Florida International University (FIU) College of Nursing & Health Sciences (CNHS) celebrated the graduation of its very first PhD in Nursing student when J. Craig Phillips, LLM, MSN, ARNP, BC, ACRN, received his diploma at FIUs Spring graduation commencement ceremonies on April 29, 2008.
Phillips may now add PhD to his credentials after successfully defending his dissertation, Social Factors Influencing Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence Among Black Men Living With HIV Who Use Illicit Drugs. Phillips knew he wanted to be a nurse researcher since he first started his nursing career. In particular, he was interested in studying health disparities among minority populations. Not only was he adamant about pursuing his doctoral nursing degree, but of doing so at FIU. “While I was working on my masters nursing degree here, there was talk of launching the PhD [in Nursing] program. Considering that I had already built strong working relationships with my graduate nursing professors, coupled with FIUs reputation as a leader in minority-related studies, I decided to wait until the PhD in Nursing program was established at the CNHS. This was my one-and-only choice.”
His doctoral degree is the culmination of a highly successful academic career at FIU CNHS. Phillips was awarded both a research grant and the 2007 Gloria Smith, RN Scholar designation from the American Nurses Foundation for his dissertation project two highly prestigious national achievements that are rarely bestowed to doctoral students. FIU Nursing also honored Dr. Phillips, a 1999 Master of Science of Nursing graduate from the program, as a Top 25 Outstanding Alumni for his professional achievements when it celebrated its 25th Anniversary last year.
Phillips, who also holds a Master of Laws (LLM) degree from St. Thomas University School of Law (Miami, Fla.), is a Clinical Nurse Specialist/Coordinator of Research for Mercy Hospital in Miami,
Fla. He uses his legal and nursing practice experiences to help develop and implement aggression control programs, policies and procedures to assure patient and staff safety when dealing with a broad range of behavioral issues from suicide prevention to management of patients in acute psychiatric crisis situations.
Besides his work with Mercy, Phillips served as co-chair for the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care Scope and Standards Task Force, where he collaborated with leaders in the field of HIV to develop the scope and standards of HIV/AIDS nursing care, which has been published by the American Nurses Association. Phillips is currently also an Adjunct Clinical Professor in Community and Mental Health Nursing for the CNHS, and Director of Clinical Research Operations for FIU Stempel School of Pubic Health.
Phillips remarked on being the first graduate of FIUs PhD in Nursing program, “I am both proud and honored to have this distinction. Not just because of what it means to me personally, but more so because of what it means to the College. Faculty members and administrators gave so much of themselves to get this program off the ground and make it a success. My graduation represents their countless efforts and unwavering commitment to make this a top caliber program.”
Divina Grossman, PhD, RN, ARNP, FAAN, Dean of the College commented, “We could not have asked for a better pioneer graduate from our young PhD program. Dr. Phillips is an accomplished nursing professional and a fine example of the high caliber of graduates from the CNHS. We congratulate him and commend his professors Dr. Dorothy Brooten, Dr. JoAnne Youngblut and Dr. Sandra Gracia-Jones.”
Dr. Phillips will continue in his nursing research endeavors, having accepted a faculty position with the School of Nursing at the University of British Columbia in Canada.
FIUs PhD in Nursing program was approved by the Florida Board of Governors in October 2003, and was launched in the Fall of the following year. The program was developed in direct response to two key issues affecting the development of nursing education and the professions role in the healthcare system: (1) the shortage of doctorally prepared nursing faculty a deficit which impedes the ability of academic nursing programs to increase capacity in response to the nursing shortage; and (2) the need for more nurse scientists to conduct research on health disparities and the needs of minority populations experiencing disproportionate morbidity and mortality from all causes.
