Driven by the desire to be more interactive with patients, I attended an accelerated nursing program in North Florida. After getting my license, I spent several years working at major hospital system as a multisystem critical care nurse. This allowed me to see first-hand the blessings and frustrations of the healthcare system.
Seeing the difficulty of new nurses transitioning to the unit, I decided to go into teaching. I received my Masters in Nursing Education from Nova Southeastern University. Initially I taught in a practical nursing program mainly in long-term care facilities. Currently I am a Nursing Professor at a local state college in Central Florida. I teach both the didactic and clinical aspects of medical surgical, mental health and practicum courses. During my tenure here I have been able to develop and integrate simulation across the curriculum. I am a simulation level one specialist and have published two articles; one related to English as a second language in nursing students and the other associated with incorporating simulation into nursing curriculum.
The nursing shortage coupled with the difficulty of new graduates to make the transition into practice lead me to pursue my doctorate degree. I feel more research is needed to help both academic institutions and healthcare facilities bridge the gap between education and independent practice.
