Nursing Profiles

Donna M.

Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Nursing Educator

From my earliest recollections, I wanted to be a nurse. Today, I cherish nursing as a gift given to me. It is more than a profession. I was born to be a nurse. Perhaps, it is my Irish blood. A nurse is who I am, much more than what I do.

I grew up in Hartford, Connecticut, and volunteered at Mount Sinai Hospital. Later, I attended nursing school and found my “home” on the pediatric floor. Over the years, I developed a deep passion for working with children and adults with disabilities.

My daughter, Lauren, was born in 1986. Ironically, I learned that she would be one of the countless children I had cared for. Lauren is mentally disabled and autistic.

The flexibility in nursing has allowed me to care for my daughter and practice in many roles: home care, community health, camps, and education. Today, I teach at Florida Atlantic University.

In 1996, I completed a Doctoral degree. I studied nursing students with disabilities. Shortly after, I created a nonprofit organization for nurses and students with disabilities called www.ExceptionalNurse.com and wrote the book “Nursing Students with Disabilities Change the Course.” Looking back on a long and diverse career, I wouldn’t change a thing!