Alexandra Charles, DNP Student
A desire to serve others has guided Alexandra Charles in her path in nursing education. After completing her BSN program at the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, Alexandra is now enrolled in the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree program with a concentration in Family Practice and is expected to graduate in Fall 2025.
“I continued to pursue my advanced nursing degree at Florida Atlantic College of Nursing because the program focuses on the philosophy of Nursing as Caring by Anne Boykin and Savina Schoenhofer,” said Alexandra. “With this theory, it educates nurses to be grounded in the truth that human beings are holistic, and not only do we care for the bodies but also for the soul and the environment.” She also shared that while nursing theories and practices have evolved throughout the centuries, the caring heart of the profession remains constant.
“Caring is the foundation of who I am and what I want to incorporate in everything that I do,” she said. “It is why I chose to be a Registered Nurse (RN) and more importantly why I am choosing to be Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN).”
A BlueCross BlueShield Scholarship recipient, Alexandra hopes to make an impact by serving underprivileged populations and one day open her own clinic in the community to provide health care to unhoused residents as a Family Nurse practitioner and address the prevalence of chronic diseases.
As an undergrad, Alexandra was a member of the Student Nursing Association and even chose cultural influences in diabetic minorities, specifically Mayan Guatemalans, as her College of Nursing Honors in the Major program project, inspired by SNA members and college faculty’s trips to Guatemala.
Alexandra started working at Bethesda West Hospital as a nurse intern while getting her BSN. Now, she is a registered nurse in the medical-surgical team at the Bethesda East Hospital.
“I learn about caring science at school and can apply it at my job,” she noted.
In her free time, Alexandra also helps her mother, who is from Haiti, with her daycare business.
“She came to this country and has built her own business, instilling in me a strong work ethic and an appreciation for a good education,” she remarked. “My mother works with a diverse population of children who come from low social economic households. It is her way of giving back to the community. Her work is one of the reasons I decided to be a nurse.”
Alexandra hopes she will be able to travel to Haiti one day to help rebuild it and provide health care services to the local population.
“Health care is not just about medicine; it is also about prevention and education,” she said. “I want to help as many people as I can.”