Debbie Cestaro-Seifer, MS, RN

Nursing has opened many doors for me and allowed me to work with a multitude of professionals committed to providing exemplary health care to individuals across the life span.    As a graduate of the Duke University School of Nursing, I accepted a position at Rush Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center's pediatric intensive care unit in Chicago, Illinois.  Two years later, I realized that I wanted more in-depth training in caring for children with significant health challenges and I applied for and received a Federal Health Traineeship grant to attend the University of Illinois.  After graduating with an MS in pediatric nursing, I immediately accepted a joint practice position teaching graduate and undergraduate nursing students and coordinating the inpatient and outpatient peritoneal dialysis and renal transplant programs at Rush.

In 1986, I move to North Caroline where I developed my role as a nurse consultant working with children with developmental disabilities and their families.  I moved to the state of Tennessee in 1989 and began working at East Tennessee State University (ETSU) in the Education and Child Development Division.  Several years later I was chosen to be the regional coordinator for a federally funded state program supporting the needs of young children requiring early intervention services.  It was during this 10 year time period that I began to engage in research activities that led me to be a presenter at many conferences throughout Tennessee.

In 1994, I decided to reconnect with hospital nursing and took on the challenge of developing a pulmonary rehabilitation program to meet the health care needs of children and adults with chronic pulmonary disease in Upper East Tennessee.  Also at this time, I joined the ETSU School of Nursing as an adjunct faculty member in the Community Health Program.  For the next 10 years I focused on pulmonary rehabilitation, pulmonary disease management and clinical research activities.  I was fortunate to be able to work with a variety of health professionals including physical, respiratory, occupational and speech therapists, exercise physiologists, nutritionists, nurses and physicians.  I also worked in the area of tobacco intervention and co-created the Health Status Improvement Program (HIP), which is now a nationally recognized disease management program.

Upon moving to the island of St. Croix in 2005, I conducted pulmonary function and exercise testing to help individuals in the Territory manage significant breathing impairments.  I began working as a part-time instructor of nursing at UVI in the fall of 2006.  Also, in May of 2006, I became a program specialist and faculty member of the Florida/Caribbean AIDS Education and Training Center (AETC).  I am a board member of the Virgin Islands Community AIDS Resource & Education, Inc. (VICARE) which is an organization focused on HIV and AIDS prevention activities, including improving access to confidential and rapid HIV testing.

On a personal note, I am also a registered yoga instructor and licensed massage therapist.  Life is best when the body and the mind are balanced.  Through nursing and the complementary therapies of yoga and massage, I am albo to provide interventions that can be instrumental in maintaining health and wellness.  I am passionate about assisting all individuals adapt, improvise and overcome the physical and psychological obstacles to create balance in their lives and the best quality of life possible.  As an educator, I am committed to helping student focus on the nursing process and the execution of research that supports proactive physical and psychological wellness.