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This episode features Cathleen Paton, DNP, RN, CCRN, a 33-year veteran nurse, discussing transitioning from clinical to nursing faculty, the importance of support, and retention strategies.

Cathleen Paton is a 33-year nurse, graduating with her ADN from Indian River Community College in 1993, from Florida Atlantic University (2002) with her MSN and from University of Central Florida with her Doctorate in Nursing Practice in 2022. She worked as a staff nurse in PCU and Surgical/Neuro ICU, as a nurse resource for night shift staff, and then moved into leadership as a nursing director over the critical care areas until 2016.

She transitioned into nursing education as an Assistant Professor of Nursing for her alma mater, now Indian River State College, in 2017, where she currently teaches Nursing Fundamentals in the ADN Program and Nursing Leadership in the BSN program. She specifically teaches clinical readiness, test taking skills and professional communication. She sits on a local hospital Recruitment & Retention Council as well as chairs the Student Success Committee at IRSC which has several initiatives based on student retention, developing professionalism and communication in entry-level students. She has a personal interest in professional identity development of these students in order to promote their successful transition into entry level practice.

Links

Indian River State College

Florida Center for Nursing

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The Florida Center for Nursing

The Florida Center for Nursing is established to research and address issues of supply and demand for nursing, including issues of recruitment, retention, and utilization of nurse

The vision of the Florida Center for Nursing is to ensure that the health care needs of the residents and visitors of Florida are met by a competent and sufficient nursing workforce.

The Florida Center for Nursing is proudly headquartered at the University of South Florida College of Nursing.

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This special episode is hosted by Conor Farrell, a master’s student at the University of South Florida College of Public Health. Featured guest Patricia Moulton Burwell, PhD, discusses the value of state nursing workforce centers, quantitative data vs. qualitative data, and more.

Dr. Moulton Burwell has over 22 years of experience working with nursing workforce centers. She is the current Director of the National Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers and is a Research Consultant for the Washington Center for Nursing. She also created and led the North Dakota Center for Nursing for 11 years. She has conducted nursing workforce research in multiple states and at the national level. She has close to 100 peer-reviewed publications and white papers and has presented at over 120 local, state, national and international conferences. She has served in a leadership role on over $15 million of foundation, state, and federal grants supporting health services projects including nursing workforce. She is currently serving on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Advisory Council on Nursing Education and Practice. She received her PhD in Experimental Psychology at the University of North Dakota in 2002.

Links

National Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Advisory Council on Nursing Education and Practice

Florida Center for Nursing

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The Florida Center for Nursing

The Florida Center for Nursing is established to research and address issues of supply and demand for nursing, including issues of recruitment, retention, and utilization of nurse

The vision of the Florida Center for Nursing is to ensure that the health care needs of the residents and visitors of Florida are met by a competent and sufficient nursing workforce.

The Florida Center for Nursing is proudly headquartered at the University of South Florida College of Nursing.

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This episode features Stephanie Philips, DNP, RN, CPPS, discussing the many ways to lead, the importance of sharing experience with younger nurses, and her work caring for those who care for patients.

Stephanie Philips, DNP, RN, CPPS, is an accomplished health care executive and nurse leader with nearly four decades of experience across clinical and leadership roles. She began her nursing career as a licensed practical nurse in the United States Army and currently serves as Executive Director of Patient Safety and High Reliability at AdventHealth, where she provides strategic direction and operational support for enterprise-wide safety culture and high reliability initiatives.

Previously, Dr. Philips held progressive leadership roles within Surgical Services, including serving as Nurse Manager for perianesthesia areas. Earlier in her career, she served as a clinical educator and practiced extensively as a registered nurse across perianesthesia, intensive care, emergency, progressive care, medical-surgical, and specialty settings, bringing broad frontline experience to her executive leadership.

Dr. Philips holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from the University of Central Florida, a Master of Science in Nursing from Florida State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Southern College of Seventh-day Adventists. She is a Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS) and holds national certifications in perianesthesia nursing.

Committed to professional service and community engagement, Dr. Philips has served in leadership roles within state nursing organizations and on nonprofit boards supporting community health. Her career reflects a sustained dedication to nursing excellence, advocacy, and patient and workforce safety.

Links

QUIN Council

AdventHealth

Florida Center for Nursing

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The Florida Center for Nursing

The Florida Center for Nursing is established to research and address issues of supply and demand for nursing, including issues of recruitment, retention, and utilization of nurse

The vision of the Florida Center for Nursing is to ensure that the health care needs of the residents and visitors of Florida are met by a competent and sufficient nursing workforce.

The Florida Center for Nursing is proudly headquartered at the University of South Florida College of Nursing.

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This episode features Jill Van Der Like, DNP, MSN, RNC, sharing thoughts on care beyond the bedside, the value of experience, and the importance of confidence.

Dr. Van Der Like is the Director of the Nursing Skills & Simulation Laboratory and an Associate Professor of Clinical Practice at the University of West Florida. Dr. Van Der Like has been a registered nurse for over 40 years and a clinical instructor for nineteen of those years. She uses student-centered simulation instruction to improve the quality and safety in patient care, and interprofessional education and research for community health. She is active in the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing and Florida Nurses Association. She volunteers as the Student Nurses Association Advisor and for the Pensacola Bay Area IMPACT 100.

Dr. Van Der Like received her Associate of Science in Nursing-Registered Nurse degree at Pensacola State College, Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing at University of South Alabama, a National Certification Corporation certification for Inpatient Obstetrics, Master of Science in Nursing/Nursing Education at University of West Florida, and Doctor of Nursing Practice at University of Miami.

Links

University of West Florida College of Nursing

Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing

Florida Nurses Association

Florida Center for Nursing

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The Florida Center for Nursing

The Florida Center for Nursing is established to research and address issues of supply and demand for nursing, including issues of recruitment, retention, and utilization of nurse

The vision of the Florida Center for Nursing is to ensure that the health care needs of the residents and visitors of Florida are met by a competent and sufficient nursing workforce.

The Florida Center for Nursing is proudly headquartered at the University of South Florida College of Nursing.

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This episode features Amber Santos, DNP, MBA, RN, CNE, discussing immersive learning through virtual reality and artificial intelligence, pursuing excellence not perfection, and using technology to augment nursing education.

Amber Santos is an accomplished nursing professional with over two decades of experience spanning pediatric care, research, leadership, and academia. She serves as Assistant Professor and Director of Innovation and Immersive Learning at Jacksonville University’s Keigwin School of Nursing, where she leads initiatives that integrate cutting-edge technologies including virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and immersive simulation into nursing education. A Certified Nurse Educator, Dr. Santos is dedicated to advancing innovative teaching strategies that enhance student engagement, foster clinical judgment, and promote a seamless transition to professional practice.

Links

Jacksonville University’s Keigwin School of Nursing

Florida Center for Nursing

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The Florida Center for Nursing

The Florida Center for Nursing is established to research and address issues of supply and demand for nursing, including issues of recruitment, retention, and utilization of nurse

The vision of the Florida Center for Nursing is to ensure that the health care needs of the residents and visitors of Florida are met by a competent and sufficient nursing workforce.

The Florida Center for Nursing is proudly headquartered at the University of South Florida College of Nursing.

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Our first Frontline Nursing episode of Season 3 features Jayne Willis, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, CENP. In this episode, Dr. Willis discusses discovering a new pathway in nursing education, addressing low NCLEX pass rates in Florida, and finding a place at the table.

Dr. Jayne Willis is a Lecturer and Co-Director of the University of Central Florida College of Nursing’s Executive Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program, where she prepares nurse leaders to navigate complex health systems through evidence-based practice, policy engagement, and systems thinking. Drawing on decades of executive experience, she is deeply committed to developing transformational leaders who can advance health care at the organizational and systems levels.

Following a distinguished 40-year career at Orlando Health, where she served as Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive, Dr. Willis transitioned to academia to shape the next generation of nursing executives. Her leadership extends well beyond the classroom into statewide and professional arenas.

Dr. Willis serves as Team Leader for the Nursing Action Coalition of Florida (NACFL) initiative, focused on strengthening nursing education by leading collaborative efforts to enhance educational infrastructure, advance workforce development, and align academic preparation with Florida’s evolving healthcare needs.

She is President of the Florida Nurses Foundation and serves on the board of the Florida Organization for Nursing Leadership. Her contributions to nursing leadership and the profession have been recognized with the Florida Nurses Association President’s Award and the University of Central Florida Outstanding Alumni Leadership Award.

Dr. Willis earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Florida State University, her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Florida, and her Doctor of Nursing Practice in Executive Nursing Practice from the University of Central Florida. She is board-certified as a Nurse Executive–Advanced and as a Certified Executive in Nursing Practice.

Links

Nursing Action Coalition of Florida

University of Central Florida College of Nursing

Florida Nurses Foundation

Florida Organization for Nursing Leadership

Florida Center for Nursing

Subscribe to FCN Email Communications

Find FCN on social media

The Florida Center for Nursing

The Florida Center for Nursing is established to research and address issues of supply and demand for nursing, including issues of recruitment, retention, and utilization of nurse

The vision of the Florida Center for Nursing is to ensure that the health care needs of the residents and visitors of Florida are met by a competent and sufficient nursing workforce.

The Florida Center for Nursing is proudly headquartered at the University of South Florida College of Nursing.

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As we bring 2025 to a close, this episode looks back at what we’ve learned from our diverse array of guests. Three key themes emerged from our conversations this year: nursing opportunities, mentorship, and self-care.

Featured guests:

• Susan Parda-Watters, DNP, MMOAS, MSN, APRN/ACNS-BC, CMSRN, Board Certified Clinical Nurse Specialist, Ret Lt Col United States Air Force, Chief Flight Nurse
• Anthony J. Silva, MSN, RN, CNOR, AMB-BC, ROT
• Shannon Shanks, DNP, APRN, NRP
• Kim Cartwright, LPN, WCC, FADLN
• Sherry Hoback, MBA, BSN, RN
• Jose D. Castillo III, PhD, MSNA, CRNA, APRN, FAANA
• Farah Laurent, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, NPD-BC, CPXP
• Danni Viera, BSN, RN, CWCN
• Francine Bono-Neri, PhD, RN, APRN, PNP
• Cynthia Drew, DNP, APRN
• Mamie Williams, PhD, MPH, MSN, APRN
• Debbie T. Devine, PhD, APRN, FNP, SANE-A

Links

Florida Center for Nursing

Subscribe to FCN’s newsletter

Find us on social media

The Florida Center for Nursing

The Florida Center for Nursing is established to research and address issues of supply and demand for nursing, including issues of recruitment, retention, and utilization of nurse

The vision of the Florida Center for Nursing is to ensure that the health care needs of the residents and visitors of Florida are met by a competent and sufficient nursing workforce.

The Florida Center for Nursing is proudly headquartered at the University of South Florida College of Nursing.

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This episode features Danielle Altares Sarik, PhD, APRN, CPNP-PC, FAAN, discussing her work as a pediatric nurse scientist, the Baby Steps model for patients’ transition to home, and the importance of nursing roles that don’t fit the traditional mold.

Danielle Altares Sarik is Director of Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, Senior Policy Service Professor at George Washington University, and Senior Fellow at the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research at the University of Pennsylvania.

As a pediatric nurse scientist and health services researcher, Dr. Danielle Altares Sarik focuses on improving pediatric systems of care and outcomes through policy, innovation, and research. She developed and implemented the American Academy of Nursing Edge Runner-designated Baby Steps model, a transition of care approach to address health equity for neonatal patients and families discharged from the neonatal intensive care unit. She actively guides national pediatric research and practice agendas through her service on the board of the National Pediatric Nurse Scientist Collaborative and the Institute for Pediatric Nursing.

Dr. Altares Sarik earned her PhD, MSN, and BSN from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, and her BA from Cornell University.

Links

The Baby Steps Project - A telehealth nursing intervention to improve the transition from the neonatal intensive care unit to home for infants & caregivers: Preliminary evaluation

Edge Runner Profiles

Florida Center for Nursing

Subscribe to FCN’s newsletter

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The Florida Center for Nursing

The Florida Center for Nursing is established to research and address issues of supply and demand for nursing, including issues of recruitment, retention, and utilization of nurse

The vision of the Florida Center for Nursing is to ensure that the health care needs of the residents and visitors of Florida are met by a competent and sufficient nursing workforce.

The Florida Center for Nursing is proudly headquartered at the University of South Florida College of Nursing.