Mike Tipton came to our unit at a very uncertain and stressful time. We had lost our nurse manager and our clinical nurse manager, and we were running the unit, essentially, without any management besides those who were filling in. Mike had quite the floor to manage and quite the work ahead of him.

When Mike arrived, the staff was nervous, and somewhat afraid of what might be to come. However, Mike exceeded our expectations and then some.

When Mike arrived, he was courteous, friendly and open. He made it clear that “trust was earned”, not something that was just given. He came with compassion and understanding, realizing and having empathy, that our unit was understaffed, struggling, and burnt out. Mike came in with a promise and a mission. That mission was to improve morale, build culture, and improve staffing and the workload of our nurses. In addition to this, he wanted to be sure that patients were the top priority and that we had the resources to do so, safely. He made clear that his doors were always open and he was going to listen to our concerns and attempt to do something about them. He certainly carried out that promise.

When I was selected as a clinical lead (an individual he took a chance on), he got to work immediately. Always asking for my input and suggestions. Mike exhibited inclusion by letting it be “OUR” unit. Everybody’s input mattered. He always considered our suggestions and let us vote on them or be an active part in the decisions made for the unit. Whether that be holiday rotations, moving our staff to every third weekend, or adding bins to the med servers to organize and make it easier for the nursing staff. He listened to suggestions on how to run our unit, what made the most sense and what kept our patients safe. He included staff members in the majority of interviews, so everybody could have input on who they would work with, and how they could fit in to our unit and our culture.

At the center of it all, Mike's main priority has always been patient care. He isn’t just a manager, He is an exemplar of what leadership looks like by answering call lights, assisting aides, and staying over or coming in when he knows our floor is struggling, and he always does so with a smile. He always does the right thing, even when nobody is looking. Being a clinical lead, I have more insight into what happens on the management side, and Mike always advocates for our unit, our patients, and our staff. He always recognizes and goes above and beyond to ensure that we are recognized and feel appreciated.

The impact that Mike has on our unit is invaluable. He constantly goes above and beyond. He is a listening ear to those in need. He is constantly advocating for those who need it, being a positive and shining example of what a leader looks like. He always leads with kindness, empathy, and compassion.

We would not be the unit we are today if it wasn’t for Mike and his contributions. Our morale has improved, our staffing is much better and the culture of our unit is that of a family. We all work together so greatly thanks to Mike and his constant work for improvement and developing a culture of teamwork and extraordinary patient care. We would not be able to provide the amazing care that we do, if it wasn’t for his constant work of improvement!