At Miami Dade College (MDC), a community of faculty, staff and administrators come together on a daily basis to work in their own unique ways toward the institutional mission of changing lives through the opportunity of education. Janet Whyte, a Registered Nurse and long-time educator for The School of Continuing Education and Professional Development (CEPD) at MDC- Medical Campus, is no exception. Her nursing career began in the University of the West Indies in 1978 where she served as a staff nurse in the telemetry and intensive care units as well as a charge nurse in the female medical unit. This career spanned another 35 years after her transition to the United States, during which time she fulfilled the roles of staff nurse in the respiratory and cardiac care units of Cedars Medical Center, clinical coordinator for CHI Urgent Care Center and Crisis Stabilization Unit, and director of critical care services at Westchester Hospital. She also was a member of the Ethics Committee at Mercy Hospital and, in 1993, stepped into the classroom for the first time as a CPR Basic Life Skills (BLS) Instructor. The latter experience ignited Ms. Whyte’s passion for teaching and renewed her commitment to promoting quality of life, improving patient outcomes and engaging in evidence-based practices, all of which led her to seek an adjunct faculty position at MDC’s School of Continuing Education and Professional Development where she has taught several nursing courses over the last 12 years.

 

“Whether they attended her Nursing Skills Update, Certified Nursing Assistant Test Preparation, NCLEX RN and LPN Remediation Lecture, or clinical practicum course, Ms. Whyte’s students characterize her as ‘an angel with a stethoscope, an interdisciplinary guru and a dedicated professional’ who makes learning fun and sets high yet attainable goals in the classroom,” says Priscilla Suarez, Program Director for CEPD at MDC-Medical Campus. “Ms. Whyte is an outstanding nurse and educator. She puts patients and students first; she inspires hope in the single mother who never thought she could pass a licensing exam in her journey to provide a better life for her children; and she challenges the student who needs to refresh his skills in a dynamic, ever-changing healthcare environment. We are thrilled to have her as part of our instructional staff.” 

 

Janet Whyte is a current member of Sigma Theta Tau International and member of the Greater Miami Area Chapter of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses. In addition to teaching, her areas of expertise include nursing administration, human resources in healthcare organizations, and caring for patients with respiratory, cardiac and critical care issues.