The National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) recently approved the charter of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Broward Chapter (GFLBC), the first chapter in the history of the organization to be organized and chartered exclusively by hospice nurses. The chapter, which is open to all nursing specialties in Broward County, will voice the perspectives of nurses to the community and government leaders and will provide professional development opportunities such as creating a mentorship program to benefit rising leaders.
A long-time supporter of the NBNA, VITAS Healthcare, the nation’s leading provider of end of life care, led the effort to establish the GFLBC under the guidance of VITAS Community Liaison and Admissions Nurse Deborah Mizell and VITAS Performance Improvement Specialist Lyn Peugeot, both of who will serve as the GFLBC chapter president, and vice president respectively.
“At VITAS, we are proud to witness the start of the NBNA Greater Fort Lauderdale Broward Chapter which will provide many opportunities for nurses of all specialties throughout Broward County to further their professional and personal goals,” said Mary Zalaznik, Senior Vice President of Operations at VITAS Healthcare. “I am proud of the leadership Deborah and Lyn have shown by starting the Broward Chapter of the NBNA, and know that the organization will flourish under their watch.”
Broward County is one of the most diverse counties in Florida, with a population of various races, religions and socio-economic status. The need for a diverse workforce of professional nurses that reflect patients’ and families’ values and cultures result in a more meaningful experience for all. Mizell and Peugeot embraced the value of diversity and inclusion when planning the goals and priorities of the GFLBC chapter.
“One of the unique qualities of the GFLBC chapter is that it will reflect the face of nursing today,” says Mizell. “Therefore, our chapter comprises nurses of all races – Black, White, Caribbean and Hispanic nurses among them – and will be open to nurses of all specialties. When we advocate health care policies on behalf of our profession, we want to be able to share the insights and opinions from the diverse community of nurses in Broward County.”
“Professional development is crucial in the nursing field, and mentorship is an invaluable tool to help nurses grow and learn from their peers,” states Peugeot. “We are implementing these values into the GFLBC chapter and one of our first initiatives will be to develop a mentoring program that supports nurses with their education goals, as well as personal and professional development.”
