Faculty Profile for Dr. Virginia Emma Tufano

Biography Section

Biography and Education

Dr. Virginia Tufano received her Ed.D. from College of Saint Mary with a Focus in Health Professions Education, MSN from The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio with a double major in Leadership and Education, and a BSN from the University of the Incarnate Word. Dr. Tufano has taught in both, undergraduate and graduate nursing education since 2004.

Teaching Interests

Nurse educator recruitment and retention; nursing research and evidence-based practice; interprofessional collaboration in healthcare; cultural and spiritual competence in nursing; methods to promote success in nursing education; mentoring; minority nursing.

Research Interests

My research focus spans the areas of cultural and spiritual competence in nursing, promoting academic success and resiliency in nursing students with a focus on minority students, facilitating successful transition from the academic environment to the healthcare environment, and nurse educator retention. My research includes ways to mitigate stressors and promote the success of healthcare graduates transitioning from academics to the professional work setting. I am currently working on an interprofessional study to promote grit and resiliency in healthcare students navigating through the academic stressors of the various healthcare professions. I have conducted two studies on motivators for nurse educators to remain in the profession. I am passionate about this research as our healthcare workforce is struggling to recover from the effects of burnout from the pandemic resulting in an increased shortage of healthcare workers, especially in underserved communities.