Jessica Darnell

• Leader of nursing and clinical operations within a 683-bed downtown hospital. Key service lines include Women's, NICU, Oncology, Orthopedics and Spine Surgery. 54,000 ED visits and 7,000 OB deliveries per year. Also serves as lead CNO for Saint Thomas Health market.
• Developed and Implemented Workforce Strategy - Created and executed comprehensive workforce strategies aligned with organizational goals. Resulted in top associate engagement scores, 79% reduction in contract labor and 42% reduction in associate turnover over three year tenure.
• Experience in large scale construction projects - assumed clinical decision-making and design for a $300 million facility modernization project including a new surgical and critical care tower, ICU Stepdown Unit, satellite GYN ED and new hospital entrance over a three year span. Resulted in pandemic-informed spaces designed with caregivers, patients and families in mind.
• Led cross-functional teams for the successful completion of multiple major projects, resulting in increased efficiency, retention and workforce pipelining. One example includes establishing a hospital throughput hub resulting in a shift of peak discharge times from 230pm to 1030am and a reduction in Emergency Dept. admitted length of stay by 27% to 240 minutes.
• Programmatic growth - As executive leader for inpatient oncology services, built strong relationships with independent physician partners to grow blood cancer program, expanding into cell therapy and clinical research. Grew from 48 inpatients treated in first year to 539 patients over 3.5 years. As leader for Obstetrics services, maintained as highest delivering hospital in the city of Nashville, state of Tennessee and Ascension, while adding several key services including a milk depot, volunteer doula program, telelactation services and opening a satellite GYN Emergency Department.
• Quality and Regulatory Focused - successfully led the nursing division through multiple regulatory site visits including both triennial and disease specific certifications with The Joint Commission. Dedicated to leveraging evidence-based practices to drive excellence in patient care and operational efficiency. Saw improvements in all nursing sensitive indicators during my tenure include falls with harm, CLABSI, HAPI and CAUTI.

2016 - responsibility for nine Intensive Care Units including 147 inpatient beds, across two large hospital campuses. West campus serves as a comprehensive stroke, cardiac surgery, ECMO and heart/kidney transplant center. Midtown campus serves as primary stroke and chest pain center as well as a level IV maternity center.

2018 - Following a leadership restructure, assumed responsibility for both ICU and Cardiac service lines at Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown Hospital including 90 acute care beds, a remote hospital-wide cardiac monitoring ancillary department and 250 associates.

2021 - Asked to lead our Women's and Children's departments as Interim DON

Key accomplishments during DON tenure include:

• Crisis Manager - Led our ICUs and served as Administrator on Call hospital-wide, through the first 18 months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Innovative Leader - Developed a best in market Nursing Intern pilot program to create a pipeline for nursing students into the hospital setting. Resulted in a 93% retention rate by the second year.
• Regulatory Expertise - Ensured regulatory compliance and preparedness for multiple successful CMS and Joint Commission surveys.
• Evidence-based Supporter - Standardized nursing care across all ICUs leading to reduction of Hospital Acquired Infections including zero CLABSI for 365+ days.
• Frontline Empowerment - Sponsored the system wide Nursing Shared Governance Councils from inception to elevate nursing voice.
• Provided oversight of department budgets and productivity including assisting managers with variance action plans.
• Partnered with the DAISY Foundation to stand up a system-wide associate recognition program.

Responsible for 24-hour operations of a 42-bed Medical Intensive Care Unit with oversight of 150 associates

Coordinated general orientation for all new hire RNs as well as annual competencies for all existing RNs in a large hospital system

Led professional development strategies for four medical/surgical inpatient units with 240 associates as part of the department leadership team.

Charge Nurse for a 25-bed Cardiac Telemetry Unit and Chest Pain Center

Bedside nurse in a 36-bed trauma progressive care unit in a level I trauma center. Additionally, trained as Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner for citywide Emergency Departments.