This nominee oversees two service lines and led her team in harm reductions from FY19 to FY20. This nurse leader requested to be one of the first units to implement the Quality Management System (QMS) huddles to address patient harms. She assisted with creating the huddle boards and educating nurse managers and staff about the huddle system. This leader role-modeled and led huddles in her four units. She assisted staff and unit nursing leadership in solving problems to root, escalating issues using the tiered huddle process, and educating staff and nurse leaders on creating an A3. This leader rolled out the QMS huddle system across the service line, pulled her team together to identify the issues and breakdowns, worked with Infection Prevention, the QMS team, frontline RNs, and providers to pinpoint the root causes of patient harm. As a result of her dedication and leadership, from FY19 to FY20: C. diffs reduced by 64%, CAUTIs reduced by 23% CLABSIs reduced by 40%, and falls reduced by 54%. Overall, harms were decreased by 48% in this leader’s inpatient units.

Over two years, this leader hired, trained, coached, and mentored four new nurse managers. She also holds a Green Belt in Six Sigma Methodology, the knowledge she uses when she leads QMS A3 initiatives and solving problems to root cause. During this nurse leader’s 23-year career at DUH, she has actively served or co-led multiple committees, such as DUHS Nursing Peer Review, DUH Electronic Patient Attendant Request Form, Pre-Offer Job Testing Committee, Nursing Leadership Development Program (NLDP) mentor, Neuro Performance Improvement Committee, Project Impact, Delirium Care Redesign, Duke Medical Pavilion (DMP) and Duke Central Tower (DCT) Unit Moves Planning Team, and CEO team to name a few.

This transformational leader has presented several podium and poster presentations. A few topics are “Hot Topics in Quality: Rapid Cycle Learning from Local Quality Improvement Projects,” “Stroke Documentation Improvements: The Road to Success,” and “Sterile End Cap Usage for Exposed Intravenous Tubing.” She also served as a commencement speaker for the Watts School of Nursing on the topic “It Was Right There All Along.”  The nominee served on the initial Magnet Committee:  supported project ideas, sought out stories for the document, and wrote several stories aligning with the Magnet standards. This nominee has also served on the service line’s Clinical Practice Policy Council for DUH and DUHS for many years. Through her leadership, she ensured policy and practice were aligned, and delivered professional education to the staff. She has also been instrumental in creating a new health system wide Clinical Practice Council for one of the patient populations in her service line.

This exceptional nurse leader led her teams in two different patient care tower moves. In 2013, she participated in several committees for the Duke Medicine Pavilion. Not only did this nurse leader have to move her entire inpatient unit, but she also led her staff in rolling out a new electronic medical record charting system and bar code scanning. Seven years later, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, this nurse leader’s inpatient units were selected to move-in early to the Duke Central Tower. Without hesitation, this nurse leader embraced the challenges ahead, moving into an unfinished building and temporary space. She spent countless hours with an interprofessional team planning two inpatient unit moves in a six-week timeframe. This leader ensured every detail was covered before the move, which resulted in a successful outcome. While planning the DCT move, she was also asked to co-lead opening a COVID respiratory care unit. Without hesitation, this nominee welcomed the challenge.

This active member of the American Association of Neurology Nurses has a strong desire to grow and develop staff. She maintains her specialty certification for CNML, and encourages staff to pursue professional certification and clinical ladder program. She also serves as a Nursing Leadership Development Program Mentor. She willingly mentors others and shares her knowledge. As a result of her dedication to grow and lead others, four of the nurses she mentored are in managerial positions. Lastly, she serves as a preceptor and resource for graduate nursing students who are completing clinical rotations. Another leader wrote, “She is an outstanding leader. She manages multiple roles and responsibilities with poise and grace, while displaying a calming presence. Her attention to detail is impeccable. She is not only an exceptional leader but is genuine and authentic.”

An exceptionally dedicated and intelligent, MSN-prepared nurse in her 23rd year of practice, she frequently goes above and beyond to advance the nursing profession, motivates others, displays a calm demeanor, and supports others to progress in their professional practice.