Ellen Abate, Department of Nursing

Dr. Ellen Abate is currently an Associate Professor for the Nursing Department and former Interim Dean for the School of Professional Studies, appointed to a tenure track line.  She comes to Western Connecticut State University (WCSU) in 2007, with 25 years of experience in nursing higher education.  Dr. Abate was previously on the nursing faculty at the State University of New York at New Paltz for 18 years; and served as the Nursing Program Director from 1999 to 2004.  At both institutions her primary teaching responsibilities included family nursing, community health nursing, health education, cultural diversity, leadership and management, nursing research, holistic nursing, palliative care, health care delivery, and professional role socialization. 

Dr. Abate clinically supervised undergraduate students in a variety of community settings including home care, schools, hospice, and outpatient clinics.  Additionally, she developed a model of family illness care and supervised RN-BS students in home visitation. As evidenced by her research, outcomes resulting from this learning methodology foster nurse competence by addressing the needs of both geriatric and pediatric patients as well as their families. This area of formal and informal care delivery is the major focus of her scholarship.

Dr. Abate received her BS in Nursing from Mount Saint Mary College; MA in Nursing from New York University; and her Ed.D. from Teacher’s College, Columbia University.