Frontline Nursing

In this episode, Dr. Lisandra Sorrentino, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC, speaks with Frontline Nursing host and FCN Executive Director Rayna Letourneau, PhD, RN, about the health care challenges in rural communities, the importance of communication for nurses, and preparing future nurses as a nurse educator.
Dr. Lisandra Sorrentino is a dedicated nursing professional with a rich background in clinical practice and education. She earned her Accelerated BSN from the University of Florida in 2012, followed by her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree in 2016. Dr. Sorrentino's clinical experience spans various specialties, including Medical/Surgical Pediatrics, Pediatric Cardiovascular ICU, and Primary Care, where she served as a nurse practitioner.

Transitioning into the realm of education, Dr. Sorrentino has excelled as a nurse educator for over five years. She has taught in Associate Degree programs and online RN-BSN programs, demonstrating her commitment to shaping the next generation of nurses.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Dr. Sorrentino finds joy in her personal life. She is happily married and a proud mother of four boys, aged 8, 5, 4, and 1. Despite her busy schedule, she maintains a vibrant lifestyle, engaging in activities like running, cycling, yoga, reading, and dancing.

Dr. Sorrentino's passion lies in mentoring and supporting nursing students at all stages of their journey. She believes in meeting students where they are and empowering them to achieve their fullest potential. Her enthusiasm for nursing education reflects her desire to inspire and nurture the very best in her students.

Links

Find us on social media

The Florida Center for Nursing

The Florida Center for Nursing is established to research and address issues of supply and demand for nursing, including issues of recruitment, retention, and utilization of nurse

The vision of the Florida Center for Nursing is to ensure that the health care needs of the residents and visitors of Florida are met by a competent and sufficient nursing workforce.

The Florida Center for Nursing is proudly headquartered at the University of South Florida College of Nursing.

Once a Nurse, Always a Nurse - Francine Bono-Neri, PhD, RN, APRN, PNP

Frontline Nursing

01/08/25 • 47 min

Nurses United Against Human Trafficking

This episode features Florida Center for Nursing Executive Director Rayna Letourneau, PhD, RN, in conversation with Francine Bono-Neri, PhD, RN, APRN, PNP. Dr. Bono-Neri discusses her work fighting human trafficking and her refusal to fail another victim.

Francine Bono-Neri, PhD, RN, APRN, PNP is a pediatric nurse practitioner, academic nurse educator, trained sexual assault nurse examiner, researcher, published author, invited speaker, and nurse leader. She served as a Director-at-Large for the American Nurses Association for the State of New York, and as President for the Long Island Chapter of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. Dr. Bono-Neri is the recipient of the prestigious 2019 Jane Eleanor Knox N.E.F. National Scholarship. As a way of giving back, she has established a scholarship in perpetuity through N.E.F., The Francine Bono-Neri Scholarship, which will be awarded annually to a master’s or doctoral nursing student pursuing clinical expertise or scholarly work in the area of human trafficking and anti-trafficking measures. Dr. Bono-Neri was awarded a Nassau County Legislature Citation and was recognized at the United Nations, receiving the 2024 Inspiring Global Nurse Award and the 2024 International Ceca Award. She was selected to be inducted as a Fellow into the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN) this upcoming Fall. Dr. Bono-Neri is the Co-founder and President of Nurses United Against Human Trafficking, P.A., a global professional association created for the sole purpose of combatting modern-day slavery by educating, equipping, and empowering healthcare professionals on human trafficking and anti-trafficking measures.

Links

Find FCN on social media

The Florida Center for Nursing

The Florida Center for Nursing is established to research and address issues of supply and demand for nursing, including issues of recruitment, retention, and utilization of nurse

The vision of the Florida Center for Nursing is to ensure that the health care needs of the residents and visitors of Florida are met by a competent and sufficient nursing workforce.

The Florida Center for Nursing is proudly headquartered at the University of South Florida College of Nursing.

Nursing in the Military - Major Isis Rosario and Captain Andrea Tosi

Frontline Nursing

11/11/24 • 40 min

US Army Cadet Command 6th Brigade

Two military nurses join the discussion for this episode, Major Isis Rosario, BSN, RN, 66C, 66G, AN, and Captain Andrea Tosi, BSN, RN, CCRN, AN. The guests talk about the importance of mentorship and the differences and similarities between military and civilian nursing.

Major Isis Rosario enlisted in the Army in 2007 as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). Demonstrating a commitment to her professional development, Major Rosario pursued further education through the Army Enlisted Commissioning Program. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Wayland Baptist University and was subsequently commissioned as an Army officer. Major Rosario began her nursing career as a Medical-Surgical nurse on a telemetry step-down unit, later specializing as a Labor and Delivery Nurse. After five years in Labor and Delivery, Major Rosario decided to further specialize by obtaining certification as a Behavioral Health Nurse. She has continued to excel in her military and nursing careers, taking on a leadership role as the Officer in Charge of an inpatient behavioral health unit at Fort Belvoir, VA. Major Rosario currently serves as the Nurse Counselor for the 6th Brigade station at Fort Hunger, Georgia.

Captain Andrea Tosi earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing with a Minor in Military Science from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, AZ, in 2016 and commissioned through ROTC in the Army Nurse Corps. She was activated during the COVID-19 pandemic to support Joint Task Force Civilian Support in Knoxville, TN at University of Tennessee Medical Center (Sep-Oct 2021) and Urban Augmentation Medical Task Force in Riverside, CA, at Riverside University Health System (Jan-Feb 2021). Captain Tosi maintains national certification for Critical Care Nurse through American Association of Critical Care Nurses. She is the Knowledge Management Officer for Female Mentoring and Morale Program through United States Army Cadet Command.

Links

Find us on social media

The Florida Center for Nursing

The Florida Center for Nursing is established to research and address issues of supply and demand for nursing, including issues of recruitment, retention, and utilization of nurse

The vision of the Florida Center for Nursing is to ensure that the health care needs of the residents and visitors of Florida are met by a competent and sufficient nursing workforce.

The Florida Center for Nursing is proudly headquartered at the University of South Florida College of Nursing.

The Long Haul: Meet Kerri, a nurse with 27 years of experience

Frontline Nursing

03/31/22 • 10 min

Welcome to Frontline Nursing: The Long Haul. In this episode, we speak to Kerri, a nurse from Louisiana, with 27-years of experience, and learn how COVID impacted her career and her life.

The Florida Center for Nursing

The Florida Center for Nursing is established to research and address issues of supply and demand for nursing, including issues of recruitment, retention, and utilization of nurse

The vision of the Florida Center for Nursing is to ensure that the health care needs of the residents and visitors of Florida are met by a competent and sufficient nursing workforce.

The Florida Center for Nursing is proudly headquartered at the University of South Florida College of Nursing.

Giving Nurses a Voice: Emily Bloom works to make nurses' voices heard

Frontline Nursing

02/28/22 • 17 min

In this episode of Frontline Nursing, Emily Bloom, BSN, RN discusses her experiences during the pandemic that resulted in her leaving the bedside. Emily calls for action and proposes solutions to improve working conditions for nurses, which will ultimately result in higher quality and safer patient care.

The Florida Center for Nursing

The Florida Center for Nursing is established to research and address issues of supply and demand for nursing, including issues of recruitment, retention, and utilization of nurse

The vision of the Florida Center for Nursing is to ensure that the health care needs of the residents and visitors of Florida are met by a competent and sufficient nursing workforce.

The Florida Center for Nursing is proudly headquartered at the University of South Florida College of Nursing.

Meet our sister podcast: Trailblazing Nursing

Frontline Nursing

01/31/22 • 16 min

The Frontline Nursing podcast delivers episodes that provide nurses with the tools needed to navigate the challenges they face while working in the United States health care system. In this episode of Frontline Nursing, I’d like to provide you with another resource and opportunity to listen to more discussions with nurses and experts from across the world.

I’m really excited to tell you about a new nursing podcast titled Trailblazing Nursing. Trailblazing Nursing is a sister podcast of Frontline Nursing, sponsored by the University of South Florida College of Nursing and hosted by my Dean, Dr. Usha Menon. Each month, Usha will bring you a 15-minute discussion on current topics in nursing.

It's an honor to share the podcast space with strong, trailblazing, expert nurses, such as Dr. Usha Menon.

The Florida Center for Nursing

The Florida Center for Nursing is established to research and address issues of supply and demand for nursing, including issues of recruitment, retention, and utilization of nurse

The vision of the Florida Center for Nursing is to ensure that the health care needs of the residents and visitors of Florida are met by a competent and sufficient nursing workforce.

The Florida Center for Nursing is proudly headquartered at the University of South Florida College of Nursing.

Think outside the box: Dr. Lena Gould takes nursing to another level

Frontline Nursing

12/17/21 • 44 min

This episode welcomes Dr. Wallena "Lena" Gould, EdD, CRNA, FAANA, FAAN. Dr. Gould talks to us about the challenges in becoming a nurse and the work she does to increase the diversity of the nursing profession.

The Florida Center for Nursing

The Florida Center for Nursing is established to research and address issues of supply and demand for nursing, including issues of recruitment, retention, and utilization of nurse

The vision of the Florida Center for Nursing is to ensure that the health care needs of the residents and visitors of Florida are met by a competent and sufficient nursing workforce.

The Florida Center for Nursing is proudly headquartered at the University of South Florida College of Nursing.

Has the Pandemic Impacted our Future Nurses? A Discussion with Daniela Diaz, Student Nurse

Frontline Nursing

11/19/21 • 22 min

This episode welcomes Daniela Diaz, a student nurse enrolled in the baccalaureate program at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida. Daniela tells us about her experience coming to nursing school during the global pandemic, facilitators and barriers to her academic success, and why she choses to become a Registered Nurse.

The Florida Center for Nursing

The Florida Center for Nursing is established to research and address issues of supply and demand for nursing, including issues of recruitment, retention, and utilization of nurse

The vision of the Florida Center for Nursing is to ensure that the health care needs of the residents and visitors of Florida are met by a competent and sufficient nursing workforce.

The Florida Center for Nursing is proudly headquartered at the University of South Florida College of Nursing.

Excellence in Nursing During COVID-19 and Beyond: University of South Florida and Sarasota Memorial Health Care System Collaborate

Frontline Nursing

10/29/21 • 6 min

In this episode, we present Excellence in Nursing During COVID-19 and Beyond, a program developed by the University of South Florida College of Nursing in collaboration with Sarasota Memorial Health Care System in Sarasota, Florida. We recognize that organizations must provide nurses with an environment to thrive. The Excellence in Nursing During COVID-19 and Beyond program seeks to improve the working environment for nurses facing burnout and stress as the pandemic persists. For more information, please email [email protected].

The Florida Center for Nursing

The Florida Center for Nursing is established to research and address issues of supply and demand for nursing, including issues of recruitment, retention, and utilization of nurse

The vision of the Florida Center for Nursing is to ensure that the health care needs of the residents and visitors of Florida are met by a competent and sufficient nursing workforce.

The Florida Center for Nursing is proudly headquartered at the University of South Florida College of Nursing.

‘No’ is a Complete Sentence – Even for Nurses – Jose D. Castillo, PhD, MSNA, CRNA, APRN, FAANA

Frontline Nursing

04/02/25 • 44 min

National Council of State Boards of Nursing

This episode features Jose D. Castillo, PhD, MSNA, CRNA, APRN, FAANA, in discussion with Florida Center for Nursing Executive Director Rayna Letourneau, PhD, RN, about his role as a CRNA, finding the nursing role that fits you, and asking the hard questions.

Dr. Castillo earned his PhD in Instructional Design and Technology from Keiser University in 2016. He previously completed his BSN at West Visayas State University in 1994 and his MS in Nurse Anesthesia at Wolford College in 2007. Currently, Dr. Castillo is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) practitioner in Florida and has been a full-time Nurse Anesthesia faculty member for over 16 years. In 2023, he was appointed as a tenured Associate Professor at Texas Wesleyan University.

Dr. Castillo has held several significant leadership roles, including past President of the Florida Association of Nurse Anesthesiology, recent Chair of the Florida Board of Nursing, and current President-Elect for the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. His dedication to the nursing profession has earned him the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology 2021 Ira P. Gunn Award for Outstanding Professional Advocacy and a 2024 Fellow designation. On a national level, Dr. Castillo frequently presents scholarly topics relevant to CRNAs and nursing.

Links

Florida Board of Nursing

Florida Association of Nurse Anesthesiology