Brenice Duroseau

Brenice Duroseau, MSN, FNP-C, RNC-OB, AAHIVS is the recipient of the M. Elizabeth Carnegie Scholarship. She is currently a 2nd year PhD student at Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, focusing on community informed interventions to enrich the sexual reproductive health of Black women, while simultaneously makings strides to end the HIV epidemic, through culturally appropriate treatment and prevention efforts.

Brenice received her Bachelor’s in Biology with a minor in Psychology from Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) in 2010. At CCSU she founded a student club called Student Health Advisory Council (SHAC), which aimed to bridge gaps between student health needs, improve health literacy among students, and advance access to and engagement with student health center resources. During her time as the founder and president, she worked closely with the medical director, Dr. Diamond, and a nurse practitioner, Patricia Zapatka, who inspired her to pursue nursing. Upon graduation, Brenice enrolled in and graduated from a hospital-based nursing program at Bridgeport Hospital School of Nursing (BHSN) in 2011. BHSN has since entered a collaborative agreement with the University of Bridgeport (UB) to transition from a diploma nursing program to a baccalaureate degree in nursing (BSN). After several years working as a registered nurse (RN) within the Yale New Haven Health System, Brenice obtained her BSN from Western Governors University (WGU) in 2016. That same year she enrolled in a master's in nursing (MSN) program at Sacred Heart University (SHU), which she completed in 2018.

Early on in her career as a family nurse practitioner she assisted with setting up a Ryan White Clinic in Stamford, CT, where she served as a primary care/infectious diseases provider for underserved, uninsured, and underinsured people living with HIV who meet the criteria for Ryan White services. A portion of her time, not paid by Ryan White funding, was allocated to prevention services (PrEP and sexual health screenings). In addition to her clinical practice, she was nominated as the chairperson on the Getting to Zero/Ending the Epidemic Committee in Fairfield, County, where she took a collaborative and community centered approach to strategize ways to end the HIV/AIDs epidemic.

After recognizing patterns among her patients and identifying significant factors contributing to disproportionate rates of HIV and STI acquisition, she enrolled in a PhD program where she is currently actively involved in three research residencies: 1. A qualitative study examining strengths/weaknesses of navigator-patient component of the Getting to Zero initiative at a Baltimore ID clinic. 2. A mixed method study with older women living with HIV to assess their awareness of cervical and breast cancer risks and screening requirements. The data will help develop an intervention that will increase awareness and uptake of essential screenings (mammograms and PAP tests). 3. A NIH funded clinical trial connecting Black women who experience IPV to community-based PrEP services in Baltimore.

Obtaining a PhD will offer Brenice the opportunity to meet her goals of bridging clinical practice and research/academia to support her commitment to health equity, nurse leadership, mentorship, and education.

• Brenice received an official Notice of Award (NOA) from the NIH for an R36 dissertation grant. This funding is a significant milestone and will support her dissertation project and allow her to still get a stipend to contribute towards living expenses.
• Brenice has successfully passed her preliminary oral examinations and has submitted her proposal to the IRB for approval. While there were minor edits required, this step marks a significant advancement in her doctoral journey—ABD/candidacy status!
• Beyond the NIH funding, she has also been awarded a small grant from the Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) and a grant from the International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health (ISSWSH). These grants will assist in participant recruitment and direct research costs, further supporting her dissertation work.

Brenice wanted to share these milestones to express her sincere thanks for the role Nurses Educational Funds and the M. Elizabeth Carnegie Scholarship have played in her achievements. NEF's support has not only facilitated her academic endeavors but also inspired her to strive for excellence in her research and future career. Finally, she is overjoyed to witness the continued support for Black nurses through this scholarship.
She had the pleasure of connecting with and offering her congratulations to Jessica A. Arter, MSN, RN, the 2023-2024 recipient of this scholarship, on LinkedIn. It's inspiring to see the legacy of equity, allyship, and opportunity being upheld and extended within our community.