Justine Mize Fortkiewicz, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, CCRN-K, CHSE is a Professional Practice Specialist in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC.  She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degrees from the University of Virginia. She is in school for her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and will graduate in May 2025.  Justine started her nursing career at Boston Children’s in the CICU in 2007 and has been in the CICU at Children’s National since 2010.  She works on the continuing education and professional development of the nursing staff in the CICU.  Justine works on performance improvement, research, and leadership initiatives in the unit as well.  

Justine is the immediate past President of   Northeast Pediatric Cardiology Nurses Association (NPCNA) after she served two terms as President and where she has been a member since 2007.  Justine is on the Board of Directors of the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Society (PCICS) and is a member of the Special Interest Group for Nurse Educators and Clinical Nurse Specialists.  She has served as the co-chair of the education committee.  She has been an author for the Nurse Guidelines on the PCICS website, author for the Nursing Curriculum, and is a chapter editor for the PCICS Handbook.   She facilitated the Virtual Nursing Curriculum Course in 2023.  Justine has been on several mission trips to South America and Central America to treat patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) and mentor the nursing staff in those hospitals.  She is faculty for the Children’s Heartlink Nurse Residency Program which was presented in Cochi, India at Amrita Medical Center in June 2018 and virtual these past few years.  Justine has presented nationally and internationally on the perioperative care of patients with CHD and nursing practice in the CICU.   She has served as adjunct clinical faculty at Catholic and Georgetown Universities in Washington, DC. 

Justine lives outside Washington, DC.  She is married to her husband, Kevin, and is a mother to her son, Owen (9 years old) and golden retriever, Wally.  Justine enjoys running and volunteering.