From the first-time Kim was introduced as the Director of the Marc A. Asher Comprehensive Spine Center, she proved to be a leader like no other we have encountered. We have worked with, and for others who are great at making things work, however, making things work and having a happy, thriving team, in addition, is a very different thing. Kim is entirely visible which each of us appreciates, and she has a strong, yet gentle presence. She updates us on quality indicators and meets with us to develop goals to improve. The implementation of the Tier 3 Board has brought knowledge and insight to the team in that we can see our statistics on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. She makes it known that there is no blame applied if numbers are low, but is firm that they need to rise, allowing for input from the entire group. A good leader helps in the reaching of goals and objectives. Building a structure is not enough, Kim empowers the team, letting us know our opinions matter.
The Spine Center has grown like crazy, and with Kim's leadership, we have become the most flexible, adaptable team. Although on the job mentoring is a large part of Kim's influence, she occasionally takes team building and mentoring outside of the workplace. As a staff that spends many hours on the job together, we truly appreciate an offsite, relaxed atmosphere to encourage and nurture the relationships we have developed at work.
Kim takes a personal interest in her crew, digging in to help, and has been a huge advocate of the daily teamwork that has created this hard-working, fun-loving, family atmosphere of mutual trust and respect. Her dedication to the team has only deepened over the years. We have each personally experienced encouragement from her to find a place to get involved, expand our knowledge, and grow. She doesn't leave the encouragement at that, but provides suggestions of areas that might be of interest, and is available for ongoing coaching. If we fail, she helps us up and does not discourage us from trying again, but instead encourages even more. Additionally, we know she has provided the same encouragement to others in our department. She truly takes joy in watching people spread their wings and fly. She hires great people, supports their strengths, and gives direction to grow and improve.
Examples and results of Kim's influence include the following:
According to Debbie Florido, "When I was going to school, she worked with my schedule so that I could finish my practicum and keep my job here as a CNC". As a result, Debbie is a wealth of information with her Masters in Nursing Informatics Degree.
"Kim encouraged us to be more involved in Spine practice, team building, and teaching when she bought us tickets to the ceremony for Dr. Asher as he won the Legacy Award and was inducted into The University of Kansas Hospital Hall of Fame", Angela Ellis. As a result, Angela takes the lead in consistently providing a closed loop in her clinics with high patient satisfaction.
Cherie Adair says, "I felt successful when she encouraged me to be a coordinator for Dr. Sayed and said that she knew I could learn what I needed to know to be a good CNC". Cherie's provider is our busiest and she has become a major resource to other CNCs in practice.
"Approximately 5 years ago, Kim encouraged me to look into Professionalism Council. This would allow a member of our staff to expand the knowledge of the department by attending meetings and bringing back information to the rest of the team, allowing the team to be aware of all the events occurring in the hospital. In addition to now holding the seat of chair of the council, I have grown in ways professionally that I never thought I would, including facility involvement, community involvement, public speaking and communication skills, all from a few words and a little push of encouragement", said Ahvy Whiteside.
Additionally, Kim has encouraged all of the eligible CNCs in the Spine Center, as well as nurses from The Center for Transplantation, and other ambulatory settings to study for a new certification. She made sure we had the time, place, and materials we needed to study. As a result, at least 10 nurses will sit for this certification.
Kim comes with the whole package; she is a visionary with intellectual knowledge and communication skills to implement that vision, has a great grasp on the financial side, is tech savvy, and knows how to rally the troops to reach our goals. We speak for the entire team when we say we love her!