SMH-Venice Chief Nursing Officer Named a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing

The American Academy of Nursing recently selected Sarasota Memorial Hospital – Venice Chief Nursing Officer Jean Marie Lucas, PhD, MBA, APRN, NEA-BC, to join its prestigious 2020 Class of Fellows, a group of 230 distinguished nursing leaders from around the nation who have made significant contributions to health care.

The Academy’s Fellows, chosen through a competitive, rigorous application process, are regarded as nursing’s most accomplished leaders in education, management, practice and research. Fellows represent association executives; university presidents, chancellors and deans; elected officials; state and federal political appointees; hospital chief executives and vice presidents for nursing; nurse consultants; and researchers and entrepreneurs.

“Their work, across many fields of expertise, exemplifies the power of nursing knowledge in creating meaningful change,” said Academy President Eileen Sullivan-Marx, PhD, RN, FAAN.

Lucas was named chief nursing officer of Sarasota Memorial’s new hospital in Venice in 2019.  Now under construction, the facility is scheduled to open in the Fall of 2021. 

Previously, Lucas served as associate chief nursing officer of Sarasota Memorial Health Care System’s 839-bed flagship hospital in Sarasota. She was instrumental in the development and implementation of many programs to enhance patient care and quality, including a Trauma Center and the launch of disease-specific programs, integrative therapies, telehealth, behavioral health intervention team and other services. Lucas also has played a key role in nursing recruitment, training, research and professional development initiatives at SMH and regionally.

Lucas earned her PhD in Nursing from the University of South Florida. She received her Master of Business Administration, Master of Science in Nursing and Acute/Critical Care Nurse Practitioner degrees from The Johns Hopkins University.  She is an ANCC Certified Nurse Executive – Advanced, and is the president-elect for the Florida Organization of Nurse Executives.

Lucas is one of only seven nursing leaders from Florida selected for the Academy’s 2020 Class of Fellows, who will be honored at a special virtual induction ceremony in October.

About the Academy: The American Academy of Nursing serves the public and the nursing profession by advancing health policy, practice, and science through organizational excellence and effective nursing leadership. The Academy and its more than 2,700 members, known as Fellows, create and execute knowledge-driving and policy-related initiatives to drive reform of America’s health system.