Blossom Ferguson’s profile is one of dedication — faith, family, and serving — as a nurse and a volunteer.
As a child, Blossom Ferguson dreamed of becoming a nurse; it was a passion to care for the sick.
Nine years after emigrating from Jamaica, with two small children, in 1977 she received her AN from Queensborough Community College, the first of many degrees.
She was the first member of her family to graduate from college. In her 38-year career in nursing she has gone on to get her BSN, MPA, MSN and CNOR specialty nursing certification.
In 1985, Ms. Ferguson joined the U.S. Army Reserve and received a direct commission as a Second Lieutenant. She told her recruiter, “I want to give back something to America. Not to fight wars but to take care of the products of war, the veterans.” Ms. Ferguson served for 21 years, retiring in 2006 as a lieutenant colonel.
She continues to work at the Bronx VA Medical Center in the Bronx. She is the perioperative nurse manager responsible for the operating room and the anesthesia unit.
Her passion for volunteer medical mission work has taken her to Jamaica, Liberia, Cape Town, South Africa, and twice to Port-au-Prince.
The recipient of numerous military and civilian awards, she has also volunteered with the Cancer Support Ministry and is a former member of her Community Board 13 in Queens.
“My favorite quote is: ‘Caring is the essence of nursing’ by Jean Watson,” says Ms. Ferguson who also credits Dr. Watson with having the most influence on her career. “My passion for nursing and caring for others is rooted in the theory of human caring.”
