Loretta has been employed by Beebe for over 35 years. She has extensive knowledge in all departments, including both inpatient and outpatient, making her an invaluable resource. She is dedicated and works countless hours to support our team. She is very responsive when a nurse reaches out and is never too busy to assist with any issue. In addition, she has been working without a manager in our department for 6 months and taking on even more responsibilities just to support the team. She frequently receives calls after hours or on weekends to problem-solve on complicated patients. She has even taken calls from patients/family members with questions or concerns and has given out her personal cell number. By consistently leading by example through her passion, dedication, and commitment, she has made a profound impact on the way we care for each and every patient.

She advocates for adequate staffing and has obtained new nursing positions to support our highest-risk patients in the community. A physician from another department recently contacted her asking for assistance with navigating care for Palliative patients. This leader was able to fill the gap with this service, improve collaboration between departments, support another team, and better meet the needs of patients. She is on several Beebe committees and contributes to continuous improvement in patient care and processes (Ex, COPD/CHF huddles, COPD governing council, Readmission steering committee, High utilizer task force, Safety huddles, Meds to Beds, etc.). She meets with several community partners (Hospice, Home health, SNFs, Caregiver agencies) so our team has a point of contact and resources for patients.

Loretta is always thinking outside of the box and researching new ideas on how to streamline our workflow and ensure we have the necessary resources to do our job. She was instrumental in obtaining EMR access (Point Click Care) to IFRs/SNFs. This allows the nurses and Nurse Practitioners in the department to monitor rehab patients closely, collaborate with other facilities, identify high-risk patients, and prevent hospital readmissions. She has also met with representatives from Griswold AI (monitoring device in homes), CardiMEMS (detects early signs of heart failure) and Zoll HFMS (heart failure management system) to evaluate if these new technology devices can benefit our health care system and add an extra layer of support to the nurses in the home.

Since becoming our leader almost 2 years ago, Loretta has paved the way for nurses to provide effective patient care by breaking down barriers, fostering collaboration, and creating an environment where we feel supported and empowered to perform at our best. I am honored to work with her every day; she is truly an inspiration who encourages me to grow both personally and professionally. She has given me the autonomy and confidence to fly, challenges me daily while providing unwavering support, and has never allowed me to fail. I am excited to see where this leader will take our department, the sky is the limit.