This strong leader joined the Aflac Leadership team in April of 2019 after our team and unit had gone over 6 months without a manager. She joined a team that was influx and hanging on by the skin of our teeth in the midst of severe staffing shortages while we were also planning to open our 17-bed expansion unit 6west.
Even though Alison had no prior Aflac experience that did not stop her from shadowing numerous nurses, asking questions, and truly seeking to know our culture and staff before tackling the rest of her role.
Alison is a really gifted leader and it showed from Day 1.
She led the Aflac team through 3 leadership team changes, adding a new ANM and taking on opening 6West all before the end of 2019. She spent the first month after the opening of 6West running back and forth from Aflac on the 3rd floor to Aflac on the 6th floor ensuring that she was present on both units. Working 12 -14 hour days, she was the picture of leading through change that our entire team needed during that time.
She collaborated with GPC managers, directors, and the VP of Nursing and Hospital Operations to open the unit and utilize it to its potential. She continued to lead our team of nurses and PCS through some difficult workplace issues that created tensions amongst our staff.
In our 1st quarter staff meetings this year she shared her own story of resilience and growth as a way to allow others to openly say that it's, 'ok to not be ok.' Countless numbers of our staff were appreciative of her vulnerability and her ability to connect as a holistic leader with our unit.
She is the best leader I've seen in Children's and I've had the privilege in the past 7 years of working with some of the most well-known faces within Children's. Her determination, leadership, resilience, and ability to lead through constant change were invaluable to the success of 6West and Aflac as a whole. Alison is truly a DAISY Nurse Leader.