Jean Ruth Aertker DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, FAANP
Dr. Aertker exemplifies a career long entrepreneurial leadership impact and nursing advocacy. As a NP for over 40 years, Dr. Aertker has built three unique models of NP practice including the first NP in an integrated joint university faculty practice, developed four NP managed hospital-based occupational health clinics and for 23 years owned a thriving Occupational Health practice in Tampa, Florida. Since 1985, she has been a dedicated volunteer at a free clinic in Tampa serving the medically indigent. Her clinical expertise is in worker safety, commercial driver examiner training, substance abuse programs and fitness for duty examinations. Jean lectures nationally occupational health topics as well as business ownership and health care advocacy. In semi-retirement, she continues to volunteer weekly at a free clinic in Tampa and also joined the staff at Moffitt team health clinic in 2020 during the covid pandemic on a PRN basis to provide consulting and clinical services such as wellness exams, workers compensation care & primary health care for the employees.
Dr. Aertker is one of the first twenty charter members of AANP in 1985 and served as FLorida State Representative from 2011-2013. At the national level she served three terms as AANP Region 11 Director, as a member of the AANP Executive Board as the Region Director from 2013 to 2019. Past contributions to AANP include two-terms as AANP State Representative, past chair of the FAANP selections committee, and FAANP History Committee charter member. As a fellow she organized filming sessions for FAANP colleagues to record history segments for the 50th Anniversary celebration of NPs. In 2016, Jean was appointed as the board liaison to the FAANP until 2019, was appointed to the AANP Leadership Scholarship program for members. While region director, Jean was able to secure recognition of the US Virgin Islands NPs as the newest addition to Region 11.
At the state level, Jean is a founding member of Florida Nurse Practitioners (FNPN) the largest NP and oldest NP organization in Florida. She has served as past president, Vice President and very involved in NP advocacy efforts. In 2016, FNPN honored her with the creation of the Dr. Jean Aertker Health Policy Scholarship Award. As a continuing AANP & ANA member, she served as past chair for the Florida ARNP Task Force from 1991-1993 and joined the Florida APRN Coalition in 2007 as a charter member. NP peers validate their respect for her leadership and advocacy and widely recognize her as an expert clinician, political activist, entrepreneur, business owner, teacher, mentor and role model. Dr. Aertker recently sold her practice held over 22 years in August 2019 to take on a new challenge to serve as the first Executive Director of the Florida NP Network. Jean is also founder of a growing social NP network in 2012, called "The NP Force", a moniker given to the group by Dr. Loretta Ford, the original NP. The mission of this philanthropic and advocacy group is to preserve our NP history, honor our founder of NPs and promote our future role as nurse practitioners. The group gathers each December to celebrate Dr. Ford’s birthday and holds many functions throughout the year for NPs to ensure her legacy. In June 2024, Jean was selected as the Dr. Loretta C. Ford Fellows Award for the Advancement of the Nurse Practitioner Role in Health Care. It was a extreme honor that Dr. Ford, at age 103 years, presented this award to Jean in person at the AANP conference held in Nashville, Tennessee.