By Vanessa Orr

It is estimated that by 2035, there will be a shortage of 60,000 nurses in Florida. To help meet the demand, Florida Atlantic University’s (FAU) Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing is re-envisioning nursing education.

According to Holli Rockwell Trubinsky Eminent Dean and Professor Safiya George, PhD, APRN-BC, FAANP, FAAN, FNAP, the college is offering a variety of degree programs that focus on caring science, as well as updating its Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) curriculum and its undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program to ensure that graduates will be able to meet the demands of care across the lifespan and for aging and diverse populations. Newly added certificate courses include a post-graduate dermatology certificate for nurse practitioners and a telehealth certificate course.

“We have a number of different courses designed to attract students, whether they’re pursuing bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate degrees,” said Dr. Joy Longo, PhD., RNC-NIC, CNE, interim associate dean, Academic Programs and associate professor. “In our undergraduate program, we offer different tracks to make it easier for those students who come from different avenues, whether they are freshmen straight from high school or students with degrees in other fields who want to earn a second degree.”

FAU’s undergraduate program is unique in that it admits students to the nursing program directly from high school. Unlike other university courses that admit students as freshmen and then require them to take the prerequisite courses before applying to the nursing program in their junior year, FAU’s Freshmen Direct Admittance Track enables students to begin taking nursing courses in their first year.

“We have a very high 91.3 progression rate for these students with a four-year graduation rate of 87 percent,” said Dr. Longo. “Once they are in the program, they can concentrate on their studies and not have to worry about applying to the nursing program their junior year; they are already nursing students.”

In addition to an RN-BSN track, the FAU College of Nursing also offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Accelerated track (BSN), which is specifically designed for students with baccalaureate degrees in other fields who want to become registered nurses.

Extending Reach through Telehealth

As a result of the pandemic, FAU now offers a certificate in telehealth; a fully online, asynchronous program that students can apply to at any time.

“We’re also looking at all of our degree programs – BSN, MSN, DNP – to see how we can enhance telehealth there as well,” said Dr. Longo. “The community health centers in West Palm Beach associated with the college also turned to telehealth during COVID, and it is now becoming a permanent offering. It gives us a way to reach people who may not have had access to healthcare prior to this option.”

She adds that a number of faculty members are involved in a federal grant program to help reach rural populations, and that telehealth is a part of that grant. The program will also enrich the BSN curriculum and student clinical experiences in the areas of primary care, unique population health needs of veterans, mental health and substance use disorders, value-added care, telehealth and health information technology.

The Louis and Anne Green Memory and Wellness Center, a unique and integral component of the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, is a nurse-led, innovative and transformative, state designated memory disorder clinic and Alzheimer’s services specialized adult day care. There, students engage in person and family-centered, caring-based, interprofessional practice and education clinical practica and academic service learning. Undergraduate and graduate rotations include nursing, social work, health care administration, speech pathology, clinical psychology/neuro-concentration and medicine.

No matter what path students take, Dr. Longo says that what really sets FAU’s College of Nursing and its nurses apart is the philosophy of caring which is embedded throughout all of its programs. “Our curriculum is based on it, and it’s not just for students – it’s for faculty as well,” she said. “Our philosophy of caring helps us generate compassionate nurses.”

For more information on the FAU Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, please call (561) 297-6261 or visit nursing.fau.edu.