April 6, 2004

Contact:
Barbra Gonzalez, Associate Director
(954) 262-5354
Mara Kiffin, Assistant Director
(954) 262-5350

NSU Nursing Program Builds Strong Teaching Staff to Help Meet Need for Qualified Nurses

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL— Nova Southeastern University's (NSU's) College of Allied Health and Nursing announced today that it will welcome Dr. Gale R. Wooley to its nursing faculty. Dr. Wooley joins Dr. Diane K. Whitehead, chair of NSU's Nursing Department, and Dr. Sally Ann Weiss, coordinator of the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program.

Designed to help fill a critical need in the national healthcare system, NSU's comprehensive nursing curriculum offers an entry level Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) – the only program in Broward County – as well as an RN to BSN, and an MSN program. Beyond the traditional nursing programs, at the Master's level NSU's Nursing Department has partnered with the H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship to offer a blended program in Nursing Administration and with the Shepard Broad Law School to offer a curriculum in Health Law. In addition, students at the graduate level can receive an MSN in Nursing Education and Informatics.

Dr. Woolley will serve as coordinator of the BSN program. Prior to joining the faculty at NSU, Dr. Wooley served as a professor and coordinator of the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing program at Miami-Dade College. During her 15 year career at Miami Dade Community College she held various positions within the institution's nursing program, including chair of the School of Nursing . Dr. Wooley previously served as a nurse practitioner and clinical staff nurse at Jackson Memorial Hospital and Lakes Hospital of the Palm Beaches. A graduate of Florida International University (FIU), Dr. Wooley holds a Doctorate in Education, with a concentration in Adult Education/Human Resource Development. She earned her Masters of Science in Nursing at Adelphi University in New York and her Bachelors of Science in Nursing at the University of Rhode Island.

Dr. Wooley will be integral to NSU's Nursing faculty led by Dr. Diane K. Whitehead. Prior to joining NSU in 2003, Dr. Whitehead was department head for the nursing program at Broward Community College. In her 23-year career she has worked as an adjunct faculty member at Florida State University , NSU, Florida Atlantic University , Florida International University and the University of Phoenix . Dr. Whitehead has also served as vice president for home health care services for the Visiting Nurse Association of Dade and Broward. She has participated in numerous research projects, been published in several nursing journals, and obtained grants from a variety of funding sources totaling more than $1.7 million. Dr. Whitehead earned her Doctorate in Education from FIU, graduated with her Master of Science degree in Community Health Nursing Administration from University of Miami , and obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Florida State University.

Dr. Sally Ann Weiss currently serves as the nursing department coordinator. Before joining the faculty of NSU, Dr. Weiss was an associate professor of nursing at Broward Community College and an adjunct assistant professor at NSU. Weiss has taught at several universities, including: FIU, College Misericordia, University of Phoenix and Hanneman Hospital/Medical College of Pennsylvania. Dr. Weiss has been widely published and consulted at health care facilities and hospitals around the country. She earned her Doctor of Education degree from FIU, and holds a Master of Science degree in Nursing with a concentration on Community Health and Administration. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at American University in Washington.