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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

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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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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

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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

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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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In this episode, Michael Ipock talks with Frontline Nursing host and Executive Director of Florida Center for Nursing Rayna Letourneau, PhD, RN, FAAN, about life as an autonomous nurse practitioner, finding inspiration in tragedy, and navigating health care as an industry.

Michael Ipock, MSN, APRN, AGPCNP-BC, FNP-BC, is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and founder of Wiregrass Direct Primary Care in Wesley Chapel, Florida. With more than a decade of experience across acute and primary care, he is a passionate advocate for addressing the nurse practitioner shortage and improving clinical preparedness. Michael actively trains providers in billing, coding, and risk adjustment to enhance both clinical outcomes and financial sustainability in primary care.

Links

Medicine Uncorked

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 Tina Goodrow, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, discussing working as a psychiatric mental health practitioner, finding her way, and helping others help themselves.

Dr. Goodrow is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with over 20 years of experience in mental health, leadership, and education. At SMA Healthcare in Ocala, Florida, she provides psychiatric evaluations and medication management for children and adolescents, including those in high-risk situations, through both clinic-based care and community outreach.

As a mentor and educator, she has provided comprehensive support to nursing students across all academic levels, fostering their professional growth and development. She has designed and implemented multiple training programs aimed at promoting violence prevention and enhancing safety within healthcare environments.

Links

TAPOUT Program

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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In this episode, John Maye, PhD, CRNA, CAPT (Ret) USN, discusses chronic pain management, learning from former students, and teaching patient advocacy.

Dr. John Maye is a Professor and Director of Pain Concentrations at The University of South Florida in Tampa. His responsibilities include serving as the Program Director for the Advanced Pain Management Fellowship. This program provides experienced CRNAs with training and evidence-based knowledge for the practice of advanced pain management. Dr. Maye retired from the United States Navy in 2015 after earning the rank of Captain. He is a 1992 graduate of the University of Kansas Nurse Anesthesia Program and earned his PhD in nursing from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in 2000.

Dr. Maye has published more than 35 peer-reviewed articles. He has received numerous awards for his research and academic achievements. He was recently selected as a Fellow by the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology.

Links

Advanced Pain Management Fellowship

More about the Advanced Pain Management Fellowship

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.

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Janice Adams, DNP, MPA, RN, joins Florida Center for Nursing Executive Director Rayna Letourneau, PhD, RN, for a conversation about the importance of workforce data, retiring multiple times, and looking at the big picture.

Dr. Adams earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice in Executive Leadership from American Sentinel University in Aurora, CO. She earned her Master of Public Administration from Troy State University, her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Old Dominion University in Virginia, and her diploma in nursing from Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Norfolk, VA.

Dr. Adams is the immediate past Associate Dean and Director of the Murphy Deming School of Nursing at Mary Baldwin University in Staunton, VA. She has lived in Tampa since 2004 following a successful career serving in the U.S. Navy for 28 years. Her nursing career spans over 45 years. Nursing specialties include nursing education, critical care nursing, and otorhinolaryngology nursing.

Dr. Adams is the Immediate Past President of the Florida Nurses Association. She is the current Director of the Nursing Action Coalition of Florida.

Links

Nursing Action Coalition of Florida

Florida Center for Nursing

Subscribe to FCN’s newsletter

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.