There are few nurse practitioners today that do not recognize the name Fitzgerald. It has become synonymous with their education. Fitzgerald Health Education Associates (FHEA) has helped more than 75,000 nurse practitioners prepare for and obtain certification, while also providing continuing education for NPs, who have moved beyond this important objective. And it all started with one woman,.
Dr. Fitzgerald, who holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice from Case Western University, began her nursing career in the 1970s, working in clinical care. After 16 years, she decided to further her education, becoming a nurse practitioner in 1986. It was during this time that she also began presenting sessions at conferences and teaching at Simmons College in Boston, MA.
In 1988, a senior NP student she was precepting asked if she would consider helping her class prepare for the upcoming certification exam after the original course scheduled by the Massachusetts Nurses Association had been cancelled. The rest is history. Simmons College caught wind of the success of that study session and asked for a repeat the following year.
FHEA became a nationwide program in the mid-1990s. Dr. Fitzgerald maintains a personal speaking schedule that is booked two years in advance, averaging 100 sessions a year. She is a professional Member of the National Speakers Association and is the first nurse practitioner to earn the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation in recognition of excellence and integrity as a speaker. Her educational materials are passed down from preceptors to students, available for bid on E-bay and purchased at conferences. She also continues her commitment to patient-centered care, maintaining 14 hours a week practicing at Greater Lawrence Family Health Center in Lawrence, Massachusetts.
Today, FHEA is an international provider of nurse practitioner certification preparation and continuing education for healthcare providers. Dr. Fitzgerald continues to be one of the most accomplished nurse practitioners in the nation, receiving numerous awards including the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties’ Lifetime Achievement Award.