Katie Ruane exemplifies the spirit of a DAISY Nurse Leader in everything she does. When I first started at Connecticut Children’s, I had a very difficult transition. I spent many days close to tears (or even in tears!), convinced that I had made a terrible decision in changing my career path. Without Katie’s daily support and guidance, I would not still be at Connecticut Children’s today. Those first few months, Katie was attentive, personable, and compassionate. She would check in on me frequently, whether by phone, email, Skype, or in person. She always seemed to know what I needed to make it through another day, whether it was bringing donuts, sharing her own stories of challenging transitions, or giving a hug. She arranged meetings with department heads and human resources to clarify my role and ask questions that I was afraid to ask myself. Katie was able to recognize symptoms of dissatisfaction and had amazing impact on my retention and engagement. Katie was wonderful and attentive and exactly the leader that I needed at the time.

Katie is invaluable to Connecticut Children’s as a mentor for future nurse leaders. She encourages her staff to get the tools and training they desire or need to be more skillful. Last year, I expressed to Katie that I did not expect my position to have such a large public speaking role. I was frequently being asked to present, not only to offices and hospital departments but on a state and national level. Public speaking has never been something that I was comfortable with, and I was trying to avoid it and delegate to other staff. Katie recognized this as an opportunity for growth and connected me with several people within Connecticut Children’s who could provide training, guidance, and help improve my confidence. With Katie’s help, I have not only become more comfortable in this role, but also recognized the importance of facing difficult tasks head-on.

In serving as a mentor, Katie is engaged in providing concrete guidance and acting as a diligent listener. She fosters a culture of thoughtful feedback and recognition and creates an environment for leaders to emerge. Katie always finds an opportunity to acknowledge and recognize the work and achievements of her team. When I have had successes, both big and small, Katie has reached out to congratulate or provide positive feedback. She was the first to send an excited congratulatory email after I spoke at Grand Rounds, and I was incredibly touched to receive a card from her in the mail acknowledging the challenging work that my program was engaged in.

This DAISY Award nomination is the perfect opportunity to recognize HER for her diligent work on a daily basis. I remember when I first interviewed at Connecticut Children’s, Katie asked me to describe a good manager. At the time, I talked about a manager I had in the NICU who would come in when we were short-staffed in the middle of the night and work with us in the trenches. While I still appreciate and have the utmost respect for that manager, my answer has evolved over the past several years. A great manager is an educator, role model, cheerleader, and advocate. A great manager fosters an environment of compassion, mutual respect, learning, and teamwork. Katie’s ability to demonstrate each of these characteristics defines her as an exemplary leader. Katie taught me how to advocate for myself and build a career and program that I can be proud of. I count myself lucky to have had her mentorship.