Norma Furlong
February 2026
Norma
Furlong
,
FNP
SEARHC Foot Care
Southeast Alaska Regional HealthCare Consortium (SEARHC)
Juneau
,
AK
United States
Over the decades, she has built a career rooted in service, humility, and an unwavering commitment to patients.
We are honored to recognize Norma Furlong with the DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award, a national award that celebrates a career defined by compassion, excellence, and service. This award is given to nurses who devote their life’s work to caring for others, mentoring colleagues, and advancing the nursing profession. Norma embodies every part of that definition.
A Lifetime of Service Norma has worked in healthcare since she was 17 years old, beginning her career at a tuberculosis sanitarium. Over the decades, she has built a career rooted in service, humility, and an unwavering commitment to patients. Nursing, for Norma, has never been just a job. It has been a calling.
As a Nurse Practitioner and SEARHC’s Foot Care Nurse, Norma played a pivotal role in establishing and maintaining foot care services across Southeast Alaska. From Haines to Hydaburg, she built trusted relationships with Elders and patients, often traveling to reach those who could not come to care. She has provided preventive and palliative care to some of our most vulnerable patients, especially Elders and those living with diabetes. Norma often says she is honored to work with Elders across Southeast, and it’s clear that honor goes both ways.
Norma’s impact extends far beyond direct patient care. As a mentor, she has guided countless nurses, supporting their growth and helping elevate nursing practice in our most remote communities. Her leadership is defined by empathy, integrity, passion, and joy. She sets the standard for how care should be delivered and how nurses should be supported.
Norma made lasting contributions to nursing education at SEARHC. She helped develop practice-based curricula and championed evidence-based care, ensuring future nurses are well-prepared to meet patient needs. Her approach blends expertise, experience, compassion, and mentorship, and it shows in every nurse she has influenced.
Patients often ask to see Norma and only Norma. They describe her as patient, kind, understanding, and fun. We hear stories of Norma stepping in on a moment’s notice, making rounds, and ensuring patients are comfortable, cared for, and supported. One team shared how her care not only helped patients physically but also made their PT and OT sessions more pleasant. Simply put, Norma makes a difference wherever she goes.
Beyond the Walls of SEARHC, Norma’s commitment to nursing extends beyond our facilities. She has volunteered her time and expertise throughout Southeast Alaska, bringing care directly to patients unable to leave their homes. Her work has had a tangible, lasting impact on communities across the region.
Norma once said, “I’m a big believer in fun.” And anyone who knows her knows she brings joy into every space she enters. Norma, your contributions to patient care, nursing education, leadership, and community service have left an indelible mark on SEARHC and on the profession of nursing. We are deeply grateful for your lifetime of service. On behalf of SEARHC, it is our privilege to honor you and to wish you the very best in your retirement.
A Lifetime of Service Norma has worked in healthcare since she was 17 years old, beginning her career at a tuberculosis sanitarium. Over the decades, she has built a career rooted in service, humility, and an unwavering commitment to patients. Nursing, for Norma, has never been just a job. It has been a calling.
As a Nurse Practitioner and SEARHC’s Foot Care Nurse, Norma played a pivotal role in establishing and maintaining foot care services across Southeast Alaska. From Haines to Hydaburg, she built trusted relationships with Elders and patients, often traveling to reach those who could not come to care. She has provided preventive and palliative care to some of our most vulnerable patients, especially Elders and those living with diabetes. Norma often says she is honored to work with Elders across Southeast, and it’s clear that honor goes both ways.
Norma’s impact extends far beyond direct patient care. As a mentor, she has guided countless nurses, supporting their growth and helping elevate nursing practice in our most remote communities. Her leadership is defined by empathy, integrity, passion, and joy. She sets the standard for how care should be delivered and how nurses should be supported.
Norma made lasting contributions to nursing education at SEARHC. She helped develop practice-based curricula and championed evidence-based care, ensuring future nurses are well-prepared to meet patient needs. Her approach blends expertise, experience, compassion, and mentorship, and it shows in every nurse she has influenced.
Patients often ask to see Norma and only Norma. They describe her as patient, kind, understanding, and fun. We hear stories of Norma stepping in on a moment’s notice, making rounds, and ensuring patients are comfortable, cared for, and supported. One team shared how her care not only helped patients physically but also made their PT and OT sessions more pleasant. Simply put, Norma makes a difference wherever she goes.
Beyond the Walls of SEARHC, Norma’s commitment to nursing extends beyond our facilities. She has volunteered her time and expertise throughout Southeast Alaska, bringing care directly to patients unable to leave their homes. Her work has had a tangible, lasting impact on communities across the region.
Norma once said, “I’m a big believer in fun.” And anyone who knows her knows she brings joy into every space she enters. Norma, your contributions to patient care, nursing education, leadership, and community service have left an indelible mark on SEARHC and on the profession of nursing. We are deeply grateful for your lifetime of service. On behalf of SEARHC, it is our privilege to honor you and to wish you the very best in your retirement.