From the early days of her career, Paige realized the pivotal role nursing leadership held in driving compassionate, high-quality and value-driven patient care, especially in independent, rural, community health systems. With a commitment to lifelong learning and professional growth, she has risen through the ranks of nursing leadership at Memorial Health System from Clinical Nurse Manager to her current role as Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nurse Executive at Memorial Health System in Marietta OH “My interest in nursing leadership stems from the belief that while the role of frontline nurses is to take great care of our patients, a leaders role is to take great care of our staff.
Over the years, Paige has grown as a nursing leader, having learned from each experience and the wonderful mentors whom have supported her professional growth over the years. In her current role, she has not only had responsibility for overseeing strategic operations, managing multidisciplinary teams and ensuring both clinical and operational excellence, but has had the rare opportunity to be part of her rural healthcare system’s expansion as they have built free-standing emergency departments and are currently building a brand new Women and Children’s Hospital in the southeast corner of Ohio.
In spite of the challenges facing healthcare, ask Paige about the future of nursing leadership, and she’ll tell you it looks BRIGHT! “The future of nursing leadership and healthcare is poised for transformative advancements, driven by innovation, technology, and a renewed focus on holistic care. Nursing leaders are poised to play an important in the use of artificial intelligence (AI), predictive analytics, and remote monitoring tools to enhance patient care and staff efficiency. While these technologies support clinicians by streamlining workflows and improving decision-making processes nurse leaders have to make sure frontline nurses are not overburdened and have user-friendly tools. By practicing to the full extent of their education and training, pursuing higher levels of education, and engaging in leadership roles, nurses can drive meaningful changes in healthcare delivery and policy.”
The advice Paige always has for early career nurse leaders; approach your role with a commitment to continuous growth and a commitment to understand all facets of healthcare, especially the business side of things. “It’s essential to know healthcare finance inside and out—your ability to lead effectively hinges on your understanding of how resources impact care delivery. Be visible and accessible to your teams; leadership isn’t always about meetings—it’s often about being present, listening, and engaging through intentional walk-arounds. Surround yourself with subject matter experts who complement your skills, especially in areas where you’re not the expert. Invest in building a high-performing team by prioritizing their development along with your own. Never stop learning—pursue advanced education, value specialty certifications, and model the behaviors you want to see. Above all, lead by example; integrity, humility, and a relentless focus on quality care are the hallmarks of lasting leadership.”
If you would like to connect with nurse leaders like Paige and be part of this community, learn more about ALSN membership at: ALSN.info/Join-Us
