THE
FLORIDA
NURSE
Volume 71 • No. 3 August 2023
OFFICIAL BULLETIN OF THE FLORIDA NURSES FOUNDATION
Quarterly publication direct mailed to approximately 10,000 Registered Nurses and delivered electronically via email to 310,000+ Registered Nurses in Florida
President’s Message
INSIDE
Janice Adams, DNP, MPA, BSN President FNA
Recognizing, Treating, and Preventing Heat Emergencies Pages 18-19
South Region 13th Annual Nurses Association Symposium and Awards Ceremony Pages 21-22
Summer is in full swing, isn’t it? Just step outside and you have no doubt! Please stay safe and take care of yourself and others during this time of extreme heat in Florida. As I look back over the past two years as your President, I am happy to report that FNA has experienced a very productive 2022-2023. Last June, FNA partnered with the Florida Center for Nursing and the Nursing Action Coalition of Florida to present Conversations with a Purpose: Nursing Workforce Strategies and Solutions. This presentation from experts in our state reported many workforce solutions to assist in retaining nurses in the profession. We had a very rewarding discussion about solutions, innovations, nursing education changes to increase the workforce, and self-care opportunities. The conversation continues today with multiple meetings and webinars with the Florida Hospital Association, the Florida Center for Nursing and FNA to share information and find solutions. FNA recently held a webinar discussing Workplace Violence that was highly attended. Many great ideas and plans came out of this meeting. Last September we returned to our first in-person Membership Assembly at the Mission Inn just outside of Orlando with over 120 attendees. It was wonderful to see everyone, and we proudly welcomed many members to their very first Assembly! Our theme was Empowering Nurses: Leading Change. We continued to center on how to Regain, Retain and Reconnect with nurses. We have maintained that focus and held several Town Hall discussions and webinars focusing on resilience and self-care. In December 2022, a proposal was sent to the Board of Directors to build a pathway for LPNs to join FNA. Executive Director, Willa Fuller, sent out a
survey request to LPNs in the state regarding interest in joining our organization. More to come on the findings. FNA continues to support our state student nurses association, FNSA, over the years. This organization has grown and now has over 3642 members in the state. They are our future and continue to do excellent work planning their own state convention in October. This group has an active board of directors that are laser focused on growing their organization. Excellent work to Kelly York, RN, President FNSA and her team. We are so proud of your work. Our members are the reason we continue offering educational opportunities, advocating for nursing in Florida, and looking for ways to relieve the stress while we continue to up the volume of our voice. This legislative year, FNA partnered with our operating room and surgical nurses lead by Sandra Falk to educate our legislators regarding the health hazards of surgical smoke and the FNA Legislative Platform. Several OR nurses, Sandra Falk, WCEN Director, Meghan Moroney and I traveled to Tallahassee multiple times to testify at the House and Senate Committee meetings. Though we received 100% of the vote in both the House and Senate, the bill was not heard in the final committee. Though disappointed, that did not deter us or our lobbying team. We will move forward with planning for 2024! FNA continues to support our mission to advance the profession of nursing and promote a healthy Florida. We continue to support our membership via Nurse Advocacy, Member Services, Nurse Development & Support, Public and Professional Awareness, Professional Unity, and Organizational Excellence. FNA has many ways for our members to get involved. We need your involvement to make our voice even louder. It has been my pleasure to serve as your President for the past two years. I look forward to seeing you at the 2023 FNA Membership Assembly on September 20-22 in St. Augustine, FL.
2
Notes from the Executive Director
14
ANA News
Pages 23
3
News from Headquarters
15
Special Interest Groups
5
Focus on the Foundation
15
Nursing Community
6
FNPAC
6
2023 Calendar of Events
current resident or
Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage Paid Princeton, MN Permit No. 14
CONTENT
Call To FNA Membership Assembly
16 Workplace Bullying in Nursing: Addressing the Issue for Healthy Work Environment
7-9
Region News
17
Focus on Recent Grads
10
Student Forum
17
Member Spotlight
10
LERC News
11
Legislative Update
18-19 Recognizing, Treating, and Preventing Heat Emergencies
11
State Healthcare Professionals Unit
20-23
12-14
Welcome New FNA Members
Event Highlights