Author: Dorron Blumberg

As a nurse serving South Florida for over 25 years, I have witnessed sweeping changes in healthcare. From changes in policy, to the rise of debilitating health conditions, nurses have always been on the front lines, managing the care that impacts our families and our communities.

Many nurses are retiring and with the aging population of South Florida, a critical nursing shortage is anticipated. Florida Atlantic University’s nursing program is responding to this call from the community to educate more nurses. Identifying a need in the community, FAU’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing has launched a new second-degree part-time track in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at FAU’s Davie campus.

The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) has issued an Accreditation with Distinction to the oncology fellowship program developed for nurse practitioners at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. This program, launched in November of 2016, was the first of its kind in Florida. It is now being recognized for its “programmatic excellence” by the ANCC Commission on Accreditation.

At VITAS Healthcare, nurses are at the core of everything we do. They’re a fundamental part of every hospice team, caring for our patients and families. Nurses are also integral to our origin: In 1978, a registered nurse, Esther Colliflower, and a Methodist minister, Hugh Westbrook, founded the hospice company that would become VITAS Healthcare.

The nursing profession has grown tremendously in the areas of respect, accountability, and impact on patient and organizational outcomes. Several significant challenges, however, must be addressed so that the difference nurses can make is fully realized and the joy and fulfillment that the practice can bring to nurses is fully appreciated.