Nicole Komenda, DNP, RN, PHRN, CTRN, CEN

Ms. Komenda works as a clinical nurse, a charge nurse, and a clinical nurse coordinator, demonstrating competence while leading nursing practice in the emergency department.
Ms. Komenda also works as a clinical instructor – mentoring student nurses to develop the next generation of nurses, while being an advocate for Independence Health nursing and recruiting students to choose Independence Health for employment.
Ms. Komenda serves as a clinical preceptor for newly hired nurses in the emergency department and has been a peer mentor for graduate nurses as they transition into their first nursing job. As a peer mentor, Ms. Komenda has had mentees advance in their nursing roles to lead professional governance councils, to become certified nurses in their area of specialty practice, and to further their education as they pursue advanced nursing degrees. Ms. Komenda teaches stroke class and workplace violence class and is a knowledgeable resource to her nursing colleagues as well as to interprofessional team members.
Ms. Komenda has consistently had an active role in professional (shared) governance. She has held roles as the chair of the Leadership Council, chair of the Unit-Based Practice Council, and has held the chair of the Professional Development Council (PDC). Under Ms. Komenda’s leadership, the PDC continues to evolve and grow in its role in improvements to the nurse practice environment. The scope of the PDC subgroups includes oversight of the Nursing Professional Advancement Program, the DAISY and Bee Award Programs, celebration of Nurses Week and Certified Nurses’ Week, the internet workgroup, the nursing annual report, the caring cabinet, and retirement and sixty-day post-hire cards, and other events and work as needed. Through her efforts, there has been an increase in nurses obtaining professional certifications in their area of specialty and a measurable increase in nurse engagement.
As a clinical nurse coordinator in the emergency department, Ms. Komenda has been an active member of the system Stroke committee, championing compliance with care protocols and timeliness measures for testing, as well as being an advocate for patient flow between the emergency department and inpatient placement for admission.
Recently, Ms. Komenda completed the application for the Emergency Nurses Association Lantern Award for Frick Emergency Department (ED); while the ED was not a recipient of the award, the stories collected for the application were reflective of the great work that is done in not only Frick ED, but across the EDs in the south market, with Ms. Komenda being actively involved in much of the work.
In the community, Ms. Komenda serves on the Board of Directors for a local EMS organization and bridges communication between the hospitals and EMS. Ms. Komenda completes all this work, and more, while maintaining a cheerful outlook, promoting kindness and collaboration to achieve high-quality outcomes. Ms. Komenda is an advocate for providing the best patient and staff experience possible.
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A great charge nurse and leader does not just manage tasks; they cultivate a culture of compassion, mentorship, and excellence. Nicole embodies these qualities daily in our ER.
She acts as a role model for seasoned and newer nurses. She is supportive of both our patients and staff. Nicole stays calm and supportive under pressure, especially when we have very ill patients and during high census times.
She empowers our team to be supportive of each other and encourages a healthy work environment, both mentally and physically. She has allowed the department to come together to participate in the Thrive Wellness challenge and a step challenge that has brought the department together to stay happy and healthy.
Nicole encourages us to advance our careers, such as studying and taking the CEN exam, and she encourages us to be involved with NPAP. Nicole goes beyond patient care and is dedicated to developing other staff members. She takes the time to educate staff and her nursing students to help improve patient care. She works with our educators to help develop projects to educate the ER, such as the Be-SAFE program.
Because of Nicole's leadership, our unit feels like a family. She fosters an environment of trust that allows us to focus on what matters most, our patients. Nicole deserves to be recognized for her unwavering dedication to our team and her passion for nurse excellence. She is an exemplary CNC and leader, and I cannot think of anyone more deserving of the DAISY Nurse Leader Award.