Rita Gengo

Rita Gengo

​PhD, RN, MSN, MSc, FNI

Assistant Professor

Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, NU 334

Boca Raton

p: 561-297-2998

rgengoesilva2021@health.fau.edu

Biography

Dr. Rita Gengo is an Assistant Professor of Nursing at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) and a Fellow of NANDA-International. She earned her BSN, MSc in Experimental Pathophysiology, and PhD in Cardiology from the University of São Paulo (USP), Brazil, and later completed a post-doctoral fellowship at The Marjory Gordon Program for Clinical Reasoning and Knowledge Development (NANDA-I/Boston College). She also holds a Master of Science in Nursing (Nurse Educator) degree from FAU.

Before joining FAU, Dr. Gengo served as an Assistant Professor at the University of São Paulo School of Nursing and worked for 13 years at the Heart Institute, University of São Paulo Medical School, as a staff nurse and clinical nurse educator. She has extensive teaching experience across the continuum of nursing education, including undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs in Brazil and the United States. At FAU, she teaches across the curriculum, with a focus on research, evidence-based practice, knowledge synthesis and translation, and caring science.

Her research focuses on cardiovascular nursing, symptom science, and the development and testing of complex interventions to improve symptom management in individuals with cardiovascular disease. She has also made significant contributions to nursing knowledge in the areas of standardized nursing classifications (diagnoses, outcomes, and interventions), nursing assessment (specifically focusing on Gordon’s Eleven Functional Health Patterns), and clinical decision support systems. Her work has been funded by national and international agencies, including the São Paulo Research Foundation, the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (Brazil), Sigma Theta Tau, and FAU’s All of Us Research Program.

Dr. Gengo is widely published in peer-reviewed journals and has authored or co-authored over 25 book chapters. She serves as an ad hoc reviewer for multiple international journals and is an active member of professional organizations, including Sigma Theta Tau and the American Heart Association.

She has received multiple honors for her contributions to nursing research and education, including the 2025 FAU Faculty Award for Excellence in Research and the Distinguished Global Contribution to Nursing Knowledge and Nursing Diagnosis Award from the Marjory Gordon Program at Boston College.
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7307-2203

Education

  • Post-Doctoral Program, The Marjory Gordon Program for Clinical Reasoning and Knowledge Development, NANDA-I/Boston College Newton, Massachusetts
  • PhD in Science, Major Cardiology, Medical School, University of São Paulo São Paulo, SP, Brazil
  • MSN, Nurse Educator Program, Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, Florida
  • MSN, Major Experimental Pathophysiology, Medical School, University of São Paulo São Paulo, SP, Brazil
  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing, School of Nursing, University of São Paulo, São Paulo São Paulo, SP, Brazil

Teaching

FAU Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing
  • NGR 7118: Caring Science 2: Developing Phenomena of Interest within a Research Focus Area
  • NGR 7855: Translation of Evidence for Advanced Practice Nursing
  • NUR 6812: Nursing Research Evidence-Based Practice
  • NUR 4165: Nursing Research
  • NUR 4934: Honors Seminar in Nursing 1
  • NUR 4935: Honors Seminar in Nursing 2
  • NUR 4937: RI: Scholarship for Evidence-Based Nursing Practice
University of Sao Paulo School of Nursing (Brazil)
  • ENC5946: Non-pharmacological Interventions in Health Research
  • ENC5967: Analysis of Nursing Conceptual Frameworks in Research
  • ENC5879: Clinical Reasoning in Nursing
  • 0701207: Nursing in Drug Administration
  • ENC0250: Nursing Care of the Adult and Elderly in Acute Conditions
  • ENC0240: Nursing Care of the Adult and Elderly in Chronic Conditions
  • ENC 0112: First Aid for Nursing
  • 0701204: Individual and Family Evaluation
  • 0701208: Integrative Conceptual Matrix
  • ENC011: Laboratory Tests Interpretation for Nursing
  • ENC0222: Nursing in Adult and Elderly Health
  • ENC0109: Concepts of Nursing - for physical therapy

Grants Awarded

  • Development and validation of a 3D educational video based on Artificial Intelligence for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation training for people in situations of social vulnerability. National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, Brazil (≈ $ 20K, Role: Co-Investigator)
  • 2024-2025: Heart Failure Symptom Cluster Predictors in Hispanic/Latinos and non-Hispanic Whites and Blacks.All of Us Research Program, Division of Engagement and Outreach, Florida Atlantic. ($ 13K, Role: Principal Investigator)
  • 2023-2024: Psychometric Validation of the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) in Individuals with Heart Failure. Funded by Sigma Theta Tau International and FAU Christine E Lynn Award. Role: PI
  • 2023-2024: A Novel Humanistic Decision-Making Process Framework (HumDeM): A Consensus Study. Funded by the Association for Common European Nursing Diagnoses, Interventions and Outcomes. Role: Co-investigator
  • 2018-2019: Validation of the Nursing Outcome "Knowledge Management: Heart Failure”. Funded by the São Paulo Research Foundation, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Role: Co-investigator
  • 2015-2018: Fatigue, Inflammatory Markers and Postoperative Outcomes After Coronary Bypass Grafting. Funded by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, Brazil. Role: PI
  • 2014-2016: Nursing Interventions and Prevention of Cardiovascular Events in Diabetic Outpatients. Funded by the São Paulo Research Foundation, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Role: PI
  • 2014-2016: Effectiveness of Nursing Interventions Using the Telephone for Caregivers with Caregiver Role Strain. Funded by the São Paulo Research Foundation, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Role: Co-investigator

Recent Publications

  • dos Santos Diogo, R. C., Gengo e Silva Butcher, R.C., & Ciqueto Peres, H. H. (in review). Evaluation of diagnostic accuracy of nursing residents and experienced nurses using the PROCEnf-USP®: Implications for nursing education and practice. International Journal of Nursing Studies Advances.
  • Kociolek, J., Gengo, R., & Chiang-Hanisko, L. (in review). Caring-healing modalities for emotional distress and resilience in cancer survivors: A Scoping review guided by Watson’s theory. Nursing Reports.
  • Queiroz, G.C.L., Monteiro, A.S., Melo, D.A., Mangueira, S.O., Leadebal O.D.C.P., Gengo e Silva Butcher, R.C., & Sousa, M.M. (in review). Prevalence and factors associated with anxiety and depression in individuals with chronic atrial fibrillation: a cross-sectional study in Brazil. Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing.
  • Batista, L.C., Oliveira, M.S., Reis, J.P., Almeida, Y.E., Fonseca, R.J., Salvetti, M.G., Butcher, R.C.G.S. (in press). Education and music intervention to reduce anxiety: Feasibility, potential efficacy and patient satisfaction in a pilot study. Pilot and Feasibility Studies.
  • Dias de Oliveira, A. P., de Oliveira Lopes, M. V., Gengo e Silva Butcher, R.C., Martins da Silva, V., Batista Santos, V., de Lima Lopes, J., & Bottura Leite de Barros, A. L. (in press). Cardiac insufficiency syndrome: clinical evidence of a new nursing diagnosis. Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem.
  • Muller, A.G., Jaimes, G.A.P., Díaz, L.J.R., Gengo e Silva Butcher, R.C. (in review). Fatigue in patients with coronary artery disease - A scoping review protocol. JBI Evidence Synthesis.
  • de Carvalho Batista, L., de Góes Salvetti, M., & de Cassia Gengo E Silva Butcher, R. (2025). Education and music intervention to reduce anxiety (EMIRA) in cardiac catheterization: Intervention development. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 11(1), 80. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-025-01663-z
  • dos Santos Dotta Pereira, L., Waldomiro Nogueira, L., Gengo e Silva Butcher, R. de C., Silva de Morais Freire, B., Cristinne Pinto Costa, I., Giffoni Braga, C., & da Costa, A. C. (2025). Factors associated with health literacy in people with chronic diseases. Ciência, Cuidado E Saúde, 24(1). https://doi.org/10.4025/ciencuidsaude.v24i1.71969
  • Butcher, R.C.G.S., Guandalini, L. S., de Barros, A. L. B. L., Damiani, B. B., & Jones, D. A. (2024). Psychometric evaluation of the functional health pattern assessment screening tool – modified Brazilian version. Revista Latino-americana De Enfermagem, 32, e4119. https://doi.org/10.1590/1518-8345.6755.4119
  • Batista, L. de C., Nóbrega, M. do P. S. de S., Salvetti, M. de G., & Butcher, R. de C. G. e S. (2023). Reducing cardiac catheterization-related anxiety: Acceptability of a complex intervention. Acta Paulista De Enfermagem, 36, eAPE00743. https://doi.org/10.37689/acta-ape/2023AO007433
  • Dos Santos Diogo, R. C., Silva Butcher, R. C. G. E., & Peres, H. H. C. (2023). Diagnostic concordance among nursing clinical decision support system users: a pilot study. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, ocad144. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/jamia/ocad144
  • Costa, A. C. da ., Conceição, A. P. da ., Butcher, H. K., & Butcher, R. de C. G. e S. (2023). Factors that influence health literacy in patients with coronary artery disease. Revista Latino-americana de Enfermagem, 31, e3878. https://doi.org/10.1590/1518-8345.6211.3878
  • de Carvalho Batista, L., Melo, M.N., de Almeida Lopes Monteiro da Cruz, D., & de Cassia Gengo e Silva Butcher, R. (2022). Characteristics of music intervention to reduce anxiety in patients undergoing cardiac catheterization: Scoping review, Heliyon, E11894. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11894
  • Guimarães, M.C.L.P., Coelho, J.C., Silva, G.V., Drager, L.F., Gengo e Silva Butcher, R.D.C., Butcher, H.K., & Pierin, A.M.G. (2021) Blood pressure control and adherence to drug treatment in patients with hypertension treated at a specialized outpatient clinic: A cross-sectional study. Patient Prefer Adherence, 15, 2749-2761 https://doi.org/10.2147/PPA.S336524
  • Diogo, R., Gengo e Silva Butcher, R. C., & Peres, H. (2021). Evaluation of the accuracy of nursing diagnoses determined by users of a clinical decision support system. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 53(4), 519–526. https://doi.org/10.1111/jnu.12659
  • Gengo E Silva Butcher, R. C., & Jones, D. A. (2021). An integrative review of comprehensive nursing assessment tools developed based on Gordon's eleven functional health patterns. International Journal of Nursing Knowledge, 32(4), 294–307. https://doi.org/10.1111/2047-3095.12321
  • da Costa Ferreira, N., Takao Lopes, C., Moorhead, S., & Gengo e Silva Butcher, R. C. (2021). Content validation of the nursing outcome knowledge heart failure management: Brazilian nurses' opinions. International Journal of Nursing Knowledge, 32(3), 206–214. https://doi.org/10.1111/2047-3095.12312
  • da Costa Ferreira, N., Moorhead, S., & de Cassia Gengo e Silva Butcher, R. (2021). The nurse-patient outcome content validation method. International Journal of Nursing Knowledge, 32(2), 88–95. https://doi.org/10.1111/2047-3095.12298
  • Afonso, B.Q., Ferreira, N.C., & Gengo e Silva Butcher, R.C. (2020). Content validation of the symptom control outcome for heart failure patients in palliative care. Revista Gaúcha de Enfermagem, 41, e20190427. https://doi.org/10.1590/1983-1447.2020.20190427
  • Kurogi, E. M., Butcher, R., & Salvetti, M. G. (2020). Relationship between functional capacity, performance and symptoms in hospitalized patients with heart failure. Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem, 73(4), e20190123. https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-7167-2019-0123
  • Quirino Afonso, B., da Costa Ferreira, N., & Gengo E Silva Butcher, R. C. (2020). Conceptual and operational definitions for the indicators of the nursing outcome classification: Symptom control in patients with heart failure in palliative care. Enfermeria Clinica (English Edition), 30(6), 386–397. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enfcli.2020.01.001
  • Silva, N.A., & Butcher, R.C.G.S. (2019). Contribution of the left atrial size on the predictive capacity of two atrial fibrillation scores in the postoperative period of cardiac surgeries. International Journal of Cardiovascular Sciences, 32(6), 585-593. https://dx.doi.org/10.5935/2359-4802.20190042

Honors/Awards

Additional Information
Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing’s academic programs are nationally ranked and grounded in a holistic, caring-based philosophy.
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