Florida State University Panama City has named Stacey VanDyke, DNP, CRNA, as program administrator for the Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia program.
VanDyke is director of the Nurse Anesthesia Clinical Residency Training Program at Eglin Hospital. She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2013.
“Dr. VanDyke has proven herself as a distinguished educator,” Interim Dean Randy Hanna said. “Throughout her nursing and military career, she has demonstrated strong leadership and organizational skills that will be a great asset to our nurse anesthesia students.”
VanDyke will retire as a lieutenant colonel from the Air Force this fall.
“I’m looking forward to the challenge,” VanDyke said of her transition to civilian education. “This is an incredible university with great students and a lot of room to grow. This is an amazing community, and I want to see us become a bigger part of it.”
Since joining the U.S. Air Force in 1996, VanDyke has been a clinician and educator both nationally and abroad. In 2009, she served in Balad, Iraq, leading eight anesthesia providers, training Special Forces medics in advanced airway techniques and providing trauma care to more than 250 patients.
Upon receiving her master’s degree in nursing from the Uniformed Services University in 2006, she was the recipient of the Agatha Hodgins’ award, the highest honor bestowed on a graduating nurse anesthesia student. She earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Jacksonville State University in 1994.
She has also worked as an adjunct instructor at the Panama City campus since May.
“Stacey has established a reputation as an exceptional director and mentor, possessing a strong work ethic, great professionalism and superior leadership qualities,” said Lt. Col. Jonathan Casey, assistant site director for the Uniformed Services University RNA program at Eglin Hospital.
“She has dedicated her life to nursing,” said retired Maj. Lili Helm, CRNA. “A top-notch clinician, she has the skill and knowledge of a gifted educator and the passion for using cutting-edge research as an all-encompassing part of her day-to-day practice.”
VanDyke succeeds Ryan Shores, DNP, CRNA, who has served as interim administrator of the nurse anesthesia program this summer.
“It is with great appreciation that I thank interim administrator Dr. Ryan Shores for his service to this program,” Hanna said.