This nurse “walks the talk” every day, and sets the example for others on integrity, accountability and transparency.  She is reliable 100% of the time, and is always there to support her team, her customers and others around her.  For example, during the “go live” prep for the Duress technology implementation at one the Emergency Departments, she was on site to support her team and the clinical staff to perform technical testing estimated to last around four hours.  The team encountered some technical issues, requiring engagement from the vendor to work through the issues.  This nurse led the team for 12+ hours, and kept the vendor engaged and accountable to ensure the solution worked.  The team was exhausted, but she kept leading by example – being present, leading toward resolution – to ensure we were testing end-to-end at each point.  Even as the team and the vendors grew frustrated and grouchy, she did not give in to her own tiredness and frustrations; instead, she set the example saying, “I know y’all are tired, we all are, but we have to stay focused on the end goal; this is about safety.”  She led the team fearlessly with the “end goal” in mind:  to ensure the solution worked to improve the safety and well-being of our staff.

This nurse embodies excellence and is a role model for advancing the profession of nursing.  She has achieved her Informatics Nursing board certification through the American Nursing Credentialing Center (ANCC), and has her master’s degree in Nursing Informatics, as well as a master’s of Management in Clinical Informatics.  She was a podium presenter at the October 2022 ANCC Magnet Conference in Philadelphia and is Chair of the North Carolina Nursing Association (NCNA) Council of Nursing Informatics (CoNI).  In addition, she has a video blog on several forums, where she promotes Nursing Informatics with education and discussion of current topics.  She rounds out her professional profile by being a volunteer panel facilitator for one of the MSN courses at the Duke University School of Nursing.

This nurse demonstrates excellence in all that she does – from leading her team daily, to engaging with various nursing committees, to implementing new solutions, to presenting at various Nursing conferences throughout 2022.

Innovation could be her middle name. In October 2022 she was recognized for both excellence and innovation at the ANCC Magnet conference in Philadelphia by being chosen as a podium presenter.  Her presentation, “Reducing Documentation with Interoperability and Geolocation,” received incredible feedback and kudos from attendees for the multiple and unique applications of Geolocation.

As Chair of the NCNA Council of Nursing Informatics (CoNI), she has embraced the new NCNA-Connect to increase interactions among members and to stimulate discussion of current trends and issues affecting both patients and nurses.  She invests in relationships both inside and outside of Duke Health in her goal to advance the nursing profession.

As one Nursing leader states, “She’s changed how we interact with each other through her leadership style.  …  I’ve watched her grow as a highly educated NI professional to whom I keep ‘pushing’ a DNP on her and as faculty.  IMHO she is a star.”

This nurse collaborates with every inpatient unit and their staff/leaders across our three hospitals.  She also engages with outpatient stakeholders and clinic leaders, as new solutions for these operational areas are implemented.  For example, when the Duke Raleigh Hospital South Pavilion was built, this nurse led her team in the planning and preparations, from weekly meetings to review floor plans, to site visits for total understanding.  Whenever there were any questions — ambiguity or misunderstanding — this nurse would always take the time to listen, answer questions and truly strive to understand what the task was at hand, while solving the challenges of the clinical teams.

Throughout all of the projects that this nurse leads, her customers provide very similar feedback, “She is always willing to answer a phone call, jump on a meeting (even if last minute, and we might have missed sending her the invite!), and the statement that would always come up from staff was, ‘Let’s make sure we ask (this nurse).’  She shows dedication, commitment, integrity and collaboration in all the initiatives she works on, and I value her expertise and knowledge.”  One operational leader stated, “I have always felt comfortable knowing that (this nurse) and her team were a part of our initiatives.  I have learned so much over the years, and I thank (this nurse) for that, and the opportunity to work with her.”

Knowing:  She seeks to know the reality of those she serves.  “I specifically remember when we had to replace our Nurse Call system.  She truly understood the impact to our team responding, as well as the complete impact to the patients. … Because of her input and preparation, we were able to stage extra staff to make sure the patients were taken care of during this critical time.”

Being With:  This has been demonstrated by her participation in the work of her team and the sharing of both the joys and frustrations of the work.

Doing For:  Never one to be catered to, she anticipates the needs and concerns of others, as in making sure the customer is comfortable with the plans and how they are executed.

Enabling:  One nurse in another department shared how this nurse offered to have her present with her at a conference.  The other nurse had helped coordinate some of the details of the implementation, but was not a member of the core team, had not contributed content or suggestions to the presentation.  It was simply the humble supporting of another.

Maintaining Belief:  She believes in her team and their abilities to make good things happen regardless of the hurdles in the way.

This nurse is ever present, visible, passionate and caring in all that she does in the nursing profession – as a blogger, an influencer, a community leader, an innovator, an employee, a caregiver and more – and is pushing the frontier of the nursing profession in which to expand its reach and care for patients in innovative ways.  As stated by one of her nomination supporters, “Her ability to infuse creativity and innovation into modern medicine will continue to cement her footprint on the nursing profession.”