Manika Petcharat

Biography

Dr. Manika Petcharat is a nursing instructor from Thailand who has over 17 years of experience in teaching in higher education. She had the privilege of guiding and mentoring students through their academic and professional journeys. Witnessing their growth and development has been one of the most rewarding aspects of her academic career.

She earned her bachelor's degree in 2005 with a Summa Cum Laude and master’s degree in 2011 in Thailand, specializing in mental health and psychiatric nursing. She then graduated with her PhD in 2018 from Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, Florida Atlantic University. The CELCON shaped her not just as a scholar, but someone deeply committed to the caring philosophy that defines great educators and healthcare professionals.

She began her nursing career in a Pediatric Unit in Thailand, where she first witnessed the vital role parents play in a child’s healing journey. Later, she transitioned to a Med-surg Unit in Thailand, where she cared for adults with a wide range of medical conditions. She saw many of them suffered from their illnesses, and it reaffirmed her belief that compassionate care is not just a value, it’s a necessity. After relocating to the US in 2024, she started to work as a registered nurse in an Adult Day Care Center, FAU where she had opportunities to work with older adults who have cognitive impairment. These people may feel hopeless about changes in cognition, but much can be done to preserve their cognitive abilities. She also worked as an adjunct faculty at CELCON, teaching in Health Assessment and Fundamentals of Nursing Practice II in the skills labs at that time.

Working as a nurse across the lifespan has given her insight into the unique needs, vulnerabilities, and strengths of her patients. Yet, the one constant among them all is the need for compassionate care.

Dr. Petcharat is passionate about promoting health without medicines by delivering nonpharmacological approaches such as mindfulness intervention to prevent people from entering serious physical and psychological health problems. She developed a Brief Culturally Tailored Thai Mindfulness Intervention (BCTTMI) to reduce psychological distress among parents of children with developmental disabilities (DDs) in Thailand. She also conducted a qualitative research study to explore psychological challenges in parents of children with DDs during the pandemic.

She entered the CELCON as a nursing instructor in August 2025, currently teaching in the Health Assessment and Fundamentals of Nursing Practice II in the skills labs for undergraduate nursing students.

Teaching has always been at the core of her professional identity, and she remains deeply committed to fostering the next generation of nurses.

Education

• PhD in nursing, Florida Atlantic University, Florida, USA (2018)
• MSN, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand (2011)
• BSN, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand. (2005) (Summa Cum Laude)

Teaching

• NUR3065L, Health Assessment in Nursing Situations Lab
• NUR3029C, Fundamentals of Nursing Practice II Lab
• Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing I & II
• Practicum in Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing
• Practicum in Principle and Fundamental in Nursing
• Research in Nursing

Grants Awarded

• Faculty of Nursing’s Grant, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok Thailand (2023)
• Mahidol University Alumni Association Partially Supported Grant, Graduate student, Bangkok, Thailand (2011)

Recent Publications

• Petcharat, M. & Liehr, P. (2021). Feasibility of a Brief Mindfulness Intervention: Examining Stress, Anxiety, and Mindfulness for Thai Parents of Children with Developmental Disabilities, Archives of Psychiatric Nursing,35(5), 418-426. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnu.2021.06.002
• Pothimas, N., Apirattanawong, S., Pongrangsarn, p., & Petcharat, M. (2021). Factor Predicting Smoking Avoidance Behaviors Among High-School Students, Thai Journal of Nursing, 70(1), 11-20. (in Thai)
• Rattanawimol, C., Wannapornsiri, C., Petcharat, M., Khamboon, T., Longchoopol, Wongchanhan, K., & Ruetrakul. (2020). Effect of S SMILE Model Based on Contemplative Education for Enhancing Nursing Student’s 5 Skills Subject to Thai Qualifications Framework for Higher Education, Journal of The Royal Thai Army Nurses, 21(2), 262-272. (in Thai)
• Petcharat, M. (2018). The effects of a brief culturally tailored Thai mindfulness intervention on stress, anxiety, and mindfulness in Thai parents of children with developmental disabilities (Order No. 10982016). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (2184861148). Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/2184861148?
• Petcharat, M., & Liehr, P. (2017). Mindfulness training for parents of children with special needs: Guidance for nurses in mental health practice. Journal of Child and Adolescent and Psychiatric Nursing, 30 (1), 35–46. DOI: 10.1111/jcap.12169
• Phetcharat, M., Putdivarnichapong, W., Sitthimongkol, Y., & Apinuntavech, S. (2012). Predicting factors for risk of depression in adolescents with learning disorders. Journal of Medical Association Thailand, (95(11, 1480-1484.

Books

• Petcharat, M. (2024). Exemplar 4: Symptom Management Theory. In M. J. Smith, P. R. Liehr & R. D. Carpenter (Eds.), Middle range theory for nursing (5th ed., pp.366-368). Springer Publishing Company.

Honors/Awards

• The outstanding in teaching in Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing department for 2022-2023, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand.
• Nettie Birnbach Research award: $2000 for the Academic Year 2018-2019. Florida Atlantic University, USA.
• The Graduate Student Thesis and Dissertation Scholarship award of $500 from the Graduate college at Florida Atlantic University, USA, April 13th, 2018.
• The Ph.D. Scholar of the Year Award 2018, Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, Florida Atlantic University, USA, May 2nd, 2018.
• The first-place interdisciplinary award at Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA) 8th annual Graduate research day, Florida Atlantic University, USA, March 24th, 2017.
• The Provost’s Certificate of Recognition for Publishing: Honoring Work Published by Students for the 2016-2017 Academic Year, the 2017 Student Publication Ceremony, Co-sponsored by Writing Across Curriculum, the University Center for Excellence in Writing, and the Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry, October19th, 2017.
• Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA) travel funding award from the Graduate college at Florida Atlantic University, USA for $200, Spring 2017.