2014-2015 Innovations Magazine

i nnovations • 17 in that process. He also has addressed a variety of nurse practitioner groups on political tactics for pre- scriptive authority and independent practice. Addition- ally, Dr. Silver studies nursing leadership and has a particular interest in the political fracturing of nursing. As an instructor, he teaches a variety of courses, including health assessment, the second medical-sur- gical nursing class, as well as problem solving and the trends in nursing class taught in the last term. Sally J. Spooner, D.H.Sc., M.S.N., R.N. Assistant Professor, R.N. to B.S.N. Program Dr. Spooner, who has been affiliated with the col- lege since 2005 and works at the Orlando Regional Campus, received her B.S.N. from Florida State Uni- versity, her M.S.N. from the University of Phoenix with a concentration in nursing education, and her D.H.Sc. with a concentration in allied health education from Nova Southeastern University. She served as a critical care nurse for the Depart- ment of Veterans Affairs—now known as the Veterans Health Administration—until her retirement from fed- eral service. During this time, she worked at the Bay Pines VAMedical Center in St. Petersburg, Florida, in a variety of labs and units. Recently, Dr. Spooner presented a poster at a na- tional conference related to inter-rater reliability and the grading of discussion postings, which was fol- lowed by a podium presentation at a national confer- ence related to the same topic. She is currently working on a grading-rubric template with a focus on grading in a more objective format with a goal of com- pleting a study on inter-rater reliability. Sabrina Joy Stern, M.S.N., R.N. Assistant Professor, Entry-Level Nursing Program Stern, who initially worked for the College of Nurs- ing in a marketing/recruiting role, received her Bach- elor of Science degree from the University of the State of New York, her M.S.N. from the University of Phoenix, and is pursuing a doctorate in Education at Nova Southeastern University. Her initial exposure to the health care environment was as a candy striper, which spurred her interest in pursuing a career in nursing. After obtaining licensure as an emergency medical technician and paramedic, she became a registered nurse, which allowed her to gain experience in home health nursing as well as teaching home health aides and nursing assistants. Prior to launching her NSU career, she served as a director/manager for weight-loss clinics and taught at the community college level. In her role as an assistant professor, she has taught in the Transition to Baccalaureate Nursing Ed- ucation, The Nurse as a Professional, Mathematical Applications for Nursing Practice, Foundations of Pro- fessional Nursing, and Community Health courses. According to Stern, who focuses her research efforts on learning about the best-practice applications of good teaching methods, “It is both a pleasure and an honor to be involved in preparing our next generation of nursing professionals.” Marline Whigham, M.S.N., R.N. Assistant Professor, Entry-Level Nursing Program Whigham, who has worked at the college for five years, received her undergraduate degree from Florida Atlantic University and her M.S.N. from the University of Phoenix. During her 25-year career as an intensive-care nurse, she was recognized for nursing excellence by her peers and has served as a mentor to new graduates. Currently, she works as a nurse educator teaching students about topics that include pathophysiology, advanced medical-surgical nursing, and trends in nursing. Whigham, who is well-versed in evidenced- based practice as it pertains to clinical nursing, stays abreast of trends in her field and integrates best prac- tices into her courses and the students’ clinical expe- riences. She also serves on several college and university committees, has engaged in research, and presented at several national conferences. Sally A. Weiss, Ed.D., M.S.N., R.N., CNE, ANEF Professor, Entry-Level Nursing Program Dr. Weiss received her undergraduate nursing de- gree fromAmerican University, her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Miami, and her doc- torate in Education from Florida International Univer- sity. She has been actively engaged in teaching in associate degree, bachelor’s, and graduate nursing programs for many years, while her clinical focus is in the area of neuroscience nursing. She coauthored, the textbook Essentials of Nursing Leadership and Management , which is now in its sixth edition and has been used in nursing programs for over a decade. In addition, Dr. Weiss has held board positions in several local, regional, and national nurs- ing organizations including the Florida Organization of Nursing Executives, the Florida League for Nursing, and the National League for Nursing. In 2002, Dr. Weiss played an instrumental role in the development of NSU’s nursing department. In 2003, she assumed the role of program director of the R.N. to B.S.N. program and became director of the entry-level program based at the Miami Regional Campus in 2010. Her interests focus on developing active teaching/learning strategies, mentoring new faculty members, and utilizing the proper use of high- stakes testing in nursing education. Donna Williams-Newman D.N.P., M.S.N., R.N., Cert.P.A. Professor, Entry-Level Nursing Program Dr. Williams-Newman, a registered nurse/midwife with 23 years of clinical and teaching practice, re- ceived her Master of Science in Nursing Education from the University of the West Indies School of Nurs- ing and her Doctor of Nursing degree from the Uni- versity of Miami. She also holds certifications in public administration, nursing, and midwifery. Earlier in her career, she taught in the M.S.N. pro- gram at the University of Phoenix and the online D.N.P. program for Chamberlain College of Nursing in Illinois and gained administrative experience as director of nursing and department head at Knox Community Col- lege from 2001 through 2012, where she was instru- mental in starting the B.S.N. degree program in 2005. Her clinical experiences, which have focused on mother/baby care, were attained at Percy Junior Hos- pital in Jamaica and Hargreaves Memorial Hospital, where she designed and implemented a parent/child class for expecting parents and was awarded the 2000 Nurse of the Year Award. As an internationally educated nurse, Dr. Williams- Newman has written articles about the transition of in- ternationally educated nurses into the United States and is interested in topics such as cultural diversity, maternal health, and health disparities. Diane Whitehead, Ed.D., M.S.N., R.N., ANEF Professor, D.N.P. Program Dr. Whitehead received her undergraduate nursing degree from Florida State University, her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Miami, and her doctorate in Education from Florida International University. She is currently completing her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree at Walden University. She has been actively teaching and administering associate degree, bachelor’s, and graduate nursing programs for several decades and served as a faculty member and program director at Broward College for almost 20 years. In addition, she has published con- tent in the areas of nursing leadership and manage- ment and online nursing education. In fact, her textbook entitled Essentials of Nursing Leadership and Management has been used in nursing programs for over a decade. Dr. Whitehead is an active participant in national nursing organizations, including the Organ- ization of Nursing Executives, the National League for Nursing, and the South Florida Nursing Consortium. In regard to her NSU career, Dr. Whitehead began development of the nursing department in October 2002, becoming department head in 2003 and being named associate dean for the department a few years later. She currently serves as the College of Nursing’s associate dean for graduate programs. 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