Inaugural Doctor of Nursing Practice Graduating Class Presents Capstone Projects

LAKELAND, Fla., Aug. 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Members of the inaugural graduating class of the Florida Southern College Doctor of Nursing Practice program presented their capstone scholarly project posters in the Joe K. and Alberta Blanton Nursing Building, on August 11, 2021. The seven-member cohort completed four community- and practice-based health care improvement projects. Dissemination of these projects at Florida Southern College and at the project host site is a requirement for the degree.

As part of the curriculum, DNP students are required to select a real-world health issue, examine current literature, and implement evidence-based interventions to improve population health and health care delivery. Under the guidance of Dr. Melanie Michael, Associate Professor and Director of the Graduate Nursing Program, and Dr. Tracy Magee, Assistant Professor of Pediatric Nursing, the final DNP scholarly projects represent the culmination of the six-semester program.

"I feel a sense of joy and pride, that our students were able to accomplish this," said Dr. Michael, who began working with the Florida Southern College DNP students in 2019. "These students have faced unprecedented challenges over the past 18 months, including the COVID 19 pandemic. Their dedication and perseverance in this environment are commendable."

Projects included:

• Infrastructure Development and Evaluation of Telehealth Services for Advanced Care Hospitalists, presented by Kristen Milinazzo, MSN, APRN, AGNP-BC, and Elizabeth Ely Palazzi-Xirinachs, MSN, APRN, RN-BC, supervised by Dr. Melanie Michael
• Identifying Barriers with Documentation of the HEART Score for Patients with Chest Pain, presented by Doris Thornhill, MSN, AGACNP-BC, CCRN, supervised by Dr. Tracy Magee
• Promoting Safe Sleep Practices in Hospitals and Birthing Centers in Hardee, Highlands, and Polk Counties, presented by Carol Anderson, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, Tracie Barber, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, and Diana Moorer, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, OCN, supervised by Dr. Tracy Magee
• Improving Heart Failure Patent Outcomes in an Ambulatory Cardiology Practice, presented by Sara Bashyam, MSN, APRN, ANP-BC, supervised by Dr. Melanie Michael

The seven-member cohort will be hooded on August 24, 2021.

From left to right: Doris Thornhill, DNP Candidate; Sara Bashyam, DNP Candidate; Tracie Barber, DNP Candidate; Carol Anderson, DNP Candidate; Dianna Moorer, DNP Candidate; Dr. Melanie Michael, Director of the Graduate Nursing Program; Dr. Tracy Magee, Assistant Professor of Pediatric Nursing and Education Coordinator; Kristen Milinazzo, DNP Candidate; Elizabeth Palazzi-Xirinaches, DNP Candidate.

AboutFlorida Southern College

Founded in 1883, Florida Southern College is the oldest private college in the state. It maintains its commitment to academic excellence through 70+ undergraduate programs and distinctive graduate programs in business administration, education, nursing, and physical therapy. Florida Southern has a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio; is an award-winning national leader in engaged learning; and boasts 30 NCAA Division II national championships. It is ranked among the top 10 Regional Universities in the South by U.S. News & World Report in its 2021 "Best Colleges" guide, and is included in The Princeton Review's 2021 "386 Best Colleges" guide, the "Fiske Guide to Colleges 2021," and Forbes magazine's "America's Top Colleges." Home to the world's largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, FSC was twice named "Most Beautiful Campus in the Nation" by The Princeton Review, and one of the nation's "Ten College Campuses with the Best Architecture" by Architectural Digest. Connect with Florida Southern College.

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SOURCE Florida Southern College