Dr. Rita Gengo

Heartfelt Dedication: Dr. Rita Gengo's Path in Cardiovascular Nursing

Dr. Rita Gengo, an assistant professor at the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, has always been captivated by the impact nurses have on patients' lives. “Witnessing their dedication firsthand during my own clinical experiences solidified my desire to contribute to the next generation of nurses,” she explained.

Inspired by a deep passion for helping others and her interest in health care, Dr. Gengo decided to pursue a career in nursing after a formative experience with her mother’s illness.

“When I was a teenager, my mother was hospitalized with meningitis,” she said.

The strict hospital rules prohibited visitation, so the mother and daughter exchanged letters to stay in touch. In her letters, Dr. Gengo’s mom shared how well she was being cared for by the nurses.

“After being discharged, she encouraged me to apply to nursing school, as she felt that nursing encompassed everything I appreciated about health care.”

During her nursing studies, an encounter with a young patient profoundly influenced her career path. The child, suffering from multiple cardiac defects and facing adoption due to her parents' absence, presented both clinical and emotional challenges.

Dr. Gengo found the case particularly impactful, stating, "Despite her inability to communicate and developmental delays, she taught me the importance of love, patience, courage, and hope in providing care." This experience motivated her to pursue a career in cardiovascular nursing, reinforcing her commitment to caring for patients with heart conditions.

As a nursing student, she also had her sights on becoming a scientist. During her sophomore year, Dr. Gengo actively sought opportunities for undergraduate research and engaged in various research projects with professionals at the renowned Heart Institute in her home country, Brazil, and with faculty at the College of Nursing at the University of São Paulo. As a result, she was a co-author of papers and posters presented at national and international conferences and published articles.

“Through these experiences, I realized my passion for both academia and bedside nursing,” she said. Upon graduating from nursing school, she decided to work at the Heart Institute while pursuing her Master's and Ph.D. in Science.

For five years, she worked as a bedside nurse, primarily in a cardiac medical-surgical unit, while conducting research for her master's dissertation. Later, she transitioned into a nurse educator role during her doctorate program.

Dr. Gengo also earned an MSN in Nursing Educator Program at Florida Atlantic and completed her post-doctoral research in the Marjory Gordon Program for Clinical Reasoning and Knowledge Development at Boston College.

Her research and leadership in nursing classifications has been recognized globally and Dr. Gengo is a fellow of NANDA-International. Her focus as a researcher is on understanding and managing distressing symptoms in cardiovascular conditions, including a focus on nursing diagnoses, interventions and outcomes.

One of her research projects, funded by the Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society of Nursing and the Christine E. Lynn Award, aims to validate the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale for use in heart failure. “We are actively recruiting participants for this study and hope to have our data analyzed by July 2025,” Dr. Gengo said.

The second project is part of the Florida Atlantic All of Us 2024 Institutional Champions Award. “In this project, I am working with a post-doctoral researcher and a Ph.D. student to explore racial/ethnic differences in predictors and outcomes of heart failure symptom clusters using the All of Us dataset,” she said. The research aims to enhance understanding of symptom management and health disparities in cardiovascular care, which has important implications for nursing practice, education and policy.

Dr. Gengo finds immense satisfaction in guiding students as they develop the knowledge, skills and compassion to excel in nursing. She fosters a collaborative and supportive learning environment where students feel comfortable asking questions and exploring their interests. She strives to provide personalized guidance and mentorship with a goal of helping students become competent nurses and compassionate caregivers.

“I am a firm believer in providing students with hands-on research experience,” she said, adding that this helps develop their critical thinking skills, deepens their understanding of the field and prepares them for future careers in research, education or clinical practice.