Nursing at CoxHealth

We can find courage in a moment, but we also find it over long spans of times. We see it when a patient is met with a life-altering event or a disease that is interrupting what has always been before in their life. As members of the care team, we take part and cheer them on at different intervals in their journey. We watch their inner courage to face and overcome what are real obstacles, real barriers and real challenges. In those moments of difficulty, we sometimes observe the struggle they have to quit, give up or resign themselves, that there is no joy left. We smile with admiration when they choose tenacity, perseverance and the COURAGE to continue. I find it inspiring. I find the same attributes in all of you.

This year, faced with difficulty, strain and stress, our team took care of patients in an unprecedented way. I read many stories and letters from our patients and other members of the care team as they recounted the kindness and compassion they experienced or observed. Through two surges of the pandemic, our teams and leaders stopped and took time to ensure that their teammates were doing okay. In addition to the patient care and awareness of each other’s well-being, great things still occurred within all our walls because of the members of our nursing teams who collaborate with other disciplines for the best patient outcomes.

We opened the brand new Cox Monett Hospital location with the help of an amazing nursing staff who bridged the past into the future on a day in January. Our ED and Stroke Care teams set a record of 9 minutes from a stroke patient’s ED arrival to administration of tPA. The American Nurses Credentialing Center accredited, for the first time with distinction, our graduate nurse residency program in Springfield. We opened a brand new outpatient chemotherapy infusion center and a new Urgent Care in Nixa. Cox Barton County Hospital achieved Level III Stroke Center Designation. We launched our first Oncology and NICU/Pediatrics Patient and Family Advisory Councils to get input on care delivery, so we can be even better. Our Cox North Hospital care teams took part in the remodel concepts for our spaces in the North ED and inpatient psychiatric units. Cox Medical Centers Surgical Services Department, their heart team, and our two cardiothoracic surgeons have now performed over 10,000 open heart procedures; forever changing lives. Cox Medical Center Branson received the Chest Pain–MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award for the 2nd year in a row for its performance in the treatment of patients with acute myocardial infarctions (heart attacks). One of our critical care unit nurses launched the “Heartbeat in a Bottle” program where a final heartbeat strip is given to the family as a keepsake. We honored 23 RNs through the DAISY recognition program and 23 Sunshine Awards to recognize our support staff. 589 licensed nurses received STAR level designations on the clinical ladder. I wish I had the space to include every honor and achievement made this past year. There are so many more. You can be confident that each one is an important part of our nursing story, and I thank you for your dedication to excellence.

As System Chief Nursing Officer, I am so grateful for each of our nursing care teams and our nurse leaders in a deeper way. Each of you has possessed tremendous courage. Your strength, grace, care and character are admirable. What we do, the skills we possess and the knowledge we bring are valuable and it made the difference for so many. We will continue in our work and in our mission for those we serve at CoxHealth. And now when I think of courage, I see you.