2014-2015 Innovations Magazine

i nnovations • 14 Vinette Alexander, D.N.P., A.P.R.N. Assistant Professor, Entry-Level Nursing Program Dr. Alexander earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Nursing from Florida International Univer- sity in Miami and her doctorate in Nursing from the University of Miami. She also pursued postdoctoral training in the field of nursing education at Nova Southeastern University. She specializes in adult health, currently practices with an internal medicine physician in Miramar, Florida, and is credentialed with the Memorial Healthcare System. During her career, Dr. Alexander has held positions as associate nurse manager at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami and director of education at Tenet Home Health Care in North Miami Beach. Her teach- ing experience, which spans over 17 years in higher education, includes providing bachelor’s-level instruc- tion in subject areas such as Foundations of Profes- sional Nursing Practice, Concepts of Adult Health Nursing I, II, and III, The Business of Health Care, Leadership, and Trends in Nursing. Dr. Alexander, who joined NSU as an assistant pro- fessor in August 2011, has worked on an array of re- search projects that includes replication of a study on “The Effects of Therapeutic Touch in Reducing Pain in Cancer Patients,” “Identifying Methods to Reduce Complications of Chronic Diseases such as Hyperten- sion and Diabetes,” and “Identifying Methods to Pro- mote Elimination of Health Care Disparity in Minority Populations.” Camille Baldwin M.S.N., R.N., CNE Assistant Professor, Entry-Level Nursing Program Baldwin, who serves as an assistant professor and became an NSU faculty member in July 2009, re- ceived her undergraduate degree from West Texas A&M University and her M.S.N. from Florida Atlantic University. She has been a registered nurse for 16 years and has gained experience in both adult and pediatric critical care health settings since graduating with a specialty in cardiovascular and neurovascular surgical areas. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in Educa- tion at NSU, which features a concentration in health care education and a minor in adult education. Bald- win’s dissertation will focus on developing critical- thinking skills in beginning nursing students. In addition, she has conducted research regarding pe- diatric pain modalities. Lynne Bryant, Ed.D., M.S.N., R.N., CNE Associate Professor, M.S.N. and Ph.D. Programs Dr. Bryant, who has been an NSU faculty member since 2008, received her undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland, her master’s from the Uni- versity of Pennsylvania, and her Doctor of Education degree from Florida International University. Throughout her career, Dr. Bryant has had the op- portunity to practice nursing in many different areas and positions. Her experiences include working as a staff nurse, manager, researcher, and educator as well as practicing in critical care, large teaching hos- pitals, small community hospitals, research units, diploma and community college programs, and the university setting. Her interests, which include educational research and evidence-based practice, motivated her to coau- thor an article about integrating multiculturalism into nursing curricula in the Journal of Professional Nursing and a chapter about teaching evidence-based practice in Teaching Nursing: The Art and Science . Dr. Bryant also has developed many of the education courses currently offered in the M.S.N. and Ph.D. programs. Kristi Campoe, M.S.N., R.N., CMSRN, CPHQ Assistant Professor R.N. to B.S.N. Program (Orlando) Campoe, who began her tenure as an NSU faculty member in 2007 as an adjunct, earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Texas Med- ical Branch and a Master of Science in Nursing from Nova Southeastern University. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Central Florida College of Nursing. As a registered nurse with clinical experience in medical-surgical, telemetry, and adult progressive care areas, she maintains clinical certification from the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses and professional certification by the National Association of Healthcare Quality. Additionally, she had held hospital-based and private-industry leadership, management, and consult- ing roles in several major health care organizations. Health care quality and safety are central to Cam- poe’s teaching and research interests, which involve seeking ways to improve patient safety by mitigating medication errors in medical-surgical nursing practice. Her research draws from human factors and psychol- ogy disciplines to improve the understanding of nurses’ interactions with complex medical devices that lead to medication errors. Her most recent research involves applying human factors usability methods to identify device-related usability problems that con- tribute to medication errors. Based at the Orlando Regional Campus, Campoe teaches junior- and sen- ior-level nursing courses focused on professional tran- sitions, leadership/management, and health care quality and safety. Robin Chard, Ph.D., R.N., CNOR Associate Professor, M.S.N. and Ph.D. Programs Dr. Chard, who began her tenure at NSU’s College of Nursing as an adjunct professor and became a full- time associate professor in 2011, received her B.S.N. from Florida International University, an M.S.N. in Nurs- ing Education from Barry University, and a Ph.D. from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. During her 28-year career as an R.N., Dr. Chard has practiced primarily as a perioperative nurse. She began her teaching career as a surgical services ed- ucator and has taught in undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral nursing programs. Dr. Chard, who is a certified operating-room nurse, also pursues her re- search interests in the areas of surgical patient safety and nursing errors. Joan Coke, M.P.H., A.R.N.P. Assistant Professor, Entry-Level Nursing Program Coke, who launched her NSU career as an adjunct clinical nursing professor in 2007 and became a full- time assistant professor in 2008, received a diploma in Nursing from University Hospital of the West Indies. She obtained her undergraduate degree from Barry University and earned her Master of Public Health as well as her Master of Science of Nursing (Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner) degree from Florida In- ternational University. She is currently working toward her doctoral degree in Higher Education Leadership at NSU. Her areas of specialty include pediatrics, neuro- surgery, orthopedics, medical-surgical, obstetrics, and primary care health. In addition, she is conducting re- search related to medical-surgical, community health, and genetics topics and currently serves as the co-in- vestigator of a qualitative research study entitled “Nurs- ing Students’ Perception of Their Clinical Experience in Rural and Underserved Community Centers.” Luvencia Connor, M.S.N., R.N. Assistant Professor, Entry-Level Nursing Program Connor, who serves as an assistant professor in the College of Nursing, obtained her bachelor’s de- gree in Nursing from the University of the Virgin Is- lands and her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Phoenix. Currently, she is pursuing a Doctor of Education degree at NSU’s Fischler School of Education. She has an extensive clinical background in the maternal-child realm, focusing her research efforts on sickle-cell disease and utilizing simulation to enhance learning and empower students through simulation and reflection. Connor, whose primary teaching re- sponsibilities are in the undergraduate program, also serves as a faculty adviser and as chair of the col- lege’s Curriculum Council. Jacqueline Davis M.S.N., R.N. Assistant Professor, Entry-Level Nursing Program Davis, who has been a faculty member since 2008, received her undergraduate degree from Florida In- ternational University and her M.S.N. from Barry Uni- versity. Prior to joining the College of Nursing faculty team, she spent more than 20 years working in the Baptist Health South Florida system, which included stints as a direct care nurse at Baptist Hospital and Baptist Children’s Hospital. In addition to her NSU du- ties, Davis works on a per-diem basis for Miami-Dade College and Barry University. In her role as a College of Nursing assistant pro- fessor, she teaches in the Nursing Pharmacology and Maternal/Child Nursing courses. Meet Our Faculty Members — bios