FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 17, 2013

Contact: Communications Office
(850) 245-4111

TALLAHASSEE—The Florida Board of Nursing announced the election of Lavigne Kirkpatrick BS, RN, as Chair, and Linda Horton, PhD, EdD, MSN, RN, JD, as Vice-Chair. Elections were held during the Board's August 2013 meeting in Orlando, Florida.

Lavigne Kirkpatrick has nearly 30 years of professional experience as a registered nurse in Florida. For the past nine years, she has been with AVOW Hospice and is now the Manager of External Affairs. Ms. Kirkpatrick has served as a Health Science Advisory Board Member for the Lorenzo Walker Institute of Technology and 1-Tech in Immokalee. She received her Associate of Arts degree from Tallahassee Community College, Associate of Science in Nursing from Broward Community College and a Bachelor of Science in Social Science from Florida State University.

Dr. Linda Horton received her associate degree in 1994, Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1996, a Master of Science in Nursing in Nursing Administration in 1999, a dual Phd/EdD in 2004, a Master of Science in Nursing in Women's Health in 2010 and a Juris Doctorate in 2012. Dr. Horton is currently working on her PhD in Educational Leadership. She belongs to Sigma Theta Tau, National League for Nursing, the Society for Simulation in Health Care (SSHC), the Florida Healthcare Simulation Alliance and the Polk County Advanced Practice Nursing Association.

The Florida Board of Nursing protects the health and safety of Florida's residents and visitors by enforcing requirements for licensure and through diligent discipline of practitioners who violate the laws of Chapters 464 and 456, Florida Statutes, and Rule Chapter 64B9, Florida Administrative Code. The legislative intent of the Nurse Practice Act is to ensure that every nurse, advanced registered nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist and certified nursing assistant practicing in the state of Florida meets minimum requirements for safe practice.

The Board's primary responsibilities are to issue licenses and to ensure that licensees who fall below minimum competency or who otherwise present a danger to the public are disciplined, which can range from restrictions to revocation. The Board also establishes and monitors continuing education of licensees to ensure their knowledge and skills remain current.

For more information, please visit the Board of Nursing's website at www.floridasnursing.gov.

The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote & improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, & community efforts.