Janis Hammond
December 2025
Janis
Hammond
,
MSN, RN, NEA-BC
Cardio-Vascular Service line
Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center
The Woodlands
,
TX
United States
Her patient, encouraging approach has helped countless novice nurses develop the confidence and skills they need to provide excellent care.
A Career Built on Compassion and Excellence
Janis began her nursing journey in 1980 after graduating from Lone Star College North Harris with her associate's degree in nursing. From her very first day as an Intensive Care Unit staff nurse at St. Joseph Hospital, she demonstrated what would become the hallmarks of her career: clinical excellence, unwavering dedication to patients, and a natural ability to lead.
Over the next forty-five years, Janis built an extraordinary career that took her through some of the most demanding environments in healthcare. She served as a critical care nurse at Ben Taub Hospital within Harris Health System, where she was cross-trained to the Emergency Department—a testament to her versatility and her commitment to being wherever patients needed her most. At Memorial Hermann Northeast, Janis served as House Supervisor, coordinating daily operations across a 285-bed facility—including the MICU, SICU, CCU, and IMU. Think about that for a moment: the responsibility of ensuring safe, quality care across an entire hospital, night after night. This was where her leadership gifts began to shine.
A Builder of Programs and People
At Conroe Regional Medical Center, Janis was given a challenge that would define the next phase of her career: create an Observation Unit from scratch. She didn't just accept this challenge—she excelled at it. She developed every policy and procedure. She hired and trained the team. She built relationships with case management and the interdisciplinary team to create a program that achieved a remarkable average length of stay of just 19 hours per patient. This wasn't just about building a unit. It was about creating something that didn't exist before—and making it excellent from day one.
Seventeen Years of Leadership at Memorial Hermann
In 2008, Memorial Hermann The Woodlands was fortunate to welcome Janis to our team. Over the past seventeen years, she has risen through progressive leadership roles—Clinical Manager, Patient Care Director III, and now Director of Patient Care IV—leading our most critical nursing units, including the Intensive Care Unit, Surgical ICU, and Cardiovascular ICU.
But here's something remarkable about Janis: even as she's grown into executive leadership, she has never lost touch with the bedside, as she maintains her clinical competence as a Registered Nurse. She could easily rest on her administrative responsibilities, but that's not who Janis is. She believes that to lead nurses effectively, you must understand the work they do every day.
A Lifelong Commitment to Professional Growth
Janis has never stopped learning. While leading units, mentoring staff, and caring for patients, she returned to school to earn her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Texas Medical Branch in 2009. She then pursued and completed her Master of Science in Nursing from Western Governors University in 2013. This commitment to education wasn't about titles or credentials. It was about being the best nurse and the best leader she could possibly be—and modeling that commitment for every nurse who works alongside her.
A Mentor and Role Model
Throughout her career, Janis has served as a preceptor for nursing students and new staff. She has provided classroom and bedside instruction, sharing her expertise in critical care with the next generation of nurses. Her patient, encouraging approach has helped countless novice nurses develop the confidence and skills they need to provide excellent care.
Janis understands that nursing is learned at the bedside as much as in the classroom. She has always been willing to roll up her sleeves and teach—whether it's demonstrating proper technique for Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump management, explaining the nuances of CVVHD, or simply showing a new nurse how to have a difficult conversation with a family.
Meeting the Standard of Excellence
When we look at the criteria for the DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award, Janis Hammond doesn't just meet these standards—she defines them:
Distinguished career in clinical practice and administration? Forty-five years spanning bedside care to executive leadership, promoting the positive image of professional nursing at every step.
Professional development of self and others? From her own pursuit of advanced degrees to her decades as a preceptor and educator, Janis has made nursing education a cornerstone of her practice.
Role model and advocate for nursing? Her choice to maintain clinical practice while serving in leadership demonstrates her commitment to the profession at its core.
Advocate for patient care and the patient experience? From creating observation programs that improve throughput to leading critical care units where lives hang in the balance, Janis has always put patients first.
Recognized as a transformational nursing leader? Her progressive advancement and the programs she has built speak to the trust our organization and the broader nursing community place in her leadership.
Twenty-five or more years of service? Janis has dedicated forty-five years to this profession—nearly twice the minimum requirement.
Congratulations Janis, and thank you for your extraordinary service to nursing.
Janis began her nursing journey in 1980 after graduating from Lone Star College North Harris with her associate's degree in nursing. From her very first day as an Intensive Care Unit staff nurse at St. Joseph Hospital, she demonstrated what would become the hallmarks of her career: clinical excellence, unwavering dedication to patients, and a natural ability to lead.
Over the next forty-five years, Janis built an extraordinary career that took her through some of the most demanding environments in healthcare. She served as a critical care nurse at Ben Taub Hospital within Harris Health System, where she was cross-trained to the Emergency Department—a testament to her versatility and her commitment to being wherever patients needed her most. At Memorial Hermann Northeast, Janis served as House Supervisor, coordinating daily operations across a 285-bed facility—including the MICU, SICU, CCU, and IMU. Think about that for a moment: the responsibility of ensuring safe, quality care across an entire hospital, night after night. This was where her leadership gifts began to shine.
A Builder of Programs and People
At Conroe Regional Medical Center, Janis was given a challenge that would define the next phase of her career: create an Observation Unit from scratch. She didn't just accept this challenge—she excelled at it. She developed every policy and procedure. She hired and trained the team. She built relationships with case management and the interdisciplinary team to create a program that achieved a remarkable average length of stay of just 19 hours per patient. This wasn't just about building a unit. It was about creating something that didn't exist before—and making it excellent from day one.
Seventeen Years of Leadership at Memorial Hermann
In 2008, Memorial Hermann The Woodlands was fortunate to welcome Janis to our team. Over the past seventeen years, she has risen through progressive leadership roles—Clinical Manager, Patient Care Director III, and now Director of Patient Care IV—leading our most critical nursing units, including the Intensive Care Unit, Surgical ICU, and Cardiovascular ICU.
But here's something remarkable about Janis: even as she's grown into executive leadership, she has never lost touch with the bedside, as she maintains her clinical competence as a Registered Nurse. She could easily rest on her administrative responsibilities, but that's not who Janis is. She believes that to lead nurses effectively, you must understand the work they do every day.
A Lifelong Commitment to Professional Growth
Janis has never stopped learning. While leading units, mentoring staff, and caring for patients, she returned to school to earn her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Texas Medical Branch in 2009. She then pursued and completed her Master of Science in Nursing from Western Governors University in 2013. This commitment to education wasn't about titles or credentials. It was about being the best nurse and the best leader she could possibly be—and modeling that commitment for every nurse who works alongside her.
A Mentor and Role Model
Throughout her career, Janis has served as a preceptor for nursing students and new staff. She has provided classroom and bedside instruction, sharing her expertise in critical care with the next generation of nurses. Her patient, encouraging approach has helped countless novice nurses develop the confidence and skills they need to provide excellent care.
Janis understands that nursing is learned at the bedside as much as in the classroom. She has always been willing to roll up her sleeves and teach—whether it's demonstrating proper technique for Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump management, explaining the nuances of CVVHD, or simply showing a new nurse how to have a difficult conversation with a family.
Meeting the Standard of Excellence
When we look at the criteria for the DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award, Janis Hammond doesn't just meet these standards—she defines them:
Distinguished career in clinical practice and administration? Forty-five years spanning bedside care to executive leadership, promoting the positive image of professional nursing at every step.
Professional development of self and others? From her own pursuit of advanced degrees to her decades as a preceptor and educator, Janis has made nursing education a cornerstone of her practice.
Role model and advocate for nursing? Her choice to maintain clinical practice while serving in leadership demonstrates her commitment to the profession at its core.
Advocate for patient care and the patient experience? From creating observation programs that improve throughput to leading critical care units where lives hang in the balance, Janis has always put patients first.
Recognized as a transformational nursing leader? Her progressive advancement and the programs she has built speak to the trust our organization and the broader nursing community place in her leadership.
Twenty-five or more years of service? Janis has dedicated forty-five years to this profession—nearly twice the minimum requirement.
Congratulations Janis, and thank you for your extraordinary service to nursing.