Making a Difference: Lorraine Parker, MSN, RN, CENP, chief nursing officer and assistant vice president - Bayfront Health St. Petersburg

Growing up with a family member who was often in the hospital, Lorraine Parker saw from an early age the impact a good nurse can have on their patients. “I knew I wanted to be that person making a difference in someone’s life while bringing new life into the world or at the end of life,” she says.

Lorraine has been a nurse for 29 years — 20 of them spent at Orlando Health — and is the new chief nursing officer and assistant vice president at Bayfront Health St. Petersburg, part of the Orlando Health system.

“I love the community in St. Petersburg,” says Lorraine. “I wanted to be part of the Bayfront team as we make it the best place to receive healthcare in St. Petersburg. 

Making a difference in the lives of her teams, their patients and families is what drives Lorraine to achieve high standards every day. “Being able to serve nurses so they can have what they need to deliver the best care to their patients is an important job,” she says. “It’s an honor.”

Lorraine loves hearing patients’ stories about the amazing nurses who cared for them.

Her advice to new nurses: Always put the patient at the center of what you do. “If you focus on why we do this job, it makes even the hardest days rewarding,” Lorraine says.