Katie has been in her manager role for a year. When she took on the position as an interim manager, she had over 15 open positions to fill and low engagement and satisfaction scores to overcome. In this past year, she has created an environment that is so appealing that she was able to fill all of the open positions and improve the employee engagement scores by 24%.

She did this by being present for staff when they needed her most, rounding and assisting the nurses when asked, and she empowers the staff to act on suggestions for improvement through shared governance and leadership.

Katie is an active participant in the shared leadership council on the unit as a leader through active listening and encouragement toward problem-solving. She removes barriers the nurses may face so that they are able to make changes and improve outcomes.

Katie is a young leader; her quiet and competent presence gives the team confidence to make informed decisions about many aspects of patient care in the unit. The staff is comfortable approaching Katie with ideas and challenges, knowing she will address their needs quickly and efficiently, clearing the way for them to improve care.

Recently, the staff was having problems with old vital sign monitors. Katie worked with purchasing and the equipment company to secure new vital sign machines so the nurses had the tools needed to do their jobs.

Katie maintains her certifications and brings the latest evidence to the table around the Baby Friendly initiative for lactation support, and recently, the unit achieved Silver status, an increase from Bronze, for safe sleep thanks to Katie's leadership and guidance through the process.

Katie is a voice for the staff when it comes to their needs for education and supports their growth through educational offerings and coaching based on requests and outcome measures.

As a leader very new to a management role, Katie has flourished. She has created an environment of shared decision-making through unit council participation and active support. Katie attends shared governance meetings as a coach, advocate, and mentor, providing feedback in real time to guide team members to positive outcomes.

Katie has filled over 15 open positions in less than a year and has built a strong team of new and veteran staff through her quiet presence and leadership. Engagement scores have improved by 24%, with staff identifying her as a reason they stay in their positions.

Katie is well respected, and the staff has confidence in her skills and knowledge about their work. She will step in beside them and care for patients if needed; however, staff state they would rather have her advocating for them and have her focus on giving them the tools they need to do their jobs, providing high-quality care to patients on the unit.

Katie rounds on her unit several times a day, rarely spending time in her office. She makes it a point to have touchpoints with every individual on both shifts, making sure they have the support they need to grow and prosper.

Katie is an exceptional leader, and it is hard to imagine that she has only been in the role for a year. She has been instrumental in the department reaching Silver status for safe sleep.

Besides taking on the manager role, Katie has had to do the work of two roles. Prior to taking the manager role, Katie was the Baby Friendly coordinator, a position that will need to be replaced. Attaining and maintaining Baby Friendly status is a full-time job on its own, and she maintains our Baby Friendly status through significant work and dedication on top of her manager duties, so she is doing the work of two people for the time being.