Lisa R. Blake

Dynamic nursing leader with a proven track record , excelling in staff development and quality assurance. Achieved zero state recommendations while enhancing patient safety and satisfaction. Skilled in crisis management and workflow optimization, driving performance improvements and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration to elevate care standards.

• Registered Nurse – State of Michigan (Active)
• Basic Life Support (BLS)
• VHA National Mentor Certification Program – Fellow-Level Mentor
• Servant Leader Certificate of Recognition (2024)

• Clinical RN, University of Michigan Hospitals, 01/01/98, 01/01/00
• Adjunct Faculty, Eastern Michigan University, 01/01/01, 01/01/02
• RN, Resource One / Henry Ford Hospital, 01/01/01, 01/01/04

• Clinical Nurse Manager Team 5, VISN 10 Health Connect Clinical Contact Center, MI/OH/IN, 10/01/21, Present, Lead 23 remote triage agents across multiple states, consistently achieving quality and performance targets., Streamlined workflows with VISN 10 leadership, improving call resolution by 18% and reducing Veteran wait times by 30%., Ensured full regulatory compliance (OIG, Joint Commission, OSHA) with zero deficiencies., Directed staff migration across regional offices and implemented CRM, CISCO, and Cerner EHR with successful adoption., National Community of Practice Leader for RN Burnout, driving mental health and staff wellness initiatives.
• Chief, Telephone Call Center, Detroit VA Medical Center, Detroit, MI, 04/01/21, 10/01/21, Directed 30 staff across Switchboard, Scheduling, and Triage teams, improving Veteran access and exceeding URAC standards., Implemented CISCO and standardized VISN 10 operations with no disruption in metrics during system transition., Introduced Lean Six Sigma (Yellow Belt) and High Reliability Organization (HRO) training to frontline staff., Achieved seamless transition of staff to VISN 10 with Director recognition for leadership.
• Market Director of Education & Professional Development, Vibra Healthcare System of Southeast Michigan, MI, 06/01/19, 11/01/19, Directed system-wide education, training, and staff development initiatives., Ensured compliance in Employee Health and Laboratory operations, achieving zero inspection findings., Built academic partnerships to strengthen workforce pipeline and developed just-in-time trainings for emerging technologies.
• Director of Nursing, Vibra Hospital, Lincoln Park, MI, 12/01/18, Facility Closure, Led turnaround of long-term acute care facility, improving safety, quality, and staff performance., Maintained budget within 3% margin and achieved zero state recommendations or return visits., Collaborated with labor partners to reduce staff absenteeism and directed staff realignment during closure.
• Clinical Nursing Director, Michigan Dialysis Services (UM), Ann Arbor, MI, 12/01/16, 04/01/18, Managed interdisciplinary team of 29 in a high-volume dialysis facility, achieving CMS/AAMI targets., Oversaw care for 165+ patients across three modalities, achieving 97% resolution of patient complaints., Improved patient satisfaction by 12% through new policies and patient exercise programs.
• Clinical Nurse Manager, Dialysis, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, 11/01/15, 12/01/16, Directed care for dialysis population (56 patients) with 12 staff, ensuring compliance and patient safety., Eliminated unsafe practices and implemented new training schedules., Increased staff and patient satisfaction through leadership visibility and collaboration.
• Central Nurse Educator, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, 01/01/11, 11/01/15, Developed and delivered education programs for nursing staff and leadership across VISN 11., Led education for 4,000+ VA employees, including nurse residency program and training partnerships., Supported inpatient, ambulatory, and community-based clinics with successful implementation of new technologies., Contributed to system-wide quality management and performance improvement.
• Clinical Operations Manager – NICU & Special Care Nursery, St. John Hospital, Detroit, MI, 08/01/08, 10/01/10, Directed 62-bed neonatal units with 140+ staff and $2M budget., Increased parent satisfaction by 20% and achieved zero sentinel events., Drove shared governance and collaboration with L&D, neonatologists, and NPs to improve outcomes.
• Nurse Manager – Infectious Disease, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI, 11/01/04, 07/01/08, Managed 32-bed specialty unit with $1.7M budget, achieving designation as hospital ‘innovation unit.’, Reduced falls by 60%, achieving 180 fall-free days and 200 injury-free days., Increased patient satisfaction from 67% to 92%, earning multiple ‘Model T Awards.’, Pioneered safety huddles, hourly rounding, and collaborative rounds, later adopted hospital-wide., Transformed unit into a ‘destination’ for staff recruitment, achieving waitlist status by 2007.