduation Rate
First-Time Pass Rate
9
Full-Time Faculty
Student Body Diversity
89% Female
11% Male
25.0
Average Age
58% Hispanic 10% Black Non-Hispanic 22% White Non-Hispanic 6% Asian/Pacific Islander 3% Other 1% Foreign Students
ACCREDITATION: Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE)
Annual Report 2021-2022 27
Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences
“
As a researcher, I’m driven and motivated to identify and answer questions that help advance the field and contribute to people’s quality of life and healthy aging in the community. As an educator, I like to stimulate critical thinking and encourage students to seek advanced degrees and contribute to the science of
“
physical therapy, injury prevention, and rehabilitation.
D
r. Vieira has been a member of the FIU Physical Therapy faculty since 2010 and is an authority noted for his lines of study addressing the older adult community. His expertise is in risk assessment and prevention of aging-related mobility impairments, fatigue, frailty, and falls in older adults from minority populations. His extensive research and programs developed in this area — funded by agencies such as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Administration for Community Living, and the Florida Department of Health — aim to help older adults stay functionally independent by optimizing mobility and preventing frailty, falls, and related injuries. Because of this proficiency, Dr. Vieira was invited to become an expert reviewer for the CDC’s Special Emphasis Panel: Research Grants to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Physical Therapybased Exercises and Movements Used to Reduce Older Adults Falls. He is also an appointed reviewer for the Switzer Research Fellowship Program of the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Vieira’s body of work to identify and address fall-related aspects of functional decline has led to many working partnerships with academic
28 cnhs.fiu.edu
institutions from Brazil and Canada. He has also supervised several international doctoral and postdoctoral students, and visiting professors. His research has extended to other areas of older adult health, as evidenced by the 2018 Wertheim Innovation Opportunity Endowment Fund award for his research on diet and exercise interventions in older Hispanics with diabetes; a feasibility study on OTAGO exercise programs for seniors with Parkinson’s disease; and a project collaboration with a Spain-based international new product development company studying physiotherapy combined with robotics to improve quality of life. Dr. Vieira is currently editor-in-chief of the journal Physical & Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics. A prolific writer, he has published more than 140 peer-reviewed papers in national and international scientific journals, which have been cited almost 6,000 times. His article, “Depression in older adults: screening and referral,” in the American Physical Therapy Association’s Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy, was one of the top five viewed articles in 2018. And his article titled, “Prevalence, age-related trends, and functional limitations of various types of arthritis in the U.S. population,” was recognized as Best Paper of the Year in the American Journal of Public Health.
INSIDE FIU PHYSICAL THERAPY CHAIR: Mark D. Rossi, PhD, PT, CSCS PROGRAM: Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)
182
56
Student Enrollment (in and out of state)
Number of Graduates
100%
Graduation Rate
90%
95%
First-Time Licensure Pass Rate
Ultimate Licensure Pass Rate
11
Full-Time Faculty Student Body Diversity
59% Female
41% Male
24.7
Average Age
39% Hispanic 10% Black Non-Hispanic 35% White Non-Hispanic 10% Asian/Pacific Islander 5% Other 1% Foreign Students ACCREDITATION: Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE)
PHYSICAL THERAPY
DISTINGUISHED FACULTY CLAIM TO FAME
Expert Reviewer for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Edgar
Ramos Vieira PhD, MSc, PT Associate Professor — Physical Therapy
Annual Report 2021-2022 29
Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences
OUR DONORS MAKING A DIFFERENCE
30 cnhs.fiu.edu
The
Diane Ramy Faulconer CARE Center
Pictured: Diane Ramy Faulconer (blue jacket) with the College Leadership Team (L-R): Kim English, Dr. Helen Cornely, Dr. Yhovana Gordon, Dr. Ora L. Strickland, Dr. Tami Thomas, and Victor Martinez.
F
IU Distinguished Alumna Diane Ramy Faulconer ‘74, Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences and Master’s in Management, has made it her mission to support the future of healthcare education and practice for more than 40 years. Her philanthropic legacy with FIU was secured when she first gave a generous planned gift directed toward graduate nursing and graduate accounting student scholarships. Her expanding philanthropic objectives, as revealed through a second transformational gift to the Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences, were recognized in June 2022 when the College celebrated the naming of the Diane Ramy Faulconer CARE Center. The newly upgraded 16,000-square-foot CARE Center features labs and clinical resources that support the physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology programs
complete with interdisciplinary integration with nursing. The CARE Center is the rehabilitative complement to the acute care focus of the College’s Simulation Teaching and Research (STAR) Center. Together, they provide students and faculty with specialized healthcare education, interprofessional practice, and evidence-based research opportunities across the full continuum of patient care. Ms. Faulconer understands that highquality healthcare includes an emphasis on optimal recovery. To that end, she established the Diane Ramy Faulconer CARE Center Endowment to assist the College with funds to acquire superior resources, equipment, and new technology to propel rehabilitation practice and research methods that will significantly improve the quality of life of individuals with disabilities and advance knowledge related to homebased care.
At the heart of the CARE Center is a state-of-the-art simulated home environment — including bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and living room. This model will serve as a focal point for the development and testing of home-based care and rehabilitation strategies that will define home health delivery and management for the industry. “With her support of the CARE Center, Diane is bringing into focus the essential role of rehabilitative nursing and health sciences professions toward bettering patient care and outcomes,” said Dean Ora L. Strickland. “Her transformational generosity and commitment to enhance nursing and health sciences education will change countless lives today and in the future. Diane Ramy Faulconer is a kind and caring individual who is committed to improving patient care, which makes it most fitting to have her name grace our CARE Center.”
Annual Report 2021-2022 31
Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences
P
opulation growth and aging, retirement, and the COVID-19 pandemic are all playing a role in the growing demand for more nurses. In addition, the country has also faced a shortage of qualified nurse educators to train the next generation of nurses. HCA Healthcare, HCA East Florida Division, and the FIU Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences have teamed up to grow the essential pipeline of nurse educators needed to preserve the future of the nursing workforce. HCA Healthcare has donated $1.5 million to help increase recruitment for FIU’s Nurse Educator programs and expand the number of registered nurses qualified to teach in nursing programs. HCA Healthcare and FIU Nursing have taken a proactive approach to this problem plaguing hospitals and healthcare systems across the country. “The sobering fact is that without enough nurse educators today, there will be fewer nurses for tomorrow. HCA Healthcare shares our mission and has stepped up to the plate to grow a robust nursing faculty pipeline through FIU,” said Dean Ora L. Strickland. FIU’s Nurse Educator programs are poised to expand recruitment this fall when the accelerated RN-BSN-MSN Nurse Educator track is introduced alongside the existing master’s degree and post-graduate certificate programs. The gift from HCA Healthcare has helped fund scholarships to attract eligible students in all programs and support the addition of full-time faculty positions with FIU Nursing. FIU will recruit from South Florida’s culturally diverse pool of nurses currently working to prepare them as master’slevel nurse educators. Ultimately, they will be qualified to serve as faculty and preceptors for nursing programs at community colleges, baccalaureate and higher-degree institutions, and clinical sites throughout Florida. The partnership is part of HCA Healthcare’s commitment of $10 million over three years to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) to advance healthcare diversity.
HCA Healthcare
Support for FIU Nurse Educator Programs 32 cnhs.fiu.edu
Dr. Strickland added, “From our collaboration to launch the nation’s first Foreign-Educated Physician to Nurse recareering program twenty years ago, to this latest venture to boost enrollment and diversity representation in our nurse educator programs, FIU Nursing is grateful to HCA Healthcare for their continued support as we develop innovative solutions that address critical healthcare industry challenges.” Pictured (L-R): Charles Gressle III, President, HCA Florida Healthcare-East Florida Division; Sherri Neal, Chief Diversity Officer, HCA Healthcare; Dean Ora L. Strickland; and Dr. Jose “Pepe” Armas, FIU Board of Trustees.
“We’ve been asked what sort of legacy Angela and I are leaving with this gift to the College, but that’s not for us to say. It will be the students who are truly committed and driven in their FIU education to give back to their communities as accomplished health practitioners and leaders who will forever be writing that legacy for us.” —Raul A. Chavez
Raul A. Chavez & Dr. Angela M. Martinez Endowment
F
or proud alumnus Raul A. Chavez ‘80, graduate of FIU’s Health Services Administration (HSA) program, and his wife, Dr. Angela M. Martinez, member of the FIU President’s Council, giving back to help FIU move forward is what they do. As lifetime members of the FIU Alumni Association, they pledged a planned gift in support of the Association with a partial bequest to establish the Raul A. Chavez and Dr. Angela M. Martinez Endowment for the Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences. The gift is one of the largest planned commitments made in the history of the University. Their connection to the College’s health programs runs deep. Mr. Chavez and Dr. Martinez are health professionals each in their own right — he is a retired firefighter/paramedic officer with Miami-Dade Fire & Rescue, and she is a practicing psychologist.
Mr. Chavez earned a bachelor’s degree in Health Science Management from FIU in 1980, the precursor to today’s HSA programs. “I can draw a direct line from that degree to my ascent into supervisory positions over my 35 years with Miami-Dade Fire & Rescue,” said Mr. Chavez. “Leaning on those work experiences and the competencies learned from the FIU HSA program is also why I collaborated with the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance/Agency for International Development and U.S. Southern Command to train first responders in communities all over the world.” Closer to home, this first response instinct was evident at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic as they generously gave funds to FIU’s College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts to produce and donate protective
face shields for local first responders. When they heard stories of some students in our own College who could not afford the incidentals of going to school, such as meals and supplies, they immediately donated emergency funds directly to our College to disburse to students with the greatest financial hardships. But when it comes to supporting our College with this larger planned gift, Mr. Chavez and Dr. Martinez are proving they are in it for the long haul. They expect the perpetual disbursements from the endowment will be used to lift financial obstacles that would otherwise hinder deserving students from obtaining their degrees and support the College’s vision to continuously evolve as an institution of eminent study, research, and practice shaping the future of healthcare.
Annual Report 2021-2022 33
Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences
Hartley Family Undergraduate Nursing Scholarship Endowment Col. Brodes H. Hartley, Jr. (Ret.)
Y
ou could say that Ret. Col. Brodes H. Hartley, Jr.’s planned gift establishing the Hartley Family Undergraduate Nursing Scholarship Endowment at the College was 70 years in the making. But it will endure for even more years to come. Col. Hartley met his wife-to-be, Dr. Jacquelyn Hartley, in 1952 when they were both freshmen at Florida A&M University. They married upon graduating with their bachelor’s degrees — hers in nursing — and spent the next 55 years supporting each other’s ambitions in healthcare practice and education. Jacquelyn followed Col. Hartley during his 26 years of meritorious service in the U.S. Army Service Medical Corps, rising up the ranks from field medical assistant for a medical platoon in Germany, to hospital leadership assignments in the U.S., Vietnam, and Japan. Along the way, she advanced her nursing aspirations by obtaining a master’s
34 cnhs.fiu.edu
degree in Maternal & Child Health and subsequently a PhD. It was Col. Hartley’s turn to follow in 1984 when Dr. Hartley joined FIU Nursing. Her trajectory over the next 16 years went from faculty to chairperson to associate dean and serving twice as acting dean. Along with the impact she had on her students, Dr. Hartley left an indelible mark on nursing education as grant writer for the country’s very first Foreign-Educated Physician to Nurse program. Col. Hartley reflected on his wife’s dedication to FIU Nursing during its humble beginnings. “I remember the daily 30-mile drive she made to the [then] School of Nursing with one floor of classrooms on the Biscayne Bay Campus. She gave her all as an educator and administrator so the nursing program and its graduates would flourish, which they have.” The school has since transitioned into today’s College with close to 8,000 nursing graduates.
Even after her passing in 2012, Col. Hartley kept the connection to FIU Nursing. He is a founding and active member of the Dean’s Leadership Council because, “I want to contribute to the College’s grand vision for innovating programs that prepare more nurses to serve our communities.” Col. Hartley, who retired in January 2022 after 37 years as president and CEO of Community Health of South Florida Inc., considered how else to honor his wife’s love of nursing and leave a legacy on behalf of the entire Hartley family. “I’ve witnessed the impact of nurses firsthand, working alongside so many during my career, and of course, seeing my wife’s passion for the profession,” Col. Hartley reflected. “This planned gift to support scholarships in perpetuity is but a modest way to honor her memory as a nurse and convey our family’s unwavering commitment to advancing nursing education at FIU for generations to come.”
Memorial Healthcare System Nursing Faculty Support Initiative
I
f you peel back the curtain on the nursing shortage, one of the facets that directly impacts the delivery of nursing care at the bedside is the need for nursing faculty support in the clinical setting. A gift of $120,000 from Memorial Healthcare System will help enhance the clinical partnership with FIU Undergraduate Nursing in its hospitals. According to the College’s Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Yhovana Gordon, EdD, DNP, “the tangible experiences and professional expertise of ‘faculty on the floor,’ whether as full-time or adjunct instructors, are vital to the academic journey of nursing students as they begin to apply classroom theory and didactic learning into practice.” The gift from Memorial Healthcare System will help support FIU Nursing faculty who will foster the development of clinical programming and practice in its hospital network for undergraduate nursing students rotating through three South Florida facilities: Memorial Regional Hospital, Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, and Memorial Hospital West. Dr. Gordon added that through this faculty support arrangement, FIU Nursing can further its clinical presence to expand undergraduate nursing capacity at the College. “This gift is another illustration of the healthcare industry-nursing academic alliances that are essential to address the nursing shortage on all fronts,” said Dr. Gordon. “We are grateful to Memorial Healthcare System for their belief in FIU Nursing to find solutions that will augment the presence and collaboration of faculty in the clinical setting.”
Annual Report 2021-2022 35
Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences
DONOR WALL
FLORENCE BAYUK EDUCATIONAL TRUST Gift of more than $60,000 directed to scholarships for diverse undergraduate nursing students. The Trust is focused on alleviating the nursing shortage by increasing the number of registered nurses in the region. The Trust is a longtime donor with lifetime giving to the College of more than $613,000.
Gift of $120,000 for scholarships to students enrolled in the Doctor of Nursing Practice and Accelerated Option Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs. Combined with the Betty Florman Undergraduate Nursing Scholarship Endowment, the Foundation has provided more than $800,000 in support as a longstanding donor to the College.
Gift of $10,000 to honor the life and professional achievements of 1978 Health Services Administration alumnus Douglas Jolly directed to scholarships for Master of Science in Athletic Training students with need. Mr. Jolly was a supporter of athletics and served as the former COO of Doctor’s Hospital in Coral Gables, Florida.
ESTATE OF LOTTIE M. BROWN ’75
BOOST OXYGEN
Legacy bequest in honor of 1975 Bachelor of Science in Nursing alumna Lottie M. Brown of nearly $100,000 for matching funds to be used by the College for priority needs.
Gift of $60,000 to support the Boost Oxygen LLC Research Initiative in the Doctor of Athletic Training program. Boost Oxygen is the company behind all-natural, portable supplemental oxygen canisters used by athletes for recovery, older adults for an active lifestyle, people at high altitudes for altitude acclimation, and those experiencing poor air quality.
FLORMAN FAMILY FOUNDATION
DR. LUCIE AND LT. COL. PHILIP DLUGASCH for the ANALISE DLUGASCH MEMORIAL ENDOWMENT FIU Nursing educator Dr. Lucie Dlugasch and her husband, Lt. Col. Philip Dlugasch, established the endowment to honor the memory of their late daughter Analise, a 2011 graduate of FIU. Their mission with the endowment is two-fold: to sponsor CPR and basic life support programs at the College’s Simulation Teaching and Research (STAR) Center — an official American Heart Association Training Center; and to provide scholarships for students who demonstrate an interest in life support and cardiac initiatives. The first three student scholarships from the endowment were awarded in spring 2022.
DR. STUART HARRIS for the YANET S. HARRIS RN MEMORIAL UNDERGRADUATE NURSING SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT A gift of $50,000 to enhance the endowment that honors Dr. Harris’ late wife and 1997 Bachelor of Science in Nursing alumna, Yanet S. Harris, by providing full tuition scholarships for two undergraduate nursing students each year.
36 cnhs.fiu.edu
ESTATE OF DOUGLAS JOLLY ’78
PEACOCK FOUNDATION Gift of $60,000 directed to scholarships for diverse undergraduate nursing students. The Foundation has generously supported the College since 2012 with lifetime giving of $480,000.
DR. BRIAN PORTER and the DR. LUZ PORTER GRADUATE NURSING SUPPORT ENDOWMENT This endowment was first established by the late Dr. Luz Porter, Professor Emerita, upon her retirement from FIU Nursing in 2010. As the first director of FIU’s master’s and doctoral nursing programs, Dr. Porter was a guiding force and cherished mentor for countless students interested in nursing research and careers as nurse educators. The endowment has grown with additional gifts from family and friends, including her son, Dr. Brian Porter, who are motivated to honor and support Dr. Porter’s legacy of helping talented graduate nursing students who need financial support to complete their research projects and earn advanced nursing degrees.
NEXT HORIZON The mission of FIU’s ambitious
MIAMI HEART RESEARCH INSTITUTE for the RICHARD ELIAS MD SCHOLARSHIP FOR CARDIOVASCULAR NURSING Two gifts totaling $45,000 for scholarships directed to undergraduate and graduate nursing students pursuing a specialty in cardiac nursing. The Institute is an independent, not-for-profit organization with the mission to stop heart disease through research, education, and prevention.
Next Horizon $750,000,000 fundraising campaign is to elevate the university to greater levels of excellence in teaching, research, entrepreneurship, and public policy. Among the campaign’s objectives is to increase student scholarships and lessen the financial burden of higher education. Charitable gifts for student scholarships are essential to increase access for diverse students and expand the pipeline for highly skilled compassionate
DR. AUDREY MILLER & FAMILY for the NURISTA “SHIRLEY” VERNON RN MEMORIAL UNDERGRADUATE NURSING SCHOLARSHIP This scholarship for students with high need was established by FIU Nursing faculty member Dr. Audrey Miller and her sister in memory of their late mother, Nurista “Shirley” Vernon, RN. Mrs. Vernon was, in the words of her daughters, “a wonderful, caring, and compassionate nurse to all.”
nurses and health professionals
JONAS CENTER FOR NURSING AND VETERANS CARE Grant of $30,000 to support two doctoral nursing students whose research efforts intend to improve the quality of healthcare in the areas of psychiatricmental health, minority health, and veterans’ health. There have been 12 Jonas Scholars awardees from our College over the years.
serving communities everywhere. Gifts to the College in the form of annual or planned gifts and endowments also support our faculty and rising leaders with scholarly development that bolsters the College’s research and leadership prominence and its ranking among top schools nationally. The graduates and faculty of the Nicole Wertheim College of
LETTIE PATE WHITEHEAD FOUNDATION Gift of $235,000 directed to undergraduate nursing scholarships designated for female students with unmet financial needs. The Foundation’s support of undergraduate nursing scholarships since 2008 has reached nearly $1.8 million.
Nursing & Health Sciences and FIU are making a real difference in today’s world, and shaping the healthcare of tomorrow, because of their academic experiences on this campus. Let’s reach the Next Horizon together to enhance educational experiences, optimize
Alumni and friends interested in contributing to or learning about ways to support the College can contact: Kim English, Director of Development at 305-348-1336 or kenglish@fiu.edu
21st century teaching, accelerate research, and escalate discovery to enterprise so we can advance vibrant and healthy communities everywhere. nexthorizon.fiu.edu
Annual Report 2021-2022 37
Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences
WE ARE FUELED BY INTELLECT. WE ARE DRIVEN BY INNOVATION AND CARING. The faculty and staff of the FIU Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences contribute greatly each and every day to the many important strides in program excellence made with every passing year. It is through their steadfast dedication we can provide students with high-quality academic health programs that address the culturally diverse healthcare needs of South Florida and the country. These professionals personify the mission, vision and values of the College in everything they do and with every student and colleague they support.
38 cnhs.fiu.edu
REAL ACHIEVEMENTS COLLEGE RANKINGS Four of the College’s programs ranked top 50 in the nation among public universities in the U.S. News & World Report 2022 Best Graduate Schools listing. Doctor of NursingPractice (DNP)
Master’s in Health Services Administration
Master’s in Nursing
Occupational Therapy
27
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33
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32
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43
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RESEARCH FUNDING (ACADEMIC YEAR 2021-2022) Total New Grants
$2.76M
National Institutes of Health
$1.24M
U.S. Health Services and Resources Administration
$1.28M
Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences Modesto A. Maidique Campus 11200 S.W. 8 Street, AHC 3, Rm. 529 Miami, FL 33199 305-348-7703 cnhs.fiu.edu
Dean’s Leadership Council Sherief Abu-Moustafa, BSN, RN, CAP, ICDAC Chief Executive Officer and Founder Florida House Experience
Edward C. Garabedian, PT, ’90 Vice President, Doctor’s Hospital COO, Baptist Health Orthopedic Care
Harpreet Smith, RN, MSN, CCRC, ‘97 Senior Director of Operations Quotient Sciences
Kathy Blais, EdD, ‘74, MS ‘75 Professor Emeritus
Maggie Hansen, MHSc, RN, BSN Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive Memorial Healthcare System
Dr. Herbert A. Wertheim, OD, DSc President, Founder and CEO Brain Power Inc. Founding Chairman & Trustee Emeritus FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
Darlene Boytell-Perez, ’96, ’89 APRN Gastro Health Diane Ramy Faulconer, ’74, MSM ’74 Registered Nurse (retired), Philanthropist Kim Greene, LCSW Private Practitioner
Colonel Brodes Hartley Consultant Community Health of South Florida, Inc. Natalie Ransom Chief Nurse Executive HCA-East Florida Division
Nicole Wertheim Honorary Chair Vanessa Von Wertheim, PhD, MBA, PHN, CCRN Director, Dr. Herbert and Nicole Wertheim Family Foundation
About Florida International University Florida International University is one of South Florida’s anchor institutions dedicated to uplifting and empowering student success and enriching the lives of the local and global community. As Miami’s public research university, FIU holds the R1 Carnegie classification for Highest Research Activity and is designated as an “Emerging Preeminent State Research University” by the Florida Board of Governors. FIU is the fastest-rising university over the last 10 years in U.S. News & World Report’s public university rankings. The magazine also ranks FIU among the Top 15 most innovative public universities and placed several graduate programs within the Top 50 among public universities. Washington Monthly magazine ranked FIU as the No. 32 National University.
275,000+ alumni worldwide
$1B
research expenditures in the last five years
56,000 student body
#1
awarding bachelor’s and master’s degrees to Hispanics
Top 20
patents among U.S. public universities
Top 10
awarding bachelor’s degrees to African Americans 2911367406_10/22
