Lori A. Heatherton, RN
Lori A. Heatherton is a Registered Nurse with 30 years of progressive experience in healthcare, beginning her career in 1995 as a Certified Nursing Assistant. She later advanced to become a Licensed Practical Nurse in 1997 and ultimately earned her Associate Degree in Nursing, becoming an RN in 2015. Her career reflects a strong foundation built through hands-on experience at every level of nursing, shaping her practical, patient-centered approach to care.
Throughout her nursing journey, Lori has worked across a wide range of healthcare settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, correctional facilities, home health, and private duty care. She specializes in rehabilitation and medical-surgical nursing, with extensive experience caring for disabled patients requiring complex medical support such as tracheostomies, ventilators, and gastrostomy tubes. Her patient population primarily includes adults and geriatric patients, where she is known for delivering consistent, compassionate, and skilled care.
In addition to her clinical work, Lori is deeply committed to education and mentorship. She actively supports nursing students, CNAs, and newer nurses by providing on-the-job teaching and guidance, helping bridge knowledge gaps especially for those entering practice during the COVID-era. She remains dedicated to professional growth, staying current in healthcare developments, and promoting a holistic approach to nursing that emphasizes understanding, patient education, and continuous learning.
• Danville Area Community College - C.N.A., 1995
• Danville Area Community College - A.S., 1997
• Danville Area Community College - L.P.N., 1997
• Florida College of Health Science - A.D.N., 2015
• CPR
• BLS
• ACLS
• Stroke Certified
• CNA
• Tutor Award - Danville Area Community College (as CNA in LPN program)
• Two Scholarships - LPN Program
• Second in Class by half a percent - LPN Program
• Who's Who Inductee
• Nursing student support and clinical tutoring
• On-the-job training and mentorship for CNAs and new nurses
Areas of Specialization/Expertise
- Rehab/Med Surgical
- Working with disabled patients
- General adult population (18 and above)
- Geriatrics
- Care of disabled patients with complex medical needs
- Home health nursing
- Correctional healthcare nursing
- Patient education and clinical teaching
- CNA and nurse mentoring and training
What do you enjoy most about practicing medicine?
What I enjoy most about practicing medicine is helping people and identifying the things that others may overlook. I began my healthcare journey as a CNA, initially trying to understand the field and my role in it, but I quickly realized that my purpose was rooted in helping patients. That realization motivated me to continue advancing in nursing. What continues to inspire me after 30 years in this profession is being able to make a meaningful difference in patients’ lives by recognizing needs that may otherwise go unnoticed.
Locations
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-, Orlando/orange County, FL -