Faculty
LAURA GONZALEZ Ph D, ARNP, C N E Clinical Assistant Professor, Undergraduate Department, Simulation Coordinator
JULIE HINKLE PhD, RN, CNE Assistant Professor, Graduate Department
populations. For Díaz, it is about blending the aesthetic side of nursing with the medical necessities to foster an environment of wellbeing. Díaz believes it is important to not just teach the skills and proper responses to situations, but to unveil the inner thoughts and critical thinking behind those actions. Her research, which has been widely presented and published, focuses on training health care providers to more effectively care for underserved patient populations, including correctional health care and limited English proficient patients. While at UCF, Díaz plans to continue her research in correctional health care using simulations to improve team communication during events such as attempted loss of life, acute cardiac crisis and crisis interventions. Díaz is the recipient of the Florence Nightingale Award, a peer recognition award for excellence in nursing in the state of Connecticut, and the American Association of University Professors’ Innovation in Education Excellence Award. She has served as a simulation mentor for the International Nursing Association Simulation Clinical Learning, and previously was associate clinical professor and director of clinical simulation and resource laboratories at the University of Connecticut. She earned her BSN, MSN and PhD from the University of Connecticut, and completed her post-doctoral fellowship at Johns Hopkins University working with nationally renowned simulation expert Dr. Pamela Jeffries. Dr. Laura Gonzalez’s research in the field of simulation and innovative technologies is focused on preparing future nurses and improving patient outcomes. Specifically she is studying the use of aseptic technique and the prevention of skill decay. Her current funded research studies the use of high-fidelity simulation to bridge the knowledge and skills gap from graduate nurse to professional nurse.
IN ADDITION, THE COLLEGE HAS ADDED SEVEN NEW INSTRUCTORS/LECTURERS TO THE UNDERGRADUATE DEPARTMENT.
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CAROL BURGUNDER MSN, RN
A previous study focused on psychomotor skill of sterile technique during urinary catheter insertion, a critical skill nurses need to perform properly and with confidence to avoid hospital acquired infections and patient complications. The study found that undergraduate students need to practice multiple times to develop muscle memory and perfect the skill. As the college’s simulation coordinator, she will identify ways to further incorporate simulation within the curriculum to allow students to practice critical skills and provide necessary feedback to enhance learning. In addition, Gonzalez currently serves as interim director for the Florida Healthcare Simulation Alliance and a board member and vice president of programs for the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning. She earned her BSN from the Hunter College School of Nursing in New York, her MSN from the University of South Florida and her PhD from UCF. Dr. Julie Hinkle is an expert in pathophysiology with research focusing on innovative technologies and interventions such as simulation, online interventions and applications. She is currently developing an evidence-based practice stress management program into an application to reach more people who could benefit from the program. Hinkle is also exploring using a smart watch to measure stress and send data to the application, which would then be tailored based on data gathered from the smart watch and other user interactions. Recently Hinkle was one of three to pilot a program at UCF using an innovative adaptive learning software platform called RealizeIT, which changes how courses are taught by incorporating adaptive learning to personalize to student needs and improve outcomes. This summer she presented on how to use adaptive learning in a flipped classroom with a pre-licensure pathophysiology class. Later,
CHRIS DEATRICK
MSN, RN
NANCY DUCKWORTH
MSN, RN