LIAISON COMMITTEE

The Liaison Committee was created with the intention to involve students with other professional nursing organizations in Florida, including but not limited to: the Florida Nursing Association (FNA), the Florida Board of Nursing (FBN), the Florida Center for Nursing (FCN), and the QUIN Council. Please note that the 2025 FNSA House of Delegates has voted to remove this committee upon the adoption of the 2026 FNSA Bylaws.

  • Liaisons represent the FNSA at committee and task force meetings for state organizations and other entities, reporting updates to the FNSA Executive Board. Travel, as approved by the FNSA Board, may be reimbursed for important in person meetings.

  • Liaisons are appointed by the FNSA President following the annual state convention. Their appointment continues for one year. Committee members are welcome to apply here at any time following the annual state convention. Their appointment continues for one year or up to six months following graduation.

  • The specific responsibilities of each liaison depend on the committee or task force in which they are assigned. All are expected to present a written or verbal report to the executive board at state meetings. They are strongly encouraged to attend all board meetings and network closely with the executive board. Most meetings are held by conference call.

    The committees and task forces change annually. No more than two liaisons per committee or task force may be appointed. Only one liaison is to attend any meeting, but liaisons may alternate or substitute at meetings.

  • FNSA Bylaws - Article XIII

    SECTION 1. "Special Liaisons to the FNSA Executive Board shall: be appointed by the President and approved by the Executive Board at any meeting of the FNSA Executive Board.
    SECTION 2. At the time of their appointment, the President will instruct Special Liaisons in the responsibilities and expectations of their appointment. These responsibilities and expectations can include:
    (a)     Attendance at meetings of other organizations.
    (b)     Written and verbal reports of attended meetings and other position-specific matters.
    (c)     Attendance at meetings of the FNSA Executive Board.
    (d)     Any other responsibilities deemed appropriate by the President.
    SECTION 3. A Special Liaison may be removed from said office by the President, with the approval of the Executive Board for any of the following reasons:
    (a)     The Special Liaison fails to perform the responsibilities of said appointment.
    (b)     The Special Liaison is found to have misrepresented FNSA in any way.
    (c)     The Special Liaison engages in inappropriate conduct or unprofessional acts while representing the FNSA Executive Board."

    • Become a FNA Student Ambassador and attend one of the many annual FNA conferences, including but not limited to: Membership Assembly, Early Career Nurse Conference, Clinical Research Conference, and more

    • Attend one of the monthly virtual FNA Early Career Nurse or Special Interest Group meetings

    • Partner with FCN and be part of the Future of Nursing Initiatives, connecting people K-12 with careers in nursing

Liaison Opportunities

  • The Florida Nursing Association serves and supports all registered nurses through professional development, advocacy, and the promotion of excellence at every level of professional nursing practice.  The Florida Nursing Association invites the FNSA liaison to attend all meetings and serve as the FNSA board representative.  This liaison also plans the student day that is held yearly at the FNA annual convention.  For more information, click here.

  • This liaison works with the FNA Bylaws committee by attending meetings and reporting back information on FNA bylaws to the FNSA board. This is an excellent way of learning the workings of the state organization. The FNA Bylaws committee is most active in a convention year (odd years).  For more information, click here.

  • The Florida Board of Nursing license, monitors, disciplines, educates and, when appropriate, rehabilitates its licensees to assure their fitness and competence in providing health care services for the people of Florida. The sole legislative purpose in enacting the Nurse Practice Act is to ensure that every nurse practicing in Florida meets minimum requirements for safe practice. It is the legislative intent that nurses who fall below minimum competency or who otherwise present a danger to the public shall be prohibited from practicing in the state of Florida.  For more information, click here.   

  • The Florida Center for Nursing was established by the Legislature with the goal of studying nursing manpower needs for the future. The Center is housed at the University of Central Florida and conducts research with the goal of projecting nursing manpower needs for the future to ensure quality care for the citizens of Florida. The Florida governor appoints the Executive Director and the members of the board. For more information, click here.

  • The Florida League for Nursing supports and implements the mission of the National League for Nursing to promote excellence in nursing education to build a strong and diverse nursing workforce to advance the nation’s health.  For more information, click here.

  • This is a two-year appointment. The person selected for this position is a voting member of this important committee, which decides what legislative representatives the Florida Nurses Association will support during elections. This liaison will distribute a survey on current legislative issues to each region so those members can express questions, comments, or concerns that could assist the liaison with their vote on the committee. These legislative issues are also posted on the FNSA website. FNSA will appoint a new incoming liaison each year, with the previous year’s liaison to continue his/her second year as an outgoing/mentor liaison.  Only one FNSA/FN-PAC liaison may vote on the committee.  For more information, click here.

  • The mission of the Quality and Unity in Nursing (QUIN) Council is to promote quality and unity for nurses and nursing in Florida through developing a strategy to communicate between the organizations key issues that affect nursing, communicate networks that foster collaboration, support for nursing in Florida, and mutual agreement on key nursing issues. The QUIN Council provides a forum for discussing major positions and focuses on moving the agenda for nursing forward through being action and outcome oriented.  For more information, click here. 

  • This liaison may choose a special interest group (SIG) from the Florida Nurses Association and will attend their meetings and report back to the FNSA board on how FNSA can partner with this professional group.  For more information, click here.

Committee Chairperson: Ynden Lizardo (University of Florida) - FNSA President

Members

Ifeadi Ofokansi (AdventHealth University - Orlando) - FNSA Region 1 Director, FCN Liaison

COMMITTEE MEMBER APPLICATION