I am honored to nominate Joanne Miller, a transformational nurse leader and Chief Nurse Executive for Baystate Health, for the prestigious DAISY Leader Award. Joanne embodies the essence of this award in every aspect of her leadership, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to excellence, compassion, and innovation. As a visionary leader, Joanne leads with her heart, consistently expressing profound compassion and pride for her team. Her ability to inspire and motivate is unparalleled, creating an environment where every team member feels valued and empowered. She lights the way with positivity, fostering a culture of collaboration and mutual respect.

Joanne is renowned for her innovative thinking, always seeking new ways to improve patient care and enhance the nursing profession. Her courage and strength in the face of challenges are truly remarkable, guiding her team through transformation with grace and resilience. Under her leadership, the nursing team has achieved numerous milestones: a successful journey to Magnet #5 thus far, especially during the Magnet Site Visit; improved partnerships and collaboration with the local schools of nursing; accredited Transition to Practice program and journey toward reaccreditation; an extraordinary Holistic Nursing program, promoting the well-being of the entire patient care team; improved capacity and patient throughput processes; streamlined processes contributing to improvements in patient outcomes (HAPI, CAUTI, CLABSI, Falls); actively involved in employee recruitment and retention strategies; has made strides in improving patient satisfaction; created a system-ness approach across BH, pulling teams together and standardizing nursing practice; gained national attention from putting Baystate on the map, presenting at conferences and networking strategies, and the list goes on!; reflecting her dedication to continuous improvement and excellence.

Joanne does what she does for her love of nursing and her genuine desire to inspire and uplift the team, never for her own benefit or praise. Her commitment to patient-centered care and her ability to lead by example have made a lasting impact on both her team and the patients they serve. In summary, Joanne is a transformational leader who exemplifies the qualities celebrated by the DAISY Leader Award. Her visionary approach, compassionate leadership, and unwavering strength make her an exceptional candidate for this honor.