The 2024 Florida Nurses Association (FNA) Membership Assembly, held November 20–22 at the Marriott Hutchinson Island Resort, brought together nurses and healthcare professionals from across Florida. Centered around the theme, Safeguarding Nurses: Creating a Path to Healthy Workspaces, the event…

President’s Message Marie O. Etienne, DNP, APRN, FNP, PNP, D. Min. (h.c.), PLNC, FADNL On my way to a workshop on Artificial Intelligence (AI), at my academic institution, someone stopped me by the elevator asking about my position as President…

Nurses are the backbone of our healthcare system, playing a critical role in improving patient outcomes and community well-being. Their work extends beyond administering care; it embodies advocacy for the health and dignity of every individual they serve. Yet, many…

Focus on Foundation George Byron Peraza-Smith George Peraza-Smith has served many roles in his tenure with the Florida Nurses Association including President and most recently Treasurer. George has served as President of the Foundation for a second time and will…

Meredith Fischer, BSN, RN, CHPN Over the summer, a friend’s elderly father underwent resuscitation and intubation because his nursing facility could not locate his Do Not Resuscitate Order (DNRO) or Advanced Directive (AD). These aggressive interventions caused significant distress and…

Deborah Hogan, MPH, BSN, RN The rates of maternal and infant mortality in the United States are extremely high. In a Commonwealth Fund report, the maternal mortality rate for in the United States is higher than any of the fourteen…

Introduction Three years ago, I had pleasure of interviewing Olive Tengera, Head of the Midwifery Department at the University of Rwanda, recipient of the American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM) Pederson Award. This year, I attended the International Confederation of…

In today’s tumultuous political climate, many are tempted to disengage, weary of the endless debates. But for nurses, this is not the time to step back. It is a time to stand together and ensure our voices remain strong in…

Gabriela Brito, DNP, MSN, RN, AACRN, DNS-CT With just five years left to meet the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ “Ending the HIV Epidemic” 2030 goals, the role of nursing has never been more critical. Nurses stand at…

Kaitlin Jordan | FNA Director of Member Programs, Technology, and Marketing Last year, I witnessed the nursing profession from a deeply personal perspective—at my father’s bedside in the ICU, and later, in hospice care. Though I have spent eight years…

Message from the Executive Director Willa Fuller, RN With the negative labeling of issues related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), it is important to highlight the concepts within DEI as they relate to every human being interacting in society…