Health & Physical Assessment in Nursing

Donita D'Amico, RN, M.Ed.



Donita D'Amico, a diploma nursing school graduate, earned her baccalaureate degree in nursing from William Paterson College. She earned a Master's degree in Nursing Education at Teacher's College, Columbia University with a specialization in Adult Health. Ms. D'Amico has been a faculty member at William Paterson University for more the twenty five years. Her teaching responsibilities include physical assessment, medical-surgical nursing, nursing theory, and fundamentals in the classroom, skills laboratory, and clinical settings. Donita D'Amico coauthored several textbooks. Health Assessment in Nursing and its companion clinical handbookby Sims, D'Amico, Stiesmeyer and Webster. She co-authored Comprehensive Health Assessment: A Student Workbook and Modules for Medication Administration with Dr. Colleen Barbarito. Ms. D'Amico is active in the community. Within the university, she is a charter member of the Iota Alpha Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International. She continues to serve at the chapter and state levels. She also serves as a consultant and contributor to local organizations.





Colleen Barbarito, Ed.D., RN



Colleen Barbarito received a nursing diploma from Orange Memorial Hospital School of Nursing, graduated with a baccalaureate degree from William Paterson College, and earned a Master's degree from Seton Hall University, all in New Jersey. She received her Doctor of Education from Teacher's College, Columbia University. Prior to a position in education, Dr. Barbarito's clinical experiences included medical-surgical, critical care, and emergency nursing. Dr. Barbarito has been a faculty member at William Paterson University since 1983, where she has taught physical assessment and a variety of clinical laboratory courses for undergraduate nursing students and curriculum development at the graduate level.

Dr. Barbarito co-authored two books with Donita D'Amico--Modules for Medication Administration and Comprehensive Health Assessment:A Student Workbook. She published articles on anaphylaxis in American Journal of Nursing and Coping with Allergies and Asthma. Her research includes physical assessment and a collaboration on revising a physical assessment project with results published as a brief in Nurse Educator. As a faculty member,Dr. Barbarito participated in committees to explore curricular change and to develop multimedia learning modules for critical thinking. Dr. Barbarito is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. She was an officer and serves as Faculty Advisor for the Iota Alpha Chapter at William Paterson University.