A Nurse’s Nurse: Dr. Patricia Quigley Reflects on a Lifetime of Love for Rehabilitation Nursing

The Association of Rehabilitation Nurses (ARN) proudly announces the 2025 Distinguished Service Award honoree: Dr. Patricia A. Quigley, PhD APRN CRRN FAAN FAANP FARN. In her heartfelt essay, "Always in Love with Rehabilitation Nursing and Nurses," Dr. Quigley shares the story of a lifelong dream realized - from a three-year-old aspiring nurse to a nationally recognized leader and trailblazer in rehabilitation nursing.

Her remarkable journey spans more than five decades of service, innovation, and mentorship. From helping to shape the foundation of ARN and the CRRN® certification to pioneering national fall prevention research and patient safety initiatives, Dr. Quigley's story is one of purpose, perseverance, and unwavering passion for the profession she calls her calling.

Join Dr. Quigley as she reflects on the milestones, challenges, and people who shaped her path, and offers timeless advice to inspire the next generation of rehabilitation nurses.

Always In Love with Rehabilitation Nursing and Nurses 

By:  Patricia A. Quigley, PhD APRN CRRN FAAN FAANP FARN

My love and passion for the profession of nursing—and the specialty practice of rehabilitation nursing - have guided my vision, mission, and life's work. I am grateful for a lifetime devoted to embracing this calling.

It all began with a dream I had as a little girl, only three years old, to become a nurse. Some of you may have shared this same dream from childhood, while others arrived in nursing and rehabilitation nursing by different paths. Yet, we are all united by a common bond. Achieving a dream requires setting a goal and reaching that goal takes hard work.

For me, that work has always been fueled by a love for nursing - working for the profession, working with nurses, and standing alongside nursing staff. When I finally became a nurse, I fell in love not only with nursing itself but with the people who embody it. I especially fell in love with rehabilitation nursing and the remarkable nurses who practice it.

I never considered myself ambitious; instead, I was deeply committed to serving this great profession to the very best of my ability. I was fortunate to be surrounded and inspired by extraordinary nurses during a truly exciting period in nursing's history - the 1980s and 1990s.

The stories we share with colleagues are the journeys that led us to become rehabilitation nurses. As I reflect on my own path, I can't help but wonder about yours.

For me, it began with a childhood dream that never wavered. In high school, I volunteered as a candy-striper in a Virginia nursing home where my great-grandmother received care. Later, I started my first two years of college toward a bachelor's degree in nursing.

When my family moved to Florida, I set out to finish my degree and searched for any way to enter the healthcare field. With my mother's help - she worked in dietary - I was hired as a housekeeper in a hospital. That first job introduced me to an incredible team of housekeepers, CNAs, LPNs, and RNs, and gave me my first real glimpse into the world of nursing.

Not long after, I was asked to work as a housekeeper in a newly opened nursing home owned by the hospital—my second nursing home experience. It was there that I began to feel like I truly belonged, drawn to the deep need and sense of purpose found in long-term care.

I entered the undergraduate nursing program at the University of South Florida College of Nursing in Tampa—the very first BS in Nursing program in the city. It was here, during my junior and senior years, that my dream of becoming a nurse began to take its true shape.

At the same time, I learned that the first Home Health Agency was opening in St. Petersburg, where I lived—and still live today. I applied, was accepted, and became the very first nursing assistant at that agency. In this role as a home health aide, I discovered the deep privilege of helping vulnerable people remain safe and independent in their homes. I often spent more time with patients and their families than the nurses could, and it was in those homes that I realized how much of myself I wanted to give to this profession.

In 1975, I graduated as part of the Charter BS in Nursing Class—the first BS in Nursing graduates in Tampa Bay - and proudly became a licensed RN. My first hospital position was on a stroke unit, where my foundation in rehabilitation nursing truly began to grow.

From that point on, nursing was never "just a job." I gave myself completely - mind, body, and spirit—to what I believe is the greatest profession of all, one trusted above all others. I quickly sought ways to contribute to the profession's future. In 1975, I joined the American Nurses Association, and within it, the special interest group for rehabilitation nursing. At the time, ARN was just beginning to take shape nationally, and I became part of that movement through ARN and FSARN. Alongside my first two RN friends - Betty James, from the orthopedic unit, and Cheryl Eason, a Nurse Division Manager - we became a trio, committed to building and shaping the specialty of rehabilitation nursing.

Plans were soon underway to transition the hospital's stroke unit into the county's first inpatient rehabilitation unit. We were building something new launching the very first rehabilitation nursing unit and program in St. Petersburg. We learned rehabilitation nursing side by side with therapists, gaining hands-on experience and shaping the specialty as we went.

Around that time, we connected with nurses in long-term care who told us about the formation of FSARN and a new West Coast District (WCD) group. We all joined in 1977. My first District President was Mary Ann Hill, a Workers' Compensation Nurse. At that stage in ARN's history, many of our members worked for workers' compensation insurance companies, where membership in FSARN/ARN was often required by their employers.

My first volunteer assignment as a member of the WCD was to plan and coordinate continuing education programs for our meetings—and the rest, as they say, is history.

I accepted every opportunity to serve that came my way. Having joined ARN in its early years, my personal journey grew alongside the organization's. My legacy is intertwined with ARN's history: helping to develop the first position analysis task force, which laid the foundation for core competencies in rehabilitation nursing through observation, national interviews, and validation studies. From that work came the first core curriculum, which led to the next major milestone—creating and validating the certification exam for rehabilitation nursing. I was proud to take that exam when it was first offered.

I loved being in school learning with and from faculty and students, and being in an environment where we all learned together. So, I went back to school for my graduate degree in nursing in the first MS in Nursing program in Tampa, completing all three tracks: Educator, Clinical Nurse Specialist, and Adult Health Nurse Practitioner. With faculty approval, I collaborated with my graduate faculty and my rehabilitation medical director to develop a curriculum designated for the Rehabilitation Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) role. My friend, Cheryl Eason, and I attended graduate school together and completed this specialty designation. At the same time, the three of us—Betty James, Cheryl Eason, and I—worked together on the new rehabilitation unit at Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg, achieving CARF accreditation.

I loved teaching, presenting, and writing—always developing and sharing educational offerings. However, I realized that presenting at a conference or workshop was not enough to change practice. To reach a broader audience and truly disseminate knowledge, it was essential to write and publish. I was constantly writing and encouraging colleagues to write and publish with me. My first article was published in ARN's journal in 1981. I also developed and proposed a framework for billing rehabilitation nursing practice and services, modeled after physical, occupational, and speech therapy billing.

I learned early in my career that my duty was to help shape the nursing profession—to work hard for this calling. In return, active participation in the profession shaped who I am, my practice, my opportunities, and my contributions. I am so proud to be a nurse, a rehabilitation nurse, and a lifelong member of ARN.

The value of membership in the profession is so much more than money; it's the return on investment that yields unending rewards: clinical excellence, specialty practice across the lifespan and settings of care, advanced practice through research and education, and selfless service to those in need—never feeling that you've been given too little in a world that asks so much of you.

To reflect on shared practice, service, influence, and contributions over a lifetime as a nurse and a rehabilitation nurse is to see how all our roles are bonded by our core mission—to serve others and help them be the best they can be.

One of my favorite quotes from Florence Nightingale is: "Let us never consider ourselves finished nurses." She did not rest; rather, she gave her all to save lives, restore health and function to wounded soldiers, and help them return home to their loved ones. In her own words, "I attribute my success to this—I never gave or took any excuse."

As a fellow rehabilitation nurse, I say to you: we are blessed with lives of purpose—to care for and touch the lives of one another so that we may learn, grow, and enrich each other through membership. It is much like the creed of the United States Armed Forces: "To serve a cause greater than yourself." And in the words of the late Senator John McCain, "Nothing in life is more liberating than to fight for a cause larger than yourself—something that encompasses you, but is not defined by your existence alone."

How did you feel when you learned you were selected for this award?
I was overwhelmed with gratitude and thanksgiving to still be alive to receive this award. At the same time, I was deeply sorry that I could not attend the conference in person, as I had contracted COVID-19 for the first time and required a hospital visit just before the event. I so wished I could have been there with everyone to thank our Madam President, Maureen Musto, the ARN Board of Directors, and all members—past and present—for bestowing this most prestigious honor upon me.

I thanked my God and Savior for granting me the fulfillment of my only lifelong dream—to be a nurse. The struggles I faced early in life to achieve that dream only strengthened my devotion to helping and caring for others. I am grateful for the life-changing opportunities, experiences, and journeys that allowed me to serve selflessly and contribute to this profession—not merely as a job, but as part of something greater: Nursing.

What does this recognition mean to you personally and professionally?

Personally, this national award—validated by President Musto, the Board of Directors, and my peers—represents a profound acknowledgment of my life's work. It serves as a testimony to my accomplishments and as an inspiration to others in the field and within our specialty. This national honor is an emotional validation of my devotion, dedication, and significant contributions to my profession, my specialty, and my country.

Professionally, as a nurse's nurse, I see myself as a reflection of all the people I have worked with and served alongside throughout my career. Together, we have advanced, shaped, and elevated the purpose, mission, vision, and scientific foundation of rehabilitation nursing for more than 50 years—beginning in the mid-1970s, when rehabilitation nursing was just emerging as a recognized specialty. At that time, nurses were often transferred into rehabilitation when they could not find their place in medical-surgical units.

Today, the dominance and value of rehabilitation nurses in healthcare—locally, nationally, and globally—exist because of the thousands of nurses like me who have tirelessly worked to advance and distinguish our unique body of knowledge and contribution to practice, patient outcomes, and healthcare delivery for patients and their families.

Looking back, what moments in your career stand out as particularly meaningful in your journey as a rehabilitation nurse?

As I share a glimpse into my career, I always remind everyone that I worked at only two hospitals throughout my entire career: Bayfront Medical Center (1975–1983) and, beginning in 1983, the Department of Veterans Affairs—the largest national healthcare system and the foundation of rehabilitation in this country. I joined the James A. Haley VA Medical Center, then the busiest VAMC, and though I never left St. Petersburg, Florida, I remained engaged nationally in both the VA and the nursing profession.

Here are some of the most meaningful moments of my career, which I attribute to the exceptional clinical, administrative, support, and research professionals who proved that together, we achieve more:

• Helped establish the first in-hospital rehabilitation unit at Bayfront Medical Center, which became the first CARF-designated unit in Pinellas County.
• Created my graduate curriculum to become designated as a Rehabilitation Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) in the first USF College of Nursing graduate program. This included clinical preceptorships with Loria Menosek, Rehab CNS at Bay Pines VAMC, and Audrey Nelson, Nursing Supervisor for the rehab and SCI units at the Tampa VA.
• Helped plan and implement the first rehabilitation unit at Bayfront Medical Center, which received CARF accreditation on its first survey (1978–1979).
• As a graduate student, received funding and approval from the medical staff and university IRB to conduct the first funded randomized controlled trial at my hospital to reduce UTIs—my thesis (1981).
  As a graduate completing the Educator Track, developed an undergraduate elective course in rehabilitation nursing (1982) and taught it at the university for three years.
• Hired as the first Rehab CNS at the Tampa VAMC (1983) to establish a nationally recognized prototype specialty acute hospital rehabilitation unit—the position created through a grant I helped write as a graduate student with my preceptor, Audrey Nelson.
  Introduced CARF to the VA and became the first VA to have three CARF-designated rehab programs (general rehab, pain management, and vocational rehab), all with commendations.
  Collaborated with Dr. Carl Granger and Dr. Byron Hamilton in the foundational design of the UDSmr and FIM instruments, first tested on my VA rehab unit before national deployment through PM&RS services.
• As advances in EMS enabled TBI patients to survive major trauma, worked with innovative medical, neurological, neuropsychological, and speech pathology professionals to plan, implement, and evaluate TBI specialty rehab and nursing care.
• Conducted a randomized controlled trial with stroke patients with aphasia to expand rehabilitation nurses' approaches to enhance communication—my PhD dissertation.
• Co-authored a proposal with Audrey Nelson to establish and fund a VA Patient Safety Center, resulting in the first VA National Patient Safety Center of Inquiry—Preventing Adverse Events Associated with Mobility—funded in 1999. I served as Deputy/Associate Director for 17 years; it remains funded today.
  Awarded $3.2 million in 1999 to design, implement, and prototype evidence-based fall prevention clinics in VA hospitals across Florida, Puerto Rico, Southern California, and Nevada—advancing practice, creating advisory councils, and conducting funded research.
• As a Nurse Practitioner, deployed interdisciplinary fall prevention clinics (1999–2016) featured in local, state, and national media.
• Championed national fall-injury prevention research, translation, and policy integration across patient safety and healthcare regulatory agencies.
• Chaired 12 annual national and international Transforming Fall Prevention Practice Conferences (1999–2012).
• Helped establish the first Nursing Research Service at a VAMC with three PhD-prepared, funded nurse scientists (Dr. Audrey Nelson, Dr. Gail Powell-Cope, and myself) at the first Magnet-designated VAMC. We received the inaugural Magnet Prize Award in 2003 for advancing patient safety through fall prevention, safe patient handling and mobility, and bed safety.
• Served in numerous volunteer and leadership roles in FSARN and ARN throughout my career, including:
  
  
  
  • ARN National Bylaws Committee (1983–1988)
  • FSARN Board Director (1983–1984)
  • FSARN Second Vice President (1984–1986)
  • ARN International Expansion Task Force (1985–1988)
  • ARN Professional Nursing Issues Committee (1989)
  • ARN Ethics Task Force (1989–1992)
  • ARN National Job Analysis Task Force (1989–1992)
  • ARN Continuing Education Approval and Review Committee
  • ARN National Research/Education Seminar (1991–1995)
  • Inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing (2006).
  • Inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (2010).
  • Elected to the ARN Board of Directors (2016–2018).
  • Inducted as a Fellow of ARN (2018, inaugural class).
  • Elected President-Elect (2019–2020).
  • Served as ARN President (2020–2021), during the COVID-19 pandemic.
    
    

What motivated you to get involved with ARN, and how has your involvement shaped your career or practice?

I've always been an "organizational junkie." While I was quick to say "yes" to projects and leadership roles in my workplace, I also understood that exposure to nurses and leaders in policy, education, and practice was only possible through active participation in professional nursing organizations.

When I first learned that a meeting for rehabilitation nurses was being planned in Tampa, I attended—and met incredible, experienced nurses who inspired me immediately. I became involved, then joined FSARN at the state level, serving as Second Vice President and volunteering on national workgroups and committees.

At every level, ARN offered access to rehabilitation nurses practicing in diverse settings, roles, and specialties. Together, we shaped one another's careers as we helped build the foundation of a specialty nursing organization that would become nationally recognized and respected by the American Nurses Association and other rehabilitation organizations.

What advice would you give to new ARN members or those considering getting more involved in the organization?

I hope my nursing journey serves as an example and inspiration to others—to continue striving for excellence, to become experts, leaders, and mentors who motivate others to pursue their goals and make meaningful contributions to society.

No one achieves such accomplishments alone. We work in dedicated teams, learning and growing together toward shared goals, accepting challenges, increasing expertise, and gaining confidence—individually and collectively.

I encourage you to say "yes" to opportunities to serve ARN. Consider it a vote of confidence - knowing you have a family of colleagues who will support you as you support them, shaping ARN's contributions to our specialty today and for the future.

Having lived more days than I have ahead, I hope ARN members will remain steadfast in their devotion—volunteering, contributing, and leading early in their careers. Let your love and dedication to rehabilitation nursing be a magnet that attracts others to our specialty and to our beloved ARN, ensuring it thrives for generations to come.

Your colleague,

Patricia A. Quigley, PhD APRN CRRN FAAN FAANP FARN

Nurse Consultant

"A Nurse's Nurse"