Laurie Cogar, RN, MSN, NE-BC
Sunrise,FL
Summary
Board-certified nursing leader with progressive hospital operations experience across inpatient services, staffing, and patient flow. Manage a $34M+ budget, 11 cost centers, and 342 staff while sustaining zero traveler use, supporting quality outcomes, and strengthening workforce stability through recruitment, retention, and shared governance.
Overview
1
1
Certification
26
26
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Nursing
South Miami Hospital (Baptist Health South Florida)
01.2021 - Current
- Director of 6 inpatient MedSurg units including Ortho/Neuro, Respiratory, Oncology, Bariatric Surgery, Cardiac, and Colorectal units.
- Additional areas of responsibility include Dialysis, Centralized Telemetry, Staffing Office/House Supervision, Float Pool, Vascular Access Team, Imaging RNs, and other special nursing roles such as Admission RNs, Discharge RNs, and Resource RNs
- Manage a $34M+ operating budget and 11 nursing cost centers while maintaining strong fiscal performance. Leading multiple departments to finish under budget while sustaining quality and staffing goals.
- Oversee a workforce of 342 team members across multiple inpatient nursing departments.
- Maintain zero traveler utilization through effective recruitment, retention, and staffing strategies.
- Improved workforce stability through active management of turnover, vacancies, and productivity.
- Achieved an 81.9% patient safety culture score (2026), exceeding benchmark performance by 14.4%. Driving improvements in teamwork, communication, event reporting, and leadership support for patient safety. Fostering a culture of continuous improvement with sustained gains across key safety metrics.
- Unit Certifications: Advanced Spine Surgery, COPD, Bariatric Surgery, CoC in partnership with MCI, COERS/COEMIG
- Provide inter-professional leadership for quality care and services for all inpatient units to achieve strategic and operational goals.
- Responsible for assessing, evaluating and maintaining current with professional practice, knowledge & environment through leadership, collaboration and effective communication utilizing a framework of shared governance
Patient Care Manager
Homestead Hospital (Baptist Health South Florida)
03.2016 - 01.2021
- Managed House Supervision, Staffing Office, Float Pool, and Dialysis, serving as Nursing Leader over Imaging Nursing and Cardiology Nursing
- Evaluate clinical practices, services and operations streamlining policies and implementing processes/procedures to improve the patient experience hospital-wide
- Implemented a successful pilot for Discharge RN role saving the hospital approximately $64,000.00/mo. in staffing costs, while dramatically improving ED boarding times and inpatient discharge turn-around times. New FTEs approved and role is operating full time.
- Developed and implemented house-wide patient satisfaction initiative (CARE Initiative), enhancing service delivery across all departments, clinical and non-clinical
- Implemented and currently facilitate morning Leadership Huddle with over 30 department leaders (Managers and above) in attendance each morning. In addition, improved house-wide communication by sending notes to all leaders from morning huddle topics daily.
- Lead strategic organizational change by proposing to senior leaders the need to utilize beds in ICU/PCU area to help with the problem of doubling rooms in Med/Surg. The idea was piloted and successful. PCU operating as new Tele unit MS2.
- Oversaw budget for 3 cost centers, managing payroll, hiring and onboarding staff, strategic planning, and implementation of new practices and protocols
- Managed labor resources to optimize staffing during Covid-19 pandemic
- Chosen by my AVP to be a mentor in Business Acumen-Finance.
- Selected by CEO as successor in operations for emergency management and devolution planning.
Assistant Nurse Manager
Homestead Hospital (Baptist Health South Florida)
02.2015 - 03.2016
- Oversaw multiple areas including House Supervision, Staffing Office, Float Pool, Dialysis, Imaging Nursing, Cardiology Nursing
- Managed operations of these areas independently, allowing Nurse Manager to focus on other responsibilities
- Directed budget for 3 cost centers, handled payroll, hiring, strategic planning, and implementation of new practices and protocols
House Supervisor
Homestead Hospital (Baptist Health South Florida)
12.2009 - 02.2015
- Oversaw hospital operations from an administrative perspective, serving as clinical resource for staff across all departments
- Collaborated with staff, physicians, and patients to maintain high standards of care, ensuring patient satisfaction and quality outcomes
- Coordinated ED throughput, ensuring safe and timely placement of admitted patients to optimize patient flow and care delivery
- Hands-on experience working closely with current Nurse Manager in Succession Planning to develop knowledge in areas such as payroll, department budget, evaluations/corrective actions, and the interviewing process
Administrative Officer (House Supervisor)
Memorial Hospital West (Memorial Healthcare System)
10.2007 - 06.2011
Clinical Manager/Interim Nurse Manager Med/Surg
Memorial Hospital West (Memorial Healthcare System)
04.2006 - 10.2007
Clinical Manager Med/Surg
Memorial Hospital West (Memorial Healthcare System)
09.2005 - 04.2006
Oncology- Med/Surg RN/Charge Nurse
Memorial Hospital West Oncology Unit (Memorial Cancer Institute)
08.2000 - 08.2005
Education
Master of Science - Nurse Executive Track
Chamberlain University
01-2019
Bachelor of Science - Nursing
Florida International University
01-2000
Associate of Science Degree -
Broward Community College
01-1998
Skills
- Nursing management
- Clinical leadership
- Patient safety
- Quality improvement
- Budget management
- Workforce management
- Operational efficiency
- Strategic thinking
- Interdepartmental collaboration
- Effective communication
Personal Information
Title: Director of Nursing
Certification
- Board Certified Nurse Executive
- Registered Nurse/State of Florida License #RN9169830- Current
Awards, Accomplishments, and Professional Memberships
Member American Nurses Association, Member Florida Organization for Nursing Leadership, South Miami Hospital, EPIC Patient Flow Governance Team for Baptist Health, OAR Leader, SMH, Leader of the Quarter, FY2025Q1, Graduate Nurse Executive Academy, 2025, Successful completion Womens Leaders Program- Florida International University, 2024, Board Member Veterans BRG, BHSF-Communications Chair, United Way Ambassador, South Miami Hospital, 2023, 2024, Homestead Hospital, Implemented and spearheaded Daily Leadership Safety huddle, 2017 (rolled out systemwide), Nurse of the Year 2012, Nursing Administration, Unlocking My Unlimited Potential Program for Leaders- 5-month cohort program designed for strategic talent looking to develop their impact in the organization- Graduated 2018, Gossman Medical Staff Leadership invited by senior leadership for 2 consecutive years- Involved in house-wide projects
Timeline
Director of Nursing
South Miami Hospital (Baptist Health South Florida)
01.2021 - Current
Patient Care Manager
Homestead Hospital (Baptist Health South Florida)
03.2016 - 01.2021
Assistant Nurse Manager
Homestead Hospital (Baptist Health South Florida)
02.2015 - 03.2016
House Supervisor
Homestead Hospital (Baptist Health South Florida)
12.2009 - 02.2015
Administrative Officer (House Supervisor)
Memorial Hospital West (Memorial Healthcare System)
10.2007 - 06.2011
Clinical Manager/Interim Nurse Manager Med/Surg
Memorial Hospital West (Memorial Healthcare System)
04.2006 - 10.2007
Clinical Manager Med/Surg
Memorial Hospital West (Memorial Healthcare System)
09.2005 - 04.2006
Oncology- Med/Surg RN/Charge Nurse
Memorial Hospital West Oncology Unit (Memorial Cancer Institute)
08.2000 - 08.2005
Master of Science - Nurse Executive Track
Chamberlain University
Bachelor of Science - Nursing
Florida International University
Associate of Science Degree -
Broward Community College