I truly believe that Deanna embodies a DAISY Nurse Leader. Deanna wholeheartedly places this leadership team and the work we do before her own work or personal gain from this role. Servant leadership means that a leader prioritizes the needs of other over personal gain. Servant leaders are mentors, coaches, facilitators and their purpose is to help their teams grow. I had never worked for a servant leader before and I wasn't sure what exactly to expect.

Deanna wants the best for those on her team. She strives to create a safe working environment. An environment where leader’s voices are heard, where we collaborate to meet our goals and create a meaningful team with a vision. If I had to describe Deanna as a leader in a few short phrases, I would say she is…

"Dependable – She will always follow through and works herself to no end to ensure we have what we need.”
"Empowers – She empowers those around her to reach their fullest potential."
"Advocates – She is the first to advocate for us as leaders."
"Never alone – She creates a team by her side. She does not lead with a hierarchy, and because of this, she makes everyone around her better.”
"Never backs down – She will always take whatever comes her way with a smile on her face. She is the first to step up and say, “I’ll take that.”
"Authentic – Her authentic self is caring, nurturing, and always seeking the positivity in any situation.”

I want to give you a few examples of what it means to be a leader supported by Deanna….

I was a part of Deanna's interview process. I don’t know about many others but what we were asking for from this role would have probably made most people run from. The team voiced the needs we had and were seeking a leader to help us. Deanna stepped into her role with an open heart, an open mind, and a determination to help support us as leaders. She watched, listened, and led by example as she transitioned into her role. She has created an environment that embodies the "nursing division" and continues to push, bringing us together as a team to reach our nursing goals. She focuses on collaboration and innovation to help us meet outcomes, but is also a model to guide us in seeing the bigger picture. She is constantly trying to infuse positivity into our culture and environment, and wants this journey that we are all on to be one we enjoy. She recognizes our wins, identifies our individual strengths, and celebrates our differences and what we bring to the team.

Deanna has provided support for initiatives that are "outside of the box." When I initially discussed the Nurse Leader Council with her, she was my biggest supporter in helping this new journey for shared governance amongst our nursing leaders. She is the first to ask, "How can I help you?" and I have truly felt supported along this journey. Working alongside her has shown me that she embodies the leader that I strive to be. As a mentor, Deanna is not afraid to push you through feedback, but it ALWAYS comes from a place of wanting you to be the best version of yourself.

Deanna is a leader whom people seek out and want to align themselves with. She is an advocate, a resource, a mentor and a friend to her team. This makes her an incredibly strong leader who will make an impact in our culture, our organization and our patients for long into the future. I am thankful to get to be on her team, and I think she is beyond deserving of the DAISY Nurse Leader award for all the things she does for us!!