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Dr. Carolynn DeSandre believes that to improve the health of families, especially in rural areas, it is essential to understand the patients being served and how to connect with them.

"I believe that the way we learn about health and illness stems from our primary socialization unit, the family," DeSandre said. "So as a healthcare provider and a nurse educator, to truly be able to improve the health of families, it is essential to understand their beliefs about health and wellness and design treatment strategies which work within their daily lives."

DeSandre is the dean of ºìÁ«ÉçÇø's College of Health Sciences and Professions. She took over the permanent role in summer 2021 after serving as interim dean since December 2019. She earned her Ph.D. in human development & family science from the University of Georgia. Her other degrees include the Master of Science in nursing from Emory University and a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Georgia.

A certified nurse midwife and family nurse practitioner, DeSandre joined ºìÁ«ÉçÇø's nursing faculty in 2007. She was one of the co-authors of ºìÁ«ÉçÇø's proposal for the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), which launched its first cohort in fall 2019. DeSandre also helped develop the college's interprofessional education model and has led ºìÁ«ÉçÇø's mock disaster program.

In spring 2021, she piloted a Designated Education Unit (DEU) with Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS). The DEU program provides hands-on clinical instruction for ºìÁ«ÉçÇø students at the Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) Gainesville and Lumpkin hospitals, as well as Northeast Georgia Physicians Group Urgent Care and Primary Care facilities.

Health care is a fast-changing field, and DeSandre ensures that she and fellow faculty keep up-to-date on the latest protocols and research.

"Nursing is an evidence-based discipline where protocols are designed from clinical evidence derived from research," DeSandre said. "Since healthcare is ongoing and ever-changing, we must always be current and continuously identifying the newest methods for helping our patients and this involves ongoing research and sharing of evidence through professional publications and presentations."

DeSandre also believes that service is a huge component of nursing, and she has been instrumental in designing service learning components for ºìÁ«ÉçÇø's clinical graduate courses.

Her career highlights include recognition with a Faculty Scholar Award to complete her doctoral research. She also has been recognized as March of Dimes Advanced Nurse of the Year.

The one thing that she hopes becomes ingrained in ºìÁ«ÉçÇø's nursing students? That they are people connecting with other people.

"I hope that students will always remember that they are humans trying to serve families in a dynamic healthcare environment, and through human connections, they have the ability to change lives," DeSandre said. "I want them to feel empowered to reach their educational goals, try new experiences in diverse clinical settings, and go beyond their 'comfort-zones' to develop into whole individuals. I want them to also remember that education is fun, innovative and life-long."