Mary Ann Leavitt

Biography

Dr. Mary Ann McGuire Leavitt is board certified in critical care nursing and heart failure nursing. Previous acute care practice includes Critical Care, Cardiac Catheterization Lab, and Cardiac Electrophysiology Lab. Dr. Leavitt has also been a Clinical Educator at a local hospital, where she taught a variety of classes and managed the New Graduate RN Residency program. Her current research interests include transitional care for patients with heart failure to decrease hospital readmissions, and collaborating with the College of Engineering to develop skin based wearable sensors to alert for heart failure decompensation.

Education

• PhD, Florida Atlantic University (2017) Boca Raton, Florida
• MS Nurse Educator, Florida Atlantic University (2013) Boca Raton, Florida
• BSN, Florida State University (1979) Tallahassee, Florida

Teaching

• NUR 3262, NUR 4716, NUR 4764: All three levels of Medical Surgical Nursing Situations with Adults and Aging Populations: Chronic, Acute, and Complex.
• NUR 4935: Honors Seminar in Nursing II
• NUR 1503: Learning Strategies and Human Development

Recent Publications

• Leavitt, M. M., Hain, D, J., Keller, K. B., & Newman, D. (2020). Testing the effect of a home health heart failure intervention on hospital readmissions, heart failure knowledge, self-care, and quality of life. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 46(2).
• Keller, K., Eggenberger, T., Leavitt, M.A., & Sabatino, D. (2020). Acute care nurses’ arrhythmia knowledge: Defining competency. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing.
• Leavitt, M. M. (2017) Toes and long shadows. Journal of Art and Aesthetics in Nursing and Health Sciences., 4(1), 16-17.
• Liehr, P., Morris, K., Leavitt, M. M., & Takahashi, R. (2013). Translating research findings to promote health: Moving from 'field to forum' with verbatim theatre. Advances in Nursing Science, 36(3), 160-170.
• Leavitt, M. M. (2013). Cardiac devices in the perioperative and perianesthesia settings. Airways: Newsletter for PeriAnesthesia Care Nurses of Florida.

Honors/Awrads

• 2024  Southern Nursing Research Society Research Grant 
• 2023  College of Nursing Nominee for FAU Distinguished Teacher of the Year 
• 2022 Christine E. Lynn Center for Caring Research Initiative Award 
• 2021 FAU Excellence and Innovation in Undergraduate Teaching Award
• 2021  Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty
• 2019 COECS/ISENSE Seed Funding Competition winner
• 2017 Excellence in Community Service Award, FAU College of Nursing
• 2016 FAU Dissertation Year Award
• 2016 Sigma Iota Xi Research Grant
• 2015 FAU Graduate Research & Inquiry Program (GRIP) Grant
• 2011-2014 Skelly Foundation Scholarship Award
• 2011 FAU Presidential Scholarship Award
• 2010 Patient Satisfaction Champion, Boca Raton Regional Hospital
• 2008 Nurse Excellence Award, Cardiology, Boca Raton Regional Hospital