Jeannie has been a stabilizing presence on the congenital heart surgery service since I joined the team in 2012 and probably long before that. Jeannie’s commitment to the service line has been nothing but exemplary. She is a stickler for the rules and never takes short cuts, but at the same time takes the time to explain her actions and gains the trust and cooperation of everyone that interacts with her. She has trained most of the nurses in the operating room and is largely responsible for the competent team we have at the moment. Despite her being a highly qualified and skilled scrub nurse, she has made way for the younger team members to gain their own experience showing once again her commitment to the long-term success of the OR team. She handles administrative issues with ease, manages inventory, special orders,  which has again added to the success of her unit. Perhaps her greatest contribution to the operating room team and the Children’s Hospital in general is the culture that she has created. Humility, professionalism, dedication, safety, and pursuit of excellence are her trademarks. Her team functions in the same way… when needed, no matter the time of day, her team is there for our patients. I cannot, therefore, imagine anyone more qualified than Jeannie to receive the award. 

***

I have been with the Memorial Healthcare System for 10 years now, and when I first started my career, I remember seeing Jeannie and thinking she was exactly what an OR nurse should embody. All my years working with her she has done adult cardiovascular cases (i.e. CABGs, valves, dissections) and pediatric congenital cases (i.e VADs, heart transplants, countless congenital repairs, and true emergent ECMOs) all while doing it with ease, professionalism, and grace. She has always had my back and represents what true leadership encompasses. Upon accepting the clinical manager position in the new Joe DiMaggio Cardiac procedure suites, Jeannie has transitioned flawlessly. She has been such an essential instrument in opening the procedural suites and shown incredible leadership in supporting the staff, doctors, supply, and materials management, all while still working AND training within the operating room.  

***

I have only known Jeannie for a little over a year now and can tell you that she is one of my favorite colleagues. Watching her work in the OR is awe-inspiring and motivational. Not only does she excel as a scrub nurse and circulator, but watching her be a clinical manager is just as amazing. She handles issues with ease and eloquence. Her ability to communicate with all of the interdisciplinary modalities within our department is something to be recognized. Not only is Jeannie someone I can always count on for support or mentoring in the OR, but she is someone I can count on to be fair and reasonable when it comes to staffing, our schedule, or time needed off. Jeannie wears many hats and wears them all so beautifully. Jeannie is someone I genuinely look up to and aspire to be like as a nurse and nurse leader.  

***

I have worked for Memorial for almost three years now. I transitioned to Joe D from Regional OR. When I heard that Jeannie and her team were transitioning over to Joe D, I knew that’s where I wanted to be. She is a powerhouse of knowledge. She played a major role in the smooth transition from Regional to Joe D. It wasn’t just picking up a department from one hospital to the next, she created it from the floor up. Jeannie is the type of leader who listens and makes things happen. You bring her a task and you know she is going to get it done. She built this department all while still taking call, emergently putting patients on ECMO, teaching new staff, materials management, late night transplants, auditing our charts, organizing expected implants,  holding in-services, organizing bare space, creating new trays, educating new staff, and managing the daily schedule with limited staff. It is easy to say that Jeannie wears multiple hats. She will always make sure we have everything we need to be successful. Jeannie creates an atmosphere of support that fosters learning and growth. She leads by example. She is the first one here and the last one to leave. We want to work hard for her because she works hard for us.

Jeannie has been a part of the JDCH family/Heart Institute for over 15 years.  Her dedication to patients, their families, and her team is second to none.  She always puts patient care first and then everything else falls into place.  She is one of the few team leaders who knows how to lead.  She teaches and mentors her team and encourages them to do their best. Jeannie contributes to a healthy work environment, encourages staff engagement, and enhances our patient and family experience.

***

I have had the privilege of collaborating with Jeannie over the past few years. In my role as a leader, I was entrusted with spearheading the cardiac expansion project and establishing new cardiac procedural teams. Given my background in cardiac intensive care, the prospect of launching a completely new cardiac operating room (OR) space was daunting. However, with the assurance that Jeannie Lewis, a key congenital heart disease OR RN, was ready to shoulder this significant responsibility, I was confident that our team and program would thrive.

For those unfamiliar with Jeannie Lewis, she is nothing short of a phenomenal leader—a true ROCKSTAR. Jeannie exemplifies exceptional behavior and leadership qualities. As the inaugural member of the JDCH CVOR team, she willingly embraced the role of clinical manager, fully aware of the substantial workload it entailed. Jeannie dedicated herself tirelessly to collaborate with nursing, construction, physicians, and supply chain to ensure the availability of necessary equipment, instruments, and policies. She played a pivotal role in developing EPIC builds, procedural workflows, and efficiencies, serving as a subject matter expert. Remarkably, Jeannie holds competencies as both a surgical scrub tech and an RN.

When we inaugurated our procedural area, our team consisted of just three individuals—Jeannie, Vinny, and Miss Ruthy. Vinny and Ruthy committed to JDCH because they had faith in Jeannie and her leadership. Over the past year, Jeannie has inspired her compact yet powerful team with a shared vision and enthusiasm, striving to deliver the best care and achieve optimal outcomes. Since January of last year, the CVOR team has expanded to seven members, completing 323 cardiac surgeries and actively participating in nursing-led quality improvement and scholarly activities.

This dedicated team goes above and beyond, being available at all hours for ECMO and staying late for transplant cases, only to return early the next day to continue supporting our patients. What sets them apart is their selflessness and willingness to work tirelessly for the greater good. Their feedback is consistently constructive, focusing on how we can further enhance and improve our care. Much of the team's positive culture and engagement can be attributed to Jeannie Lewis's leadership.

Leading alongside someone as tenured, humble, knowledgeable, dedicated, selfless, and motivated as Jeannie is an honor and privilege. She commands the respect of her physician colleagues, clinical team, and administrative leadership. I am immensely proud of her accomplishments and eagerly anticipate witnessing her continued growth and development in her leadership role while guiding her team to even greater heights.