I am Mackenzie Simmons, the newly elected Early Career Director of the Florida Nurses Association. I am honored to take on this role as I lift the voices of early career nurses within FNA. As an early career nurse, I understand the challenges and silent struggles many nurses face as they join the profession and adapt to high-stakes environments. 

My goal is to partner with new nurses to provide the resources needed to succeed during those first few years. Your first years in nursing can be challenging but not impossible. Our influence is vital to shaping the future of nursing as we bring in fresh ideas, an eagerness to learn and grow, diverse backgrounds, and technological innovation and savviness. I will advocate for new and creative resources that will aid in mastering prioritization and time management, navigating effective communication strategies with providers, patients and families, and other interdisciplinary team members, preventing burnout and understanding the importance of self-care, and shaping future leaders. 

I also plan on bringing new and exciting events such as another Early Career Bootcamp! Early career nurses will become the future of the profession; thus, I want to empower new nurses to get involved in their unit, hospital, and FNA. I believe that all nurses deserve to not just survive through those rough shifts but to thrive. I want to connect seasoned and developing nurses by fostering supportive professional communities because I understand the importance of uniting all generations of nurses despite our differences.

I am excited for this year and the future of nursing. I look forward to connecting with you