Happy National Nurses Month, and welcome to the monthly newsletter! This month, the Florida Center for Nursing is seeking applications for the Well-Being Advisory Board, kicking off a Community Engagement Tour, and launching Season Two of the Frontline Nursing podcast.

National Nurses Month

Happy National Nurses Month! May 6-12 is National Nurses Week, but the celebration continues the entire month.

The American Nurses Association has chosen the theme "Nurses Make the Difference" for 2024. While that is true all year, this recognition month offers a reminder for the many people who receive quality care from nurses throughout their lives.

May 12 is also International Nurses Day, celebrated across the world. The theme: “Our nurses. Our future. The economic power of care."

Throughout National Nurses Month, Florida Center for Nursing will post additional inspiring videos like these from nurses across the state. Follow us on social media so you don't miss them.

Today, the FCN announced a new Well-Being Advisory Board (FCN-WAB), now seeking applications for membership. The state-wide, multidisciplinary board will offer recommendations on policy matters related to the well-being of current and future nurses in Florida.

FCN-WAB membership will consist of nurses, other health care professionals, consumers, and representatives of business and industry.

Click the image above or visit flcntr.org/FCNWAB to learn more.

This month marks the first stop on the Florida Center for Nursing's Community Engagement Tour. On May 21, 2024 at 10am, the FCN team will visit Indian River State College in Fort Pierce, FL. Participants can choose to attend in person or virtually. Visit flcntr.org/CETSE or click the image above to register.

The Community Engagement Tour is an opportunity for healthcare leaders to hear directly from the community about issues impacting healthcare. After the inaugural workshop in the Southeast region, FCN has planned stops in the seven other nursing regions throughout Florida: Northwest, North Central, Northeast, East Central, West Central, Southwest, and South. Sign up here to be notified of further details.

Today, Florida Center for Nursing is relaunching the Frontline Nursing podcast, hosted by FCN Executive Director Rayna Letourneau, PhD, RN. The podcast recognizes the impact nurses have on our lives and our communities. The first episode of Season 2 features Willa Fuller, Executive Director of the Florida Nurses Association.

Season 2 Episode 2 will feature Jamie Roberts, LPN, a pediatric triage nurse and home health nurse. Future guests include Kasey Pacheco, BSN, RN, Executive Director of Nurses in Charge, and Dr. Lisandra Sorrentino, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC, Associate Professor, College of Central Florida.

Subscribe now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

If you are interested in appearing as a guest, click the button below or email frontlinenursing@usf.edu.

The 2024 National Nursing Workforce Survey is underway. Each year, the National Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers partners with the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) to conduct the only national-level survey specifically focused on the U.S. nursing workforce. 

Nurses are randomly selected, and participation is important. This input will generate information critical to workforce planning, and ensure a safe and effective health care system. Florida nurses who participate will help ensure the state is represented in this nationwide survey.

FCN Executive Director Rayna Letourneau, PhD, RN, was interviewed for two articles in the April edition of Florida Trend:

In the cover story, "From Bedside to C-suite," Dr. Letourneau spoke about the importance of having nurses as hospital leaders.

Dr. Letourneau and research from the FCN were also featured in editor Amy Keller's article, "Nursing: The Faculty Famine."

On May 12, 1820, Florence Nightingale was born in Florence, Italy. Known as "the Lady with the Lamp," the pioneering British nurse laid the groundwork for modern nursing with her sanitation practices in Crimea as well as her work as a statistician. The International Council of Nurses honors this day with the celebration of International Nurses Day each year. Florence Nightingale died August 13, 1910.

If you have suggestions for future history profiles or general feedback about the newsletter, please let us know.

About the Florida Center for Nursing

The FCN is guided by statutory requirements, Florida statutes §464.0195 and §464.0196, and serves the entire state of Florida. Click the button below to learn more about the Florida Center for Nursing.