Heather Hammel is the Assistant Nurse Manager for the IMU, a unit she has represented in many ways for nearly 8 years. She has served as UPC chair, represented the campus on the System Professional Congress, and even met with Texas lawmakers as a Nurse Leader earlier this year. Additionally, she co-leads the Skin Champions Committee, advocating for best practices in wound care and skin assessment. Last year, she demonstrated her commitment to the community by co-leading a very successful Employee Campaign, which exceeded the fundraising goal for the campus. 

While these titles and achievements are impressive, they only begin to showcase Heather’s leadership. She is routinely seen on the unit, working at the bedside as the charge nurse, resolving misunderstandings with patients and families, or guiding the team through emergencies. It’s not uncommon to find her pushing carts from central supply to ensure her team has the tools they need, or even helping members of the public in the parking lot, hallways, or on the unit with everything from simple directions to addressing urgent medical concerns.

Heather’s leadership was most evident recently during a challenging restructuring period for IMU. Despite reductions in unit size and the displacement of staff, Heather’s immediate response was to maintain team morale and support her nurses. She hosted town hall meetings, held one-on-one conversations, and escalated staff feedback regarding floating preferences. She also helped many of her nurses transition into other specialties, such as ICU and CV, in response to unit changes. Through these efforts, Heather provided stability and trust for her team, exemplifying the strength of a nurse leader.

Ask any nurse from the IMU, and they will tell you that Heather has earned their trust, respect, and admiration as a nurse leader in this organization. She consistently exemplifies the qualities of the DAISY Nurse Leader.