At the beginning of November, Elizabeth Aquino was inducted as the new president of the American Nurses Association in Illinois. (Image courtesy of Elizabeth Aquino)Beginning this month, Elizabeth Aquino, an assistant professor of nursing and associate director of the master’s entry nursing program, will serve as the president of the American Nurses Association in Illinois.
As president of ANA-Illinois, Aquino will represent more than 190,000 registered nurses in Illinois as their voice and advocate. She hopes to fully engage all members and promote what must be done to provide the best healthcare possible.
“Bringing all nurses together to have one voice can help get legislation passed,” she says. “Nurses are at the forefront of decisions that directly affect the lives of patients every day. This is why it’s important for nurses to be engaged in policy and advocacy work."
Prior to her new role, Aquino served as the Illinois president of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses. She also is involved in professional nursing organizations and boards, as well as an advocate of self-care for nurses to help prevent burnout.
“In this leadership role, Dr. Aquino will bring her expertise in health disparities and passion for providing healthcare to underserved populations,” says Dorothy Kozlowski, interim dean of the College of Science and Health.
The ANA-Illinois is a professional association that aims to represent nurses in all practices and serve as a voice to ensure nursing priorities are considered in legislation.