Gonzalez Awarded $1.3 Million for Integrated Technology in Nursing Education and Practice Initiative

University of South Florida nursing faculty have been awarded $1.3 million over five years to design, develop and implement a nursing faculty development program based on documented educational and clinical practice needs in the use of simulated learning, informatics and telehealth.

The five-year grant from the Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) was awarded to Laura Gonzalez, PhD, ARNP, CNE, Assistant Professor and Director for the Center for Virtual Simulation at the University of South Florida College of Nursing. Other key personnel from the USF College of Nursing include Denise Passmore, PhD, Instructional Designer and Director of Web Instruction, Joan Perl, MS, RN, Instructor and Vicente Saadeh, Instructional Design Support Specialist. William C. Mann, PhD, OTR, Senior Telehealth Expert at the University of Florida, will serve as a consultant for the study.

This initiative will allow for the development of a multi-institutional collaborative experience with the expertise to provide ongoing education and support of faculty in the use of information and other technologies for nursing education and practice. Resources and project leadership will be provided through the University of South Florida but additional expertise will be provided through collaboration with the University of Florida.

As a result of the project the team hopes to develop a consortium in Florida where experts can share ideas, brainstorm and collaborate. Currently there is no state consortium for simulation educators.