Alumna Takes Nursing Outside the Box

Susan Scherer, BS ‘13, is a nurse entrepreneur with more than 28 years of nursing experience.  She is also an Air Force veteran and acknowledged as one of the top nurse leaders by the National Nurses in Business Association in 2017. 

After graduating from the University of South Florida College of Nursing in 2013, Scherer started a new chapter of her nursing career as an entrepreneur.  

“Raising our profession in nursing to be able to have a seat at the table and have the opportunity to be an entrepreneur is important to me,” Scherer said. “The College of Nursing was so supportive of me thinking outside the box. It was incredibly helpful to have the college back me.” 

Scherer founded the first nurse-led company RN Cancer Guide Solutions — a professional oncology nursing navigator service pairing qualified oncology nurses with cancer patients. With this service, patients are offered advocacy and guidance in their cancer treatment journey. Nurses can accompany patients to their doctor visits, help patients make difficult decisions, and reduce medication and medical service charges.  

Scherer’s company created the first Employee Cancer Assistance Program in the United States. She was instrumental in rewriting Florida House Bill 1253 that updated the Florida Patient Bill of Rights in 2017. Under the revised law, patients have the right to bring a person to a health care facility while receiving a consultation or treatment. 

In 2018, she saw a need in the market for a dietary supplement for patients going through cancer treatments and founded Heavenly Hash Creamery. Her goal is to improve a person’s quality of life by using cannabis-infused ice cream as a targeted therapy for various health conditions. With the research and work that she has done advocating for patients, she was able to work with the state to allow cannabis in Heavenly Hash and is currently the only wholesale frozen dessert being produced with hemp extract in Florida.  

She is currently enrolled in the master’s program in medical cannabis science and therapeutics at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. She is slated to be part of their second graduating class. 

Story by USF Health Development and Alumni Relations