Libby R Welch
March 2025
Libby R
Welch
,
MSN, RN, CPEN
Emergency Department
Children's Mercy Kansas City
Kansas City
,
KS
United States
Libby goes above and beyond to ensure the highest standards of care are met while creating a supportive and collaborative environment for the team. She is always accessible, listens actively to concerns people have, and works to find solutions that benefit all disciplines. She's an invaluable member of the ED team.
Libby began at Children's Mercy as Libby Sevy, critical care technician at the South location. That's right, all the way back in 2011 when people still readily referred to our location as South! After graduating nursing school, she temporarily moved to the Adele Hall campus, where she worked on what was 5 Henson (now 5 Sutherland). It wasn't long, though, until she returned as a bedside nurse at the Children's Mercy KANSAS location. She then completed a master's degree in nursing leadership and moved up to become a critical care core charge nurse. Libby is one of those people who you can just tell will accomplish things. She is confident, extremely well-read, analytical, and tenacious. In her own words, "I don't argue till I know I'm right." She's a quick study. She observes, listens to others, reviews various perspectives, and then uses that information to determine the best outcome. Being right isn't her goal; making things better is.
Fast forward to 2020, when (now) Libby Welch stepped into the Unit Educator role and then soon after in October 2023, when she accepted the Assistant Nurse Manager position while SIMULTANEOUSLY continuing to fill the role of the Unit Educator. She still holds both roles simultaneously today. Her bedside triaging skills come in handy as she fills two leadership roles in our department at once. If you remind her of that, though, she won't bat an eye. She invests energy into the Kansas Emergency Department and continues to positively impact patients and staff alike. Additionally, she collaborates with the Adele Hall Emergency Department, bringing a unique perspective there, too. She advocates for this department in the most genuine and heartfelt way. I’m sure she would correct me and say, "Well, I had help from (insert person here)," or "I couldn't have done it without..." but she is a determined and proactive woman! She is one of those people who moves mountains. She accomplishes goals, and if she can't, then she works hard to find a solution with the resources she has...that is, until she CAN accomplish the goal!
Libby listens. Her active listening is second to none. While she'll readily admit she may not have a solution, she still listens. She takes it in, allows the topic to marinade, and then works to achieve the goal. She's resourceful and asks for help to make our little island a more desirable and dynamic place to work. She is invested and wants to make an impact on our community of patients. She puts her staff first, which enables them to put our patients first. What makes her an amazing leader is directly related to what made her an incredible bedside nurse. She is approachable, realistic, honest, and a clear communicator. She's able to think critically and provides excellent patient-centered care. She still gets asked to come start a line on a patient when others find it challenging. Libby is a one-of-a-kind leader.
***
I would like to nominate Libby in recognition of her exceptional leadership, dedication to patient care, and commitment to the well-being of both patients and staff. She models exemplary practice in every aspect of her role. She leads by example- ensuring the needs of patients and staff are met with compassion, expertise, and efficiency. Her deep understanding of emergency care, paired with her ability to maintain a calm and focused demeanor in high-stress situations, inspires confidence among the staff. She goes above and beyond to ensure the highest standards of care are met while creating a supportive and collaborative environment for the team. She is always accessible, listens actively to concerns people have, and works to find solutions that benefit all disciplines. She's an invaluable member of the ED team. For these reasons, I believe Libby embodies the ideals of nursing leadership. Her confidence and outstanding leadership skills make her most deserving of this award.
***
Libby is an inspiring and creative leader for the Children’s Mercy Kansas Emergency Department. She started her nursing career in the CMK ED and has flourished in her new role as assistant director. She is one of the best nurses I have ever known. She is the person you think of when you hear the term "excellent nurse leader." It is an honor and a privilege to get to work for and alongside her every day; she is one of the reasons that I love my job so much. The attributes and characteristics that she emulates are exactly what I would want if she were caring for me or a loved one: good communication, problem-solving skills, and empathy. Those same skills have served her very well, formerly as a charge nurse, Educator, and now as the Assistant Director of the Kansas Emergency Department.
Libby accepted the position as Assistant Director in October 2023. Since this time, Libby has grown into her new role, while also maintaining the role of the Educator. I know that doing both roles has been challenging, however I have seen Libby in some very difficult situations, and she has handled them with finesse. She has met challenges head-on and did what she needed to do in order to ensure that safe, patient-centered care continued in the CMK ED. Yes, she gets things done. But she gets them done with a smile on her face and unmatched kindness. She truly is an inspiration. The unparalleled positivity that Libby brings to not only our unit, but to other individuals or teams is why I am submitting this DAISY nomination. She serves and leads the CMK ED team with grace, empathy, and open inclusion of all our unique nurses. She makes you want to be a better nurse, a better team player, a better learner...she just makes you want to be a better person overall. That is who you want to continue to lead and inspire others in nursing here at Children's Mercy – the nurse who makes all those around her even better.
Fast forward to 2020, when (now) Libby Welch stepped into the Unit Educator role and then soon after in October 2023, when she accepted the Assistant Nurse Manager position while SIMULTANEOUSLY continuing to fill the role of the Unit Educator. She still holds both roles simultaneously today. Her bedside triaging skills come in handy as she fills two leadership roles in our department at once. If you remind her of that, though, she won't bat an eye. She invests energy into the Kansas Emergency Department and continues to positively impact patients and staff alike. Additionally, she collaborates with the Adele Hall Emergency Department, bringing a unique perspective there, too. She advocates for this department in the most genuine and heartfelt way. I’m sure she would correct me and say, "Well, I had help from (insert person here)," or "I couldn't have done it without..." but she is a determined and proactive woman! She is one of those people who moves mountains. She accomplishes goals, and if she can't, then she works hard to find a solution with the resources she has...that is, until she CAN accomplish the goal!
Libby listens. Her active listening is second to none. While she'll readily admit she may not have a solution, she still listens. She takes it in, allows the topic to marinade, and then works to achieve the goal. She's resourceful and asks for help to make our little island a more desirable and dynamic place to work. She is invested and wants to make an impact on our community of patients. She puts her staff first, which enables them to put our patients first. What makes her an amazing leader is directly related to what made her an incredible bedside nurse. She is approachable, realistic, honest, and a clear communicator. She's able to think critically and provides excellent patient-centered care. She still gets asked to come start a line on a patient when others find it challenging. Libby is a one-of-a-kind leader.
***
I would like to nominate Libby in recognition of her exceptional leadership, dedication to patient care, and commitment to the well-being of both patients and staff. She models exemplary practice in every aspect of her role. She leads by example- ensuring the needs of patients and staff are met with compassion, expertise, and efficiency. Her deep understanding of emergency care, paired with her ability to maintain a calm and focused demeanor in high-stress situations, inspires confidence among the staff. She goes above and beyond to ensure the highest standards of care are met while creating a supportive and collaborative environment for the team. She is always accessible, listens actively to concerns people have, and works to find solutions that benefit all disciplines. She's an invaluable member of the ED team. For these reasons, I believe Libby embodies the ideals of nursing leadership. Her confidence and outstanding leadership skills make her most deserving of this award.
***
Libby is an inspiring and creative leader for the Children’s Mercy Kansas Emergency Department. She started her nursing career in the CMK ED and has flourished in her new role as assistant director. She is one of the best nurses I have ever known. She is the person you think of when you hear the term "excellent nurse leader." It is an honor and a privilege to get to work for and alongside her every day; she is one of the reasons that I love my job so much. The attributes and characteristics that she emulates are exactly what I would want if she were caring for me or a loved one: good communication, problem-solving skills, and empathy. Those same skills have served her very well, formerly as a charge nurse, Educator, and now as the Assistant Director of the Kansas Emergency Department.
Libby accepted the position as Assistant Director in October 2023. Since this time, Libby has grown into her new role, while also maintaining the role of the Educator. I know that doing both roles has been challenging, however I have seen Libby in some very difficult situations, and she has handled them with finesse. She has met challenges head-on and did what she needed to do in order to ensure that safe, patient-centered care continued in the CMK ED. Yes, she gets things done. But she gets them done with a smile on her face and unmatched kindness. She truly is an inspiration. The unparalleled positivity that Libby brings to not only our unit, but to other individuals or teams is why I am submitting this DAISY nomination. She serves and leads the CMK ED team with grace, empathy, and open inclusion of all our unique nurses. She makes you want to be a better nurse, a better team player, a better learner...she just makes you want to be a better person overall. That is who you want to continue to lead and inspire others in nursing here at Children's Mercy – the nurse who makes all those around her even better.