Christina M. Amidei, MSN, RN, CNRN, CCRN, FAAN

INSTRUCTOR --
Co-advisor to SNA Chapter at UCF Orlando

Office: HPA-II (building 90), Room 241 (Map)
Phone: 407-823-3768
E-mail: camidei@mail.ucf.edu

PROFILE

College of Nursing Instructor Christina Stewart-Amidei has made substantial contributions to the field of neuroscience nursing through both practice and publication. She has maintained clinical practice for the past 34 years, 27 of which were as a neurosurgery clinical nurse specialist. As co-author of the first book to focus on stroke nursing, and author of more than 60 additional chapters, texts, and journal articles related to neuroscience nursing, she has set the course for neuroscience nursing practice.

Amidei is a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing, an elite nursing honor held by only about 1,500 nursing leaders. She is board certified in critical care and neuroscience nursing. Currently, she is working on her PhD in nursing at UCF while teaching undergraduate nursing courses.

Amidei served as Editor for the Journal of Neuroscience Nursing, where she shaped the professional body of literature in neuroscience for 20 years. The JNN Writing Excellence Award has been permanently named in her honor. Her international efforts in promoting the neuroscience nursing specialty led to an invitation to serve as the keynote speaker for the quadrennial congress of the World Federation of Neuroscience Nurses in 2005.

She has served as President of the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses, and chaired numerous committees that contributed to the neuroscience specialty. Most recently, she served as the chair for the task force charged with developing neuroscience advanced practice nursing scope and standards, building upon her previous scope and standard contributions.

Download full CV.

PUBLICATION HIGHLIGHTS

Journals
Villanueva, N., Blank-Reid, C., Stewart-Amidei, C., Cartwright, C., Haymore, J., Jones, R.W. (2008). The role of the advanced practice nurse in neuroscience nursing. Journal of neuroscience Nursing, 40(2), 119-1124.

Rosen, D., Amidei, C., Tolentino, J., Macdonald, R.L. (2007). Subarachnoid clot volume correlates with age, neurologic grade, and blood pressure. Neurosurgery, 60(2), 259-266.

Stewart-Amidei, C. (2005). Managing symptoms and side effects during brain tumor illness. Expert Reviews in Neurotherapeutics, 5, S71-S76.

Reilly, C., Amidei, C., Tolentino, J., Jahromi, B.S., Macdonald, R.L. (2004). Clot volume and clearance rate as independent predictors of vasospasm after aneurismal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Neurosurgery, 101(2), 255-261.

Macdonald, R.L., Amidei, C., Baron, J., et. al. (2003). Randomized, pilot study of intermittent pneumatic compression devices plus dalteparin versus intermittent pneumatic compression devices plus heparin for prevention of venous thromboembolism in patients undergoing craniotomy. Surgical Neurology, 59(5), 362-372; discussion 372-374.

Textbooks
Stewart-Amidei, C., Kunkel, J. (2001). AANN’s neuroscience nursing: Human responses to neurologic dysfunction. Philadelphia: Harcourt.

Bronstein, K., Stewart-Amidei, C. & Popovich, J. (1991). Promoting stroke recovery: A research based approach. St. Louis: CV Mosby.

Book Chapters
Klein, D., Stewart-Amidei, C. (2008). Nervous system alterations. In M.L. Sole, D.G. Klein, M.J. Moseley (Eds), Introduction to Critical Care Nursing, 5th edition (chapter 12). Philadelphia: Elsevier Saunders.

Sole, M.L., Desmarais, P., Amidei, C., Galura, S., LaManna, J. (2008). EVOLVE Instructor Electronic Manual for Introduction to Critical Care Nursing, 5th edition. Philadelphia: Elsevier Saunders.

Sole, M.L., Desmarais, P., Amidei, C., Galura, S., LaManna, J. (2008). EVOLVE Student Electronic Manual for Introduction to Critical Care Nursing, 5th edition. Philadelphia: Elsevier Saunders.

Stewart-Amidei, C. (2008). Management of clients with cerebral disorders. In J.M. Black, J.H. Hawks (Eds), Medical-surgical nursing, 8th edition (chapter 67). Philadelphia: Saunders.

Stewart-Amidei, C. (2008). Management of comatose of confused clients. In Medical-surgical nursing, 8th edition (chapter 68). Philadelphia: WB Saunders.

PRESENTATION HIGHLIGHTS

Neurosurgical Patient Assessment Scales: Critique and Practice Integration and Cerebral Neuromonitoring. American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Chicago, IL. April, 2008.

Positioning in the Operating Room:  Implications for Neuroscience Nurses. American Association of Neuroscience Nurses Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL. April/May, 2007. 

Complication Prevention and Management in the Neuro ICU:  An Evidence Based Perspective. American Association of Neurological Surgeons Meeting, Washington, DC. April, 2007.

AWARD HIGHLIGHTS

  • Selected as 2009 new fellow by the American Academy of Nursing (inducted November 2009)

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION HIGHLIGHTS

  • American Association of Neuroscience Nurses
  • American Association of Neuroscience Surgeons
  • American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
  • American Heart Association, International Stroke Council
  • American Nurses Association
  • Florida Nurses Association
  • National League for Nursing
  • Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society
  • Society for Neuor-Oncology

COMMUNITY SERVICE HIGHLIGHTS

  • Co-advisor, Student Nurses Association, UCF Orlando Chapter (2008-present)
  • Volunteer, American Red Cross (2005-present)
  • Reviewer, International Nursing Review (2008-present)
  • Editor, Journal of Neuroscience Nursing (1987-2007)
  • Chair, APN Scope of Practice Task Force. American Association of Neuroscience Nurses (2008-2009)
  • Member, Neuroscience Nursing Research Agenda Task Force. Neuroscience Nursing Foundation (2007-2008)
  • Member, Strategic Planning Committee of the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses (2000-2008)

EDUCATION HISTORY
MSN-Loyola University of Chicago
BSN-University of Illinois

RESEARCH INTERESTS
-Survivorship in persons with malignant brain tumors and neurological critical care topics

IN THE NEWS
06.03.09 UCF Today
05.26.09 AAN Press Release