Deanna is often heard telling her team ‘family first’.  She embodies this principle and will assist in covering so that we are able to attend to family emergencies. Having an open-door policy is how Deanna leads.  She is accessible while juggling leadership responsibilities, calls, and meetings.  She has the ability to care for us individually and as a team with her leadership.  She listens and is able to hear each of us, and our concerns and strives to keep us focused on the patients in front of us despite the competing challenges that the healthcare landscape brings.
 
Deanna lives this model.  She holds each of us in a professional and respectful posture, never hesitating to counsel us when the need arises.  She sets the bar high and expects us to deliver exceptional patient-focused care that is compassionate and evidence-based.  She can easily remind of us policies, standards, and professional guidelines that direct our care.  

Deanna encourages the team to learn and grow in their roles.  She fosters a drive in all of us to go above and beyond for our patients.  It’s not uncommon to see any of our team going out of their way to make the patient experience better.  She will insert herself into any situation to help bring about a positive resolution not for the patient, but also for us.  

We rely on Deanna’s leadership.  However, she has a gift for empowering us, pushing us to work on a process that needs attention, and bringing us together for improved outcomes.  She will tap into the strengths of individuals and pair team members together to work on a solution.  She will delegate with the knowledge that she is available to help and support.

Deanna has become an example of effective nurse leadership.  Because of her role, Seidman continues to shine in the community.  She partners with members of leadership at St. John Medical Center to help provide the exemplary care that Seidman consistently delivers.  
Deanna certainly embodies the UH leadership promise. She leads by example. She has been given a gift in how she leads.  She engages with her team, her leadership team, and the community.  Her passion for delivering excellent care is felt and inspires all of us to do the same.  Thank you Deanna for your tireless commitment.

Deanna’s leadership makes a big difference in the workplace.  She creates positive attitudes by role-modeling this herself.  She listens intently, invests time in her people, and creates a collaborative culture.  She has an “open door” policy and is always there for her team.

Deanna creates an environment focused on compassion.  When hired or transferred to our center, each person gets a welcome sign that is signed by all of the employees.  I have heard comments from staff about how warm and friendly this is and it sets the tone for their experience here.  It creates an initial sense of belonging.  When staff leave, move or retire, Deanna usually tries to obtain their lab coat (when applicable) and have staff sign it with their well wishes to that individual.  Then, at the end of the last day, we “clap them out.”  This is a tradition that Deanna started and keeps going here at the SCC St. Johns.
 
Deanna goes out of her way to create an environment of trust.  Three years ago she inherited a staff from a unit that closed.  The new group was merging with the existing group and lost its manager.  Deanna bought spring flowers for the new team to welcome them.  She provided designated workstations, mixing members of her old group with the new team.  Through her compassion and consistency, it did not take long for the merging teams to come together as one group.  In hindsight this appeared seamless, however, it was her leadership, patience, encouragement, and support that made it all happen. 
 
She is very protective of the positive culture that she has created over the years, therefore she addresses issues that do not align with her own values quickly. She fiercely defends and supports her team members. I recall one time when a patient was being verbally abusive on his first day to the ambulatory SCC at St. Johns.  I have over 30 years of nursing experience and always considered myself as someone who could deal with negative behavior.  Despite my efforts, this patient was unrelenting.  I excused myself from the room and reached out to Deanna.  She met with the patient and made it clear that under no circumstances was she going to tolerate this behavior and that he was not to talk to her team in that manner.  She stated that she would find another nurse to provide care and she sat in the room the entire time the other nurse was in there. This sent a message and a tone not only to the patient but also to the staff that they are supported.  Since then, the patient continues to come and he behaves appropriately.  She really has the backs of all of her staff.   

Deanna motivates the team with a shared vision of positivity, safety, and quality.  At her staff meetings, she always ends the meeting with a video focused on positivity.  It is usually a nursing video that leaves us feeling proud of the work we do.  It’s a boost that keeps us all going, even thru challenging times.  She is quick to recognize staff members.  She gives out UH Appreciation points freely when any staff member has gone above and beyond.  This recognition reinforces these behaviors and maintains the positive culture that she has built at this location.  She nominates staff for recognition and awards.  She knows her team well and is always able to do a write up specific to the nominee. She looks for the best in them and encourages positive behaviors. 

Deanna makes herself available to staff, again, with her “open door” policy.  She is more than responsive to the needs of others.  When asked to take on the interim manager role at the main campus, her response was solely based on the needs of the bedside nurses at that location.  She felt that those nurses needed consistent leadership and support.  She also felt that she could bring some of her best practices from this location to the new team to ease their current situation.  This decision was made by putting others first. 

Deanna promotes the image of nursing and is a dedicated professional.  She inspires engagement, allowing others to freely share ideas and enabling them to pursue projects that they are passionate about.  She provides direction and leadership while the employee puts their project into action.  The result is that the employee develops something they can be proud of and Deanna is quick to highlight their success.  She has led several changes at this location that make it run more smoothly and safely.  This includes the Rapid Response Team for pt emergencies and the evidence-based acuity tool for managing equitable, fair, and safe pt assignments. She is truly an inspiring leader and it is my privilege to have her as my boss.