Inside Nurse.org’s Exclusive Content Creator Party That Kicked Off NurseCon at Sea

Before 70+ nurses set sail for NurseCon at Sea, they gathered for something a little more intimate: a pre-cruise celebration co-hosted by Nurse.org and Clove at The West End Lounge in Fort Lauderdale on Sunday, April 26.

The evening brought together some of nursing’s most recognizable creators, influencers, and advocates — along with representatives from Medical Solutions, MDF Stethoscopes, and presenting sponsor Clove — for a night that was equal parts reunion, recognition, and pure celebration of the nursing community.

The venue added its own unexpected energy: over 100 police officers from across the country were sharing the space that night for Blue Line Weekend Fort Lauderdale, turning The West End Lounge into a lively cross-section of America’s most dedicated public servants. The nurses fit right in.

Nurse.org’s Angelina Walker, who organized the event, summed it up simply afterward: “Turned out BETTER than I imagined!!”

Clove — the footwear brand built by nurses, for nurses, and a past Best of Nursing Award winner itself — sponsored the evening and helped set the tone from the first sip.

The West End Lounge crafted a signature cocktail just for the occasion: the True Colors, a blend of Reyka Vodka, Juliette Peach Liqueur, lavender, orange, and lemon.

A portion of proceeds from every drink sold went directly to the Officers Memorial Fund — a fitting gesture on a night shared with law enforcement from around the country.

The highlight of the evening was a live awards presentation for select winners of the Nurse.org Best of Nursing Awards — our fifth annual community-voted celebration of the nurses, creators, and advocates making the biggest impact in the profession.

While the full awards had been previously announced, several winners were in the room that night to receive their plaques in person — a moment that clearly meant everything to the people holding them.

Winners presented at the event:

Winners accepted on the cruise:

The room was full of nursing royalty in more ways than one. Several attendees were past Best of Nursing Award winners in their own right — including:

 @mels.crafty.corner (2023 Nurse Entrepreneur of the Year, now a five-time winner), and @brandy.pinkerton (2022 Most Inspirational Nurse and 2024/25 Best Nurse Mentor). NurseCon at Sea, accepted aboard the cruise, is now a back-to-back winner for Best Nurse Event. And Nurse Blake, who picked up not one but two awards on the cruise, first won the Most Influential Nurse title back in 2021 — making his 2026 double win a full-circle moment five years in the making.

The winners who were in the room didn’t hold back when they got home and opened Instagram. Their posts say it better than any recap could.

@the_champagne_nurse (Jahnik), Nurse Lifestyle Content Creator of the Year:

“I started my creator journey for so many reasons… I knew that somewhere somebody could relate to me. Somebody NEEDED me to be the inspiration and role model that I NEEDED when I got pregnant at 15 and experienced the loss of my daughter when I was 16. This community that I’ve built has healed young me in more ways than y’all know. I got my first Grammy, y’all.”

 

@mels.crafty.corner (Mel), Nurse Entrepreneur of the Year and Best Collaborative Content Creator:

“Nurse.org completely caught me off guard with giving us our plaques. Still not over the fact that I am a 5-time winner — AND THAT’S ALL THANKS TO YOU. I started Mel’s Crafty Corner because I believed that nurses deserved to look good AND feel seen. I had no idea it would grow into something that would be recognized like this. To every single one of you fRNds who has ever placed an order, shared a post, or just cheered me on from the coRNer of the internet — this is yours too.” Five-time winner. Let that sink in.

“You Understand Us”

• “Being able to pour into nurses, uplift them, and remind them they are seen and recognized means everything to me. So much love to all of you.”
• “What we love about the Best of Nursing Awards is that the winners are voted by the nursing COMMUNITY! So special!”
• “WITHOUT YOU, Nurse.org wouldn’t be the same. You understand us, advocate for us, and give us the platform and voice we need to make nursing better.”
• “You and Nurse.org will forever have a special place in my heart. Thank you again for my ‘Grammy.'”

The awards aren’t handed down by a panel of judges or a corporate committee. They’re chosen by nurses — which is exactly why they hit differently when someone holds one in their hands.

And for everyone who couldn’t quite put the feeling into words? The comment section did the talking:

• “So much fun — wanna do it again!”
• “Nurses supporting nurses. Love this so much.”
• “I have FOMO.”

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All the photos from the night are available to view and download from our Google Drive gallery. Follow along and tag your favorites on Instagram at @nurse_org.

And if you missed this one? Let’s just say this won’t be the last time Nurse.org throws a party worth showing up for.

Congrats again to all of our Best of Nursing Award winners — voted by the community, for the community. See the full list of honorees at nurse.org/articles/best-of-nursing-awards.

🤔 Were you at the party or on the cruise? Drop a comment below and tell us your favorite moment from the weekend! 🎉