Nurse Executive Releases AI Playbook Targeting Women in Healthcare Facing Workforce Disruption
Mariquita Joy, a registered nurse and certified AI healthcare strategist, published Promotions Over Pink Slips: How to Make Yourself Indispensable in the AI Era in April 2026 to address a specific problem: women in middle management, healthcare, and professional services are losing jobs to AI faster than their peers.
The book pairs with a companion workbook designed to move readers from theory to action within 30 days. Joy's premise is direct: AI isn't coming-it's already reshaping industries. Professionals who learn AI skills now gain competitive advantage. Those who wait lose ground.
Who Mariquita Joy Is
Joy brings clinical and executive credentials to the conversation. She holds a Master of Public Health, works as a Certified Case Manager, and spent 25 years in healthcare leadership at the AVP level. She completed an AI certification in December 2025 through AI InnoVision, a CPD-certified program.
Beyond the book, she founded three companies: Small Steps Rehab LLC, The Ladybug Speaks™ (an AI consulting brand), and the AI Author Academy. She has trained over 200 healthcare workers in Motivational Interviewing and delivered AI training to more than 100 insurance professionals across the Washington, D.C. region.
Best of Best Review named her Best AI Skills Educator for Healthcare Professionals in the United States of 2026.
What the Book Covers
The workbook transforms each chapter into daily actions. Joy says women who implement her AI recommendations see measurable shifts in professional positioning within a month-moving from hoping to avoid layoffs to becoming the person leadership consults on AI strategy.
The approach assumes readers have no formal tech background. Joy's own experience supports this. She founded Care4Caregivers.app, which won an AVA Digital Gold Award and advanced to the finals of an Amazon Web Services innovation pitch competition for $50,000 in AI funding.
The Broader Argument
Joy argues women aren't being told the truth about workforce changes. "AI is not coming. It is here," she said. "The women who survive it are not the ones who waited to feel ready, they are the ones who moved first."
She points to free training tools like Claude and Gemini as accessible starting points. Many professionals who use them are becoming AI leads within their organizations without prior technical experience.
Joy emphasizes community matters in this transition. She credits AI InnoVision and educator Alicia Lyttle for guiding her own journey.
Both the book and workbook are available on Amazon. Joy is scheduled to speak at the WEL 2026 Conference in Venice, Italy. More information is available at theladybugspeaks.com.
Healthcare professionals looking to build AI skills can explore AI for Healthcare resources or AI Productivity Courses to develop practical capabilities for their roles.
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