Before becoming an educator in 1983, he practiced nursing in various clinical pediatrics settings. Dr. Hernandez is a Family Nurse Practitioner and practices as a Neonatal Specialist with well newborns and at a free clinic with clients of all ages. He has been active in the community as an advocate for diversity and healthcare access and quality for underserved populations. Arriving as a refugee from Cuba to the U.S. at age eight provided him with a direct understanding of transcultural nursing issues and needs of persons from different cultures and with limited English proficiency.