Happy December and welcome to our monthly newsletter! The Florida Center for Nursing is closing out 2023 with the release of a new report and exciting plans for the next quarter. See the "Florida's Nursing Workforce Supply by County" supplemental report, an upcoming report release, and more in our newsletter below. Happy holidays and we'll see you in 2024!

On November 8, 2023, Florida Center for Nursing Executive Director Rayna Letourneau, PhD, RN presented to and fielded questions from the House Healthcare Regulation Subcommittee in Tallahassee. Dr. Letourneau presented findings from FCN’s “The State of the Nursing Workforce in Florida” report. For the full recording of the Subcommittee session, click the link below. You can find Dr. Letourneau's presentation starting at 35:21.

Florida’s Nursing Workforce Supply by County

The Florida Center for Nursing has released a supplement to "The State of the Nursing Workforce in Florida" which takes a deeper dive into the supply data. “Florida’s Nursing Workforce Supply by County” provides a summary of the supply of nurses for each county in Florida. Nursing workforce characteristics at the county level are compared to the state and national workforce characteristics. Additionally, the county level nursing demographic characteristics are compared to state and national population characteristics per the U.S. Census Bureau. This report sheds new light on the extent to which the demography of the nursing workforce matches the communities they serve.

Click on the "See the Report" button below or click on the report cover image to view and download a digital copy of the report.

Upcoming Report Release

The FCN will release the 2022 - 2023 "Nursing Education Program Report" later this month. This report will provide information about Florida’s nursing programs’ capacity, enrollment, graduates, and demographic data that potentially contribute to the state’s nursing workforce. The FCN’s nursing education and workforce research is used to strategically and innovatively address the issues of nursing supply and demand to meet the needs of the people of Florida.

Florida Center for Nursing staff traveled across the state to execute the FCN's mission this past month. Members of the FCN attended the Association of Practical Nurse Educators of Florida (APNEF) Business Meeting and Fall Workshop in Lake County, the House Healthcare Regulation Subcommittee session in Tallahassee, the Florida Organization for Nursing Leadership (FONL) Annual Conference and Membership Meeting in Orlando, and organized the first Prelicensure Professional Networking Program (PPNP) event with Sarasota Memorial Hospital at Keiser University in Sarasota.

If you were not able to engage with us at these events, connect with us by scanning the QR code or by clicking the graphic below.

The Florida Center for Nursing continues to pilot the Prelicensure Professional Networking Program to address transition shock. On November 6, the FCN connected nursing students at Keiser University Sarasota with experienced nurses from Sarasota Memorial Health Care System. The pilot program aims to facilitate networking, foster mentorship opportunities, and provide valuable insights into the nursing profession to prepare nursing students for their future careers.

Florida Center for Nursing Executive Director Rayna Letourneau, PhD, RN was quoted in a SunSentinel article on the newly released ratings from the Leapfrog Group regarding patient safety in South Florida hospitals. See the full article by clicking here.

Data from the Florida Center for Nursing's "The State of the Nursing Workforce in Florida" report was featured in Florida Trend's recent article on the nursing workforce. View the full article here by clicking here.

Our newest continuing education activity, "Shaping the Future: Becoming Nursing Faculty" is designed to help Florida nurses translate their clinical experience and expertise to academia. If you've ever wondered what nursing faculty do and how they have an impact on the future of nursing, this program is for you! See what roles and responsibilities nursing faculty take on and how they help prepare nursing students for their rewarding careers.

This activity is free to all nurses licensed to practice in the State of Florida! It's an online and asynchronous program so you can participate whenever and wherever you want. Click on the View the Program button below or on the image above for more information and registration!

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. See more about the Florida Center for Nursing by clicking the button below!