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Biography

Dr. Williams began her career as a critical care staff nurse in Lowell, Massachusetts. After completing a master’s degree in psychiatric nursing at Rutgers University, she practiced as an Adult Psychiatric Mental Health Clinical Specialist in Lowell MA for two years. She became a clinical instructor in psychiatric nursing at St. Anselm College in New Hampshire and later advanced to professor and coordinator of the Baccalaureate Nursing Program.

In 1994, after completing a doctoral degree in nursing at Boston University, she moved to Florida to pursue research interests and was appointed associate professor at University of Miami (UM) School of Nursing in 1994. Her research focused on couples affected by dementia, while her teaching spanned undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral courses. In 1995, she accepted a joint appointment as Senior Nurse Researcher to the GRECC (Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center) at the Miami VA Medical Center and a position on the Executive Committee of Miami Geriatric Education and Clinical Center (MAGEC). MAGEC was a HRSA funded interdisciplinary center at UM School of Medicine with a mission to educate professionals about geriatrics. In 2000, she became a charter member of the Steering Committee of the Florida Teaching Nursing Home (FTNH) funded by the state of Florida and sponsored by the Agency for Health Care Administration and the Stein Gerontological Institute at the Miami Jewish Home and Hospital for the Aged. The FTNH was a statewide interdisciplinary effort whose mission was to improve the quality of care in nursing homes in Florida. Dr. Williams' work on the FTNH steering committee (2000-2007) highlighted the critical role of nursing in the care of institutionalized older adults with dementia.

In 2007, she was appointed professor at Florida Atlantic University, Christine E Lynn College of Nursing where she continued her research on older adults and caregiving. In 2019, she retired from her role as Director of the PhD in Nursing program but she continues to teach and conduct research as Professor Emeritus.

 

Research

Dr. Williams’ research focuses on social engagement and mental health in older adults, caregiving, communication and dementia. Currently she is co-PI on a National Institute of Aging of the National Institutes of Health grant titled “The mathematics of relatedness: Social affordances in behavioral and cognitive aging”. The project aim is to test a mathematical model to optimize social and physical engagement among older adults. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20201201/FAU-receives-24675000-grant-to-improve-social-engagement-in-older-population.aspx

Dr. Williams is an AACN board certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and AHNC certified Nurse Coach. She has published more than 80 articles in scholarly journals reporting her research findings and sharing her clinical expertise regarding older adults, particularly those with cognitive impairment and health disparities. She has addressed countless audiences at the local, regional, national, and international levels. Her work on communication in couples affected by dementia has been featured in print, radio and TV outlets. On an international level, she has mentored doctoral students from Thailand and Sweden. She works collaboratively with researchers in Sweden on the needs of Swedish spouse caregivers. She is an adjunct professor at the School of Nursing in Nanjing University, China where she teaches a course on leadership in nursing.


ORCiD 0000-0003-3740-6138

Teaching

Dr. Williams’ teaching expertise includes graduate Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner content, Gerontological Nursing, Advanced Nursing Research, Quantitative Design and Methods, Doctoral Seminars and Crafting a Life of Scholarship.

Dr. Williams chaired numerous comprehensive examination and doctoral dissertation committees at University of Miami, Florida Atlantic University and several international universities. She led a major PhD curriculum revision to further integrate caring science and advanced research methods.

Recent Publications

Journal Publications:

  • Johansson, M.F., McKee, K.J., Dahlberg, L., Meranius, M.S., Williams, C.L., Marmstål Hammar, L. (2022). Negative impact and positive value of caregiving in spouse carers of persons with dementia in Sweden. Environmental Research and Public Health, 19, 1788. Read publication
  • Johansson, M.F., McKee, K.J., Dahlberg, L., Williams, C.L., Meranius, M.S., et al. (2021). A comparison of spouse and non-spouse carers of people with dementia: a descriptive analysis of Swedish national survey data. BMC Geriatrics, 21, 338. Read publication, Read publication
  • Williams, C.L., Newman, D., Neupane Poudel, B. (2021). When an aging spouse has dementia: Impact of a home-based intervention on marital communication. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, doi: 10.1080/01612840.2021.1916661. Read publication
  • Hammar, L. M., Williams, C. L., Meranius, M. S., & McKee, K. (2021). Being ‘alone’ striving for belonging and adaptation in a new reality – The experiences of spouse carers of persons with dementia. Dementia, 20(1), 273-290. Read publication
  • Wiese, L.K., Williams, C.L., Hain, D., Newman, D., Houston, C.P., Kaack, C., Galvin, J.E. (March-April, 2021). Detecting dementia among older, ethnically diverse residents of rural subsidized housing. Geriatric Nursing, 42(2), 524-532. doi: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2020.09.005.
  • Rahemi, Z., & Williams, C. L. (2020). Does ethnicity matter—Cultural factors underlying older adults’ end-of-life care preferences: A systematic review. Geriatric Nursing, 41(2), 89-97. doi: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2019.07.001
  • Swall, A., Williams, C.L., Hammar, L. M. (2020). The value of “us”- Expressions of togetherness when one spouse has dementia. International Journal of Older Persons, 15(2), e12299. Read publication
  • Kirk Wiese, Williams, C.L., Tappen, R.M., Newman, D. (2019). An updated measure for investigating basic knowledge of Alzheimer’s disease in underserved rural settings. Aging & Mental Health,Read publication
  • Sullivan, G. Hain, D.; Williams, C.; Newman, D. (2019). Story-sharing intervention to improve depression and well-being in older adults transitioning to long-term care. Research in Geriatric Nursing, 12(2): 81-90. doi: 10.3928/19404921-20190124-01.
  • Wiese, L., Galvin, J., Williams, C.L. (2018) Rural stakeholder perceptions about cognitive screening, Aging and Mental Health. Read publication
  • Wiese, L., Williams, C.L. (2018). Nursing students' knowledge about Alzheimer's disease. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 8(11):83-91. Read publication
  • Wiese, L., Williams, C.L. (2018). An Appalachian perspective of Alzheimer’s disease: A rural health nurse opportunity, Online Journal of Rural Nursing and Health Care: The Official Journal of the Rural Nurse Organization, 18(1), 180-209. Read publication
  • Abbott, L. S., & Williams, C. L., Slate, E. Gropper, S. (2018). Promoting heart health among rural African Americans. Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 33(1), e8-e14 Read publication
  • Williams, C.L., Newman, D., Marmstål Hammar, L.M. (2018). Preliminary study of a communication intervention for family caregivers and spouses with dementia. International Journal for Geriatric Psychiatry, 33(2), e343-e349. doi: 10.1002/gps.4816
  • Wiese, L.K., Williams, C.L., Tappen, R. M. & Newman, D. (2017). Alzheimer’s disease knowledge and health literacy in rural residents of Florida and West Virginia. Innovation in Aging, 1; Issue suppl_1, 1352. Read publication
  • Rahemi, Z., & Williams, C. L., Tappen. G., Engström, G. (2017). Health-related decisions for serious illness among ethnically diverse older adults. Advances in Nursing Science, 41(1),1-14. doi: 10.1097/ANS.0000000000000192
  • Wiese, L. K., Williams, C.L., Tappen, R.M., Newman, D., Rosselli, M. (2017). Assessment of basic knowledge about Alzheimer’s disease: A pilot test of a new measure. Journal of Nursing Measurement, 25(3), 519-548. doi.org/10.1891/1061-3749.25.3.519.
  • Williams, C.L., Newman, D., Marmstål Hammar, L.M. (2017). Preliminary psychometric properties of the Verbal and Nonverbal Interaction Observational Measure for communication in persons with dementia. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 5, 381-390. Read publication
  • Sullivan, G., Williams, C. (2017). Older adult transitions into long–term care: A meta–synthesis, Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 43(3), 41-41. doi:10.3928/00989134-20161109-07
  • Williams, C.L., Tappen, R.M., Wiese, L., Corbett, M. Newman, D., Pinos, S., Curtis, B., Murray, B. (2016). Stress in persons with dementia: Benefits of a memory center day program. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing 30, 531-538 Read publication
  • Molinari, V., Hobday, J., Roker, R., Kunik, M. Kane, R.A., Kaas, M., Mehrotra, C., Williams, C., Robbins, J.C., & Dobbs, D. (2016). Impact of Serious Mental Illness Online Training for Certified Nursing Assistants in Long Term Care, Gerontology and Geriatrics Education, 38(4), 359-374. Read publication
  • Wiese, L. K., & Williams, C. L. (2015). Annual cognitive assessment for older adults: Update for nurses. Journal of Community Health Nursing, 32(4), 187-198. Read publication
  • Gall-Ojurongbe, S., Williams, C.L. (2015). Improving psychiatric nurses detection of neuroleptic malignant syndrome. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 36(8), 649-654. Read publication
  • Abbott, L. S., & Williams, C. L. (2015). Influences of social determinants of health on African Americans living with HIV in the rural southeast: A qualitative metasynthesis. Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, 26(4), 340–356, doi:10.1016/j.jana.2015.03.004
  • Chiang-Hanisko, L., Williams, C.L., Newman, D., Tappen, R.M (2015). Medication use among ethnically diverse older adults in the United States. Research in Gerontological Nursing, 8(6), 273-285. doi: 10.3928/19404921-20150429-01.
  • Williams, C. (2015). Maintaining caring relationships in spouses affected by Alzheimer’s disease. International Journal of Human Caring, 19(3), 12-17.

See the following Link

Honors/Awards

  • 2013 Florida Atlantic University, Excellence in Graduate Mentoring Award
  • 2013 FloridaNurse.com Nursing Excellence Regional Winner in the Education and Mentorship category
  • 2010-2014 Ronald and Elizabeth Blake Distinguished Professor in Nursing, Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing
  • 2007 Mentor Award, Beta Tau Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau International
  • 2007-09 Mentor for Tamika Sanchez-Jones, PhD
  • Claire M. Fagin/John A. Hartford Foundation/Atlantic Philanthropies Postdoctoral Fellowship
  • 2005 Finalist in the Mentoring category for Nursing Spectrum's Nursing Excellence Awards Program
  • 2004 Elected Fellow in the Gerontological Society of America
  • 2002 William R. Johnson Most Valuable Mentor Award - Florida Education Fund's McKnight Doctoral Fellowship Program
  • 2002-4 Faculty mentor for doctoral student Charles Buscemi, ARNP, Hartford Foundation "Building Academic Geriatric Nursing Capacity Scholar's Program".
  • 2001-3 Faculty mentor for doctoral student Tamika Sanchez, RN, MBA, MSN. Hartford Foundation "Building Academic Geriatric Nursing Capacity Scholar's Program".
  • 2001 Distinguished Lecturer Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.
  • 2000 Instructional Advancement Grant, "Improving Nursing Teaching/Learning Strategies" University of Miami
  • 1999 James M. McLamore Summer Research Award, University of Miami
  • 1997 Mentee, VA, VISN 8, HSR&D Development Project, Department of Veterans Affairs, $2,100
  • 1995 South Florida Nursing Research Society Award
  • 1995 University of Miami, General Research Support Award 1995 Instructional Advancement Grant, "Improving Knowledge About Older Adults in Health and Illness", May, University of Miami
  • 1991 Sabbatical, Saint Anselm College, Spring semester
  • 1986 Saint Anselm College Summer Research Grant
  • 1986-91 Division of Nursing Grant "Improving Gerontological Nursing Education": Selected as one of five faculty member experts to receive release time for independent study, self-directed clinical experiences, and attendance at national conferences in gerontology.
  • 1971-1973 Traineeship, National Institute of Mental Health

Education